On Cepheids at maximum and minimum light

Abstract

It has been known for many decades that the spectral type of Cepheids at light maximum is constant with period. We use hydrodynamic pulsation models to explain this result in terms of the outward reach of the hydrogen ionization front. On the other hand, we show that, at minimum light, the Cepheid photospheric temperature is mainly a function of amplitude. A number of observed Cepheids have published temperatures that seem too hot at both maximum and minimum. We attribute this to an overestimation of the reddening for these stars. A list is given.