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semiregular variable star

vr.tr.semiregular-variable-star · thing-q1054411

Let an agent describe semiregular variables by subclass, period, amplitude and observation, with sourced data.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.SPC
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Identity Which star.

Designation

Name.

Designation

Designation.

  1. What is the star variable designation? provenance
  2. Which subclass is it? definition

Type

Giant or supergiant.

Type

Star type.

  1. Is it a giant or supergiant, of which spectral type? definition
  2. How far away is it? measurement
Variability Light curve.

Period

Timescales.

Period

Period.

  1. What periods does it show? measurement
  2. Is there a long secondary period? provenance

Amplitude

Range.

Amplitude

Amplitude.

  1. What is the brightness range? measurement
  2. How irregular is it? definition
Physics Pulsation.

Mechanism

Pulsation modes.

Mechanism

Mechanism.

  1. What drives the pulsation, according to studies? provenance
  2. How certain is it? boundary

Evolution

Stage.

Evolution

Evolutionary stage.

  1. What evolutionary stage does it indicate? definition
  2. How does it relate to Miras? definition
Observing Contributing.

Visibility

Equipment.

Visibility

Visibility.

  1. Can it be observed with binoculars or small telescopes? boundary
  2. When is it best placed? measurement

Submit

Databases.

Submit

Submitting data.

  1. How can observations be submitted to variable star databases? action
  2. Which organisation runs them? provenance

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.SPC
Other names and narrower kinds
SRS semi-regular, Long Secondary Period variable, SRb semi-regular variable star, SRa semi-regular variable star, SRd semi-regular variable star, SRc semi-regular variable star

What it is Filled

A giant or supergiant pulsating variable star showing periodic brightness changes interrupted by irregularities, with periods from about 20 to over 2000 days; subclasses include SRa, SRb, SRc and SRd.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent describe semiregular variables by subclass, period, amplitude and observation, with sourced data.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Semi-periodic pulsation
  • Giants and supergiants
  • Smaller amplitudes than Miras
  • Common among red giants

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Submit fabricated or unchecked observations to shared variable star databases.
  • Misattribute observations to the wrong observer.

Only with a human decision

  • Reclassifying a star in a catalogue that others rely on.

May

  • Describe semiregular variables and their subclasses from variable star catalogues.
  • Help observers log brightness estimates to the databases they contribute to.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Amateur observers contribute much of the data and deserve credit.
  • Shared databases depend on honest reporting.

Who is affected

  • Observers
  • Astronomers

Owners Filled

Steward

Nobody: held in common; variable star catalogues and observer databases record them.

Master systems

  • General Catalogue of Variable Stars
  • Variable star observer databases

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q1153690 - registry parent class
  • Q353834 - registry parent class

related

  • pulsating variable star - category
  • Mira variable - long-period variables
  • red giant - star type
  • GCVS and VSX - catalogues

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.semiregular-variable-star
  • Wikidata: Q1054411 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1054411)
  • GCVS designation: variable star names catalogue

Direct properties required Filled

  • period: about 20-2000 days
  • amplitude: up to about 2.5 magnitudes - visual

Recognition required Filled

  • GCVS types SRa, SRb, SRc, SRd
  • Irregular periodic light curves
  • Long secondary periods in some
  • Red giant or supergiant stars varying in brightness over weeks to years.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • classify by subclass
  • record light curves
  • submit observations to databases
  • compare with Mira variables

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Misclassifying subtype
  • Overinterpreting sparse data

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • IAU variable star nomenclature

Context of use required Filled

  • Studying late stellar evolution and pulsation.
  • SRa
  • SRb
  • SRc (supergiants)
  • SRd (yellow giants)
  • stars with long secondary periods

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q1054411: semiregular variable star - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Semiregular variable star - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should subclasses be separate entries?
  • How should VSX data be linked?
  • How should long secondary periods be explained?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q1054411/spec.json