RESULTS OF A SEARCH FOR γ DOR AND δ SCT STARS WITH THE KEPLER SPACECRAFT

The light curves of 2768 stars with effective temperatures and surface gravities placing them near the gamma Doradus (γ Dor)/delta Scuti (δ Sct) instability region were observed as part of the Kepler Guest Observer program from Cycles 1 through 5. The light curves were analyzed in a uniform manner to search for γ Dor, δ Sct, and hybrid star pulsations. The γ Dor, δ Sct, and hybrid star pulsations extend asteroseismology to stars slightly more massive (1.4–2.5 M⊙) than our Sun. We find 207 γ Dor, 84 δ Sct, and 32 hybrid candidate stars. Many of these stars are cooler than the red edge of the γ Dor instability strip as determined from ground-based observations made before Kepler. A few of our γ Dor candidate stars lie on the hot side of the ground-based γ Dor instability strip. The hybrid candidate stars cover the entire region between 6200 K and the blue edge of the ground-based δ Sct instability strip. None of our candidate stars are hotter than the hot edge of the ground-based δ Sct instability strip. Our discoveries, coupled with the work of others, show that Kepler has discovered over 2000 γ Dor, δ Sct, and hybrid star candidates in the 116 square degree Kepler field of view. We found relatively few variable stars fainter than magnitude 15, which may be because they are far enough away to lie between spiral arms in our Galaxy, where there would be fewer stars.