The Pulsation Mode and Distance of the Cepheid FF Aquilae
  The determination of pulsation mode and distance for field Cepheids is a
complicated problem best resolved by a luminosity estimate. For illustration a
technique based on spectroscopic luminosity discrimination is applied to the
4.47d s-Cepheid FF Aql. Line ratios in high dispersion spectra of the variable
yield values of <Mv>=-3.40+-0.02 s.e.(+-0.04 s.d.), average effective
temperature Teff=6195+-24 K, and intrinsic color (<B>-<V>)o = +0.506+-0.007,
corresponding to a reddening of E(B-V)=0.25+-0.01, or E(B-V)(B0)=0.26+-0.01.
The skewed light curve, intrinsic color, and luminosity of FF Aql are
consistent with fundamental mode pulsation for a small amplitude classical
Cepheid on the blue side of the instability strip, not a sinusoidal pulsator. A
distance of 413+-14 pc is estimated from the Cepheid's angular diameter in
conjunction with a mean radius of <R>=39.0+-0.7 Rsun inferred from its
luminosity and effective temperature. The dust extinction towards FF Aql is
described by a ratio of total-to-selective extinction of
Rv=Av/E(B-V)=3.16+-0.34 according to the star's apparent distance modulus.
