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Sample records for hot white dwarfs

  1. ON THE FORMATION OF HOT DQ WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Althaus, L. G.; Corsico, A. H.; Miller Bertolami, M. M.; Romero, A. D.; GarcIa-Berro, E.

    2009-01-01

    We present the first full evolutionary calculations aimed at exploring the origin of hot DQ white dwarfs. These calculations consistently cover the whole evolution from the born-again stage to the white dwarf cooling track. Our calculations provide strong support for the diffusive/convective mixing picture for the formation of hot DQs. We find that the hot DQ stage is a short-lived stage and that the range of effective temperatures where hot DQ stars are found can be accounted for by different masses of residual helium and/or different initial stellar masses. In the frame of this scenario, a correlation between the effective temperature and the surface carbon abundance in DQs should be expected, with the largest carbon abundances expected in the hottest DQs. From our calculations, we suggest that most of the hot DQs could be the cooler descendants of some PG 1159 stars characterized by He-rich envelopes markedly smaller than those predicted by the standard theory of stellar evolution. At least for one hot DQ, the high-gravity white dwarf SDSS J142625.70+575218.4, an evolutionary link between this star and the massive PG 1159 star H1504+65, is plausible.

  2. Chandra Grating Spectroscopy of Three Hot White Dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamczak, J.; Werner, K.; Rauch, T.; Schuh, S.; Drake, J. J.; Kruk, J. W.

    2013-01-01

    High-resolution soft X-ray spectroscopic observations of single hot white dwarfs are scarce. With the Chandra Low-Energy Transmission Grating, we have observed two white dwarfs, one is of spectral type DA (LB1919) and the other is a non-DA of spectral type PG1159 (PG1520+525). The spectra of both stars are analyzed, together with an archival Chandra spectrum of another DA white dwarf (GD246). Aims. The soft X-ray spectra of the two DA white dwarfs are investigated in order to study the effect of gravitational settling and radiative levitation of metals in their photospheres. LB1919 is of interest because it has a significantly lower metallicity than DAs with otherwise similar atmospheric parameters. GD246 is the only white dwarf known that shows identifiable individual iron lines in the soft X-ray range. For the PG1159 star, a precise effective temperature determination is performed in order to confine the position of the blue edge of the GW Vir instability region in the HRD. Methods. The Chandra spectra are analyzed with chemically homogeneous as well as stratified NLTE model atmospheres that assume equilibrium between gravitational settling and radiative acceleration of chemical elements. Archival EUV and UV spectra obtained with EUVE, FUSE, and HST are utilized to support the analysis. Results. No metals could be identified in LB1919. All observations are compatible with a pure hydrogen atmosphere. This is in stark contrast to the vast majority of hot DA white dwarfs that exhibit light and heavy metals and to the stratified models that predict significant metal abundances in the atmosphere. For GD246 we find that neither stratified nor homogeneous models can fit the Chandra spectrum. The Chandra spectrum of PG1520+525 constrains the effective temperature to T(sub eff) = 150 000 +/- 10 000 K. Therefore, this nonpulsating star together with the pulsating prototype of the GWVir class (PG1159-035) defines the location of the blue edge of the GWVir instability region

  3. Nonvalidity of I-Love-Q Relations for Hot White Dwarf Stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boshkayev, K.; Quevedo, H.

    2018-05-01

    The equilibrium configurations of uniformly rotating white dwarfs at finite temperatures are investigated, exploiting the Chandrasekhar equation of state for different isothermal cores. The Hartle-Thorne formalism is applied to construct white dwarf configurations in the framework of Newtonian physics. The equations of structure are considered in the slow rotation approximation and all basic parameters of rotating hot white dwarfs are computed to test the so-called moment of inertia, tidal Love number and quadrupole moment (I-Love-Q) relations. It is shown that even within the same equation of state the I-Love-Q relations are not universal for white dwarfs at finite temperatures.

