Linear adiabatic stellar oscillation equations ($\Delta P/P={\Gamma }_1\Delta \rho /\rho$)

For a static spherical star, a fluid displacement $\mathbf{\xi }{e}^{-i\omega t}$ gives ${\rho }_1=-\nabla \cdot (\rho \mathbf{\xi })$, $-{\omega }^2\rho \mathbf{\xi }=-\nabla p_1-{\rho }_1\nabla \Phi -\rho \nabla {\varphi }_1$ and ${\nabla }^2{\varphi }_1=4\pi G{\rho }_1$. The adiabatic relation is $\Delta P=-{\Gamma }_{1}P\nabla \cdot \mathbf{\xi }$. Centre regularity and surface mechanical/gravitational boundary conditions select discrete eigenvalues in a conservative model.

In the Cowling approximation and local short-wavelength limit, the radial wave number satisfies $k_r^2\simeq ({\omega }^2-S_{\ell }^2)({\omega }^2-N^2)/(c_s^2{\omega }^2)$. The Lamb frequency $S_{\ell }$ and stellar buoyancy frequency $N$ delimit acoustic and gravity-wave cavities. This leading interior relation does not replace the near-surface acoustic cutoff or the full gravitational boundary problem.

The Cowling approximation neglects the perturbation of the gravitational potential while retaining the equilibrium gravitational force in a stellar oscillation. It simplifies short-wavelength mode propagation, but can be inaccurate for low-order modes whose perturbed self-gravity matters.

For a radial stellar oscillation, put ${\xi }_r=r\eta$. The self-gravitating adiabatic equation is $({\Gamma }_{1}P{r}^4{\eta }^{\prime }{)}^{\prime }+r^3[(3{\Gamma }_1-4)P{]}^{\prime }\eta +\rho r^4{\omega }^2\eta =0$. It is a Sturm-Liouville problem whose Rayleigh quotient tests radial stability. The familiar constant-exponent threshold is ${\Gamma }_1=4/3$; a variable exponent requires the full integral test.