Precision and Accuracy of Asteroseismology Applied to sdB stars Using the Forward Modeling Method

Detailed seismic studies of hot B subdwarf (sdB) stars using the forward modeling approach provide measurements of their fundamental parameters at very interesting precisions. For instance, masses, radii, and log g values derived this way are typically claimed at ∼ 1 − 2%, ∼ 0.5%, and ∼ 0.1 % precision, respectively. However, this method relies on still imperfect stellar models that contains various uncertainties associated with their inner structure and the underlying microphysics. A signature of these imperfections is the inability of current best-fit seismic models to reproduce all the observed oscillation frequencies at the precision of the observations. Therefore, the question of the accuracy (as opposed to the precision) of the derived parameters obtained from this approach is legitimate. Here, we revisit the question of precision and accuracy based on new, third generation, complete static models of sdB stars developed for asteroseismology and applied to the case of the eclipsing system PG 1336-018. This allows us to evaluate the reliability of the method and quantify the impact of various uncertainties in the stellar models on the derived stellar parameters. Finally, we discuss the intrinsic potential of asteroseismology for precise measurements of stellar parameters and show that we are far from having fully exploited this technique in terms of precision that can, in principle, be achieved.