Kepler Q1 to Q16 phase fits do not detect steady frequency drift in the known KIC 8164262 oscillation

We test steady frequency change in the known strong oscillation of KIC 8164262. We fit Kepler release 25 quarters 1 to 16 with separate quarter amplitudes, four detector-season phase offsets, and linear and quadratic phase terms. The main corrected-flux frequency derivative is -0.33 +/- 2.06 times 10^-9 cycles per day squared. All 18 season-model intervals include zero across two flux products, three noise-block lengths and three baseline or orbital-mask choices. The corrected-flux standard error is about 1150 times an illustrative drift scale based on a published 4-billion-year mode evolution time. Exact nonlinear changes added to the estimated carrier in actual flux are recovered with relative errors below 0.001 percent. These are conditional sensitivity results. Close modes, phase changes, cross-quarter instrument errors and light-travel delays limit physical interpretation. Both products share exposures. We establish no new planet, mode, orbital decay or independent telescope confirmation. Code, accepted data, source hashes, fit tables, checks and reproduction instructions are included.

Kepler · KIC 8164262 · frequency drift · resonance locking · phase curvature · null result