Variable stars in the globular cluster NGC 3201 -- I. Multimode SX Phe type variables

We report on the discovery of 11 multimode SX Phoenicis type blue stragglers in the field of the southern globular cluster NGC 3201. In these variables both radial and non-radial modes are excited. For three variables the derived period ratio is close to that observed in SX Phoenicis itself, suggesting that these stars are pulsating in the fundamental and the first-overtone radial modes. Using the McNamara period—luminosity relation we have estimated the apparent distance modulus to NGC 3201 to be 14.08 ± 0.06 ± 0.1 mag.