This book surveys our understanding of stars which change in brightness because they pulsate. Pulsating variable stars are keys to distance scales inside and beyond the Milky Way galaxy. They test our understanding not only of stellar pulsation theory but also of stellar structure and evolution theory. Moreover, pulsating stars are important probes of the formation and evolution of our own and neighboring galaxies. Our understanding of pulsating stars has greatly increased in recent years as large-scale surveys of pulsating stars in the Milky Way and other Local Group galaxies have provided a wealth of new observations and as space-based instruments have studied particular pulsating stars in unprecedented detail.

PrefaceHISTORICAL OVERVIEWDiscovery of the First Pulsating Variable StarsThe Recognition of Pulsation as a Cause of VariabilityFUNDAMENTALS OF STELLAR VARIABILITY OBSERVATIONSDefinitionsPhotometric BandpassesPeriod DeterminationCommon Observational TechniquesSpace-Based Versus Ground ObservationsCLASSIFICATION OF VARIABLE STARSRegular, Semi-Regular, and Irregular VariablesVariability: Intrinsic and/or ExtrinsicExtrinsic VariablesIntrinsic VariablesSTELLAR STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION THEORYThe Basic Equations of Stellar Structure and EvolutionThe Evolution of Low-Mass StarsThe Evolution of Intermediate-Mass StarsThe Evolution of High-Mass StarsSTELLAR PULSATION THEORYTimescalesRitter's (Period-Mean Density) RelationBasic Equations of (Radial) Stellar Pulsation TheoryLinearization of the Stellar Pulsation EquationsLinear Adiabatic Oscillations: The LAWEEigenvalues and Eigenfunctions of the LAWENon-Adiabatic Theory: Conditions for StabilityThe Linear Non-Adiabatic Wave EquationDriving MechanismStability Conditions and Instability Strip EdgesNon-Radial PulsationsNonlinear EffectsRR LYRAE STARSRR Lyrae Stars as a Class of Pulsating Variable StarRR Lyrae Stars as Standard CandlesEvolution of RR Lyrae StarsPulsationThe Blazhko EffectRR Lyrae Stars in Globular ClustersThe Oosterhoff GroupsPeriod ChangesRR Lyrae Stars beyond the Milky WayCEPHEID AND RELATED VARIABLE STARSClassical CepheidsType II CepheidsBL Boo Stars or Anormalous CepheidsRV Tauri StarsRED VARIABLE STARSConvection and PulsationMira and Related Long-Period VariablesSemi-Regular VariablesIrregular VariablesPULSATING STARS CLOSE TO THE LOWER MAIN SEQUENCE IN THE H-R DIAGRAMDelta Scuti and SX Phoenicis StarsGamma Doradus StarsroAp StarsPULSATING STARS CLOSE TO THE UPPER MAIN SEQUENCE IN THE H-R DIAGRAMBeta Cephei StarsSPB (53 Per) StarsPULSATING SUPERGIANT STARSSPBsg VariablesPV Telescopii, V652 Herculis, and R CrB StarsAlpha Cygni, S Dor, and Wolf-Rayet StarsHOT SUBDWARF PULSATORSEC 14026 (V361 Hya, sdBV, sdBVp, sdBVr) VariablesPG 1716+426 (V1093 Her, "Betsy", sdBVg, sdBVs) VariablessdOV (V499 Ser) VariablesHe-sdBV StarsPULSATING DEGENERATE STARSGW Vir StarsDBV (V777 Her) StarsDQV StarsDAV StarsELM-HeV StarsGW Librae Stars: Accreting WD PulsatorsPulsations in Neutron Stars and Black HolesGlossaryIndex