Vol. 559
In section 7: Stellar structure and evolution

Period-luminosity relations in evolved red giants explained by solar-like oscillations

For the first time, the authors have measured global solar-like oscillations in evolved red giant stars using the Kepler satellite. They identified these oscillations as radial and non-radial solar-like oscillations by linking them to ground-based period-luminosity sequences. Interpreting period-luminosity relations in red giants in terms of solar-like oscillations provides the means for a firm physical basis for investigating time series obtained from ground-based microlensing surveys. This will enable improved distance measurements and opens the path to extragalactic asteroseismology with the observations of M giants in the Magellanic Clouds.