  4. Hydrogen in hot subdwarfs formed by double helium white dwarf mergers

    OpenAIRE

    Hall, Philip D.; Jeffery, C. Simon

    2016-01-01

    Isolated hot subdwarfs might be formed by the merging of two helium-core white dwarfs. Before merging, helium-core white dwarfs have hydrogen-rich envelopes and some of this hydrogen may survive the merger. We calculate the mass of hydrogen that is present at the start of such mergers and, with the assumption that hydrogen is mixed throughout the disrupted white dwarf in the merger process, estimate how much can survive. We find a hydrogen mass of up to about $2 \\times 10^{-3}\\,\\mathrm{M}_{\\o...

  5. STIS observations of five hot white dwarfs

    OpenAIRE

    Bannister, N. P.; Barstow, M. A.; Holberg, J. B.; Bruhweiler, F. C.

    2000-01-01

    We present some early results from a study of five hot DA white dwarf stars, based on spectra obtained using STIS. All show multiple components in one or more of the strong resonance absorption lines typically associated with the stellar photosphere (e.g. C IV, Si IV, N V and O V). Possible relationships between the non-photospheric velocity components and the interstellar medium or local stellar environment, are investigated, including contributions from gravitational redshifting.

  6. Hot accreting white dwarfs in the quasi-static approximation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iben, I. Jr.

    1982-01-01

    Properties of white dwarfs which are accreting hydrogen-rich matter at rates in the range 1.5 x 10 -9 to 2.5 x 10 -7 M/sub sun/ yr -1 are investigated in several approximations. Steady-burning models, in which matter is processed through nuclear-burning shells as rapidly as it is accreted, provide a framework for understanding the properties of models in which thermal pulses induced by hydrogen burning and helium burning are allowed to occur. In these latter models, the underlying carbon-oxygen core is chosen to be in a cycle-averaged steady state with regard to compressional heating and neutrino losses. Several of these models are evolved in the quasi-static approximation. Combining results obtained in the steady-burning approximation with those obtained in the quasi-static approximation, expressions are obtained for estimating, as functions of accretion rate and white dwarf mass, the thermal pulse recurrence period and the duration of hydrogen-burning phases. The time spent by an accreting model burning hydrogen as a large star of giant dimensions versus time spent burning hydrogen as a hot dwarf is also estimated as a function of model mass and accretion rate. Finally, suggestions for detecting observational counterparts of the theoretical models and suggestions for further theoretical investigations are offered. Subject headings: stars: accretion: stars: interiors: stars: novae: stars: symbiotic: stars: white dwarfs

  7. Stark Broadening and White Dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dimitrijević Milan S.

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available White dwarf and pre-white dwarfs are the best types of stars for the application of Stark broadening research results in astrophysics, since in the atmospheres of these stars physical conditions are very favorable for this line broadening mechanism - in hot hydrogen-deficient white dwarfs and pre-white dwarfs Teff = 75 000–180 000 K and log g = 5.5–8 [cgs]. Even for much cooler DA and DB white dwarfs with the typical effective temperatures 10 000-20 000 K, Stark broadening is usually the dominant broadening mechanism. In this review, Stark broadening in white dwarf spectra is considered, and the attention is drawn to the STARK-B database (http://stark-b.obspm.fr/, containing the parameters needed for analysis and synthesis of white dwarf spectra, as well as for the collective efforts to develop the Virtual Atomic and Molecular Data Center.

  8. A hot white dwarf luminosity function from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krzesinski, J.; Kleinman, S. J.; Nitta, A.; Hügelmeyer, S.; Dreizler, S.; Liebert, J.; Harris, H.

    2009-12-01

    Aims. We present a hot white dwarf (WD) luminosity function (LF) using data taken from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 4. We present and discuss a combined LF, along with separate DA and non-DA as LFs. We explore the completeness of our LFs and interpret a sudden drop in the non-DA LF near 2 M_bol as a transition of the non-DA WD atmosphere into the DA one during WD evolution. Our LF extends roughly between -0.5 T_eff > ˜25 000 K. Our LF should now be useful for estimates of recent star formation and for studies of neutrino and other potential particle emission losses in hot WDs. Methods: To create a sample whose completeness can be characterized fully, we used stars whose spectra were obtained via the SDSS's “hot standard” target selection criteria. The hot standard stars were purposefully targeted to a high level of completeness by the SDSS for calibration purposes. We are fortunate that many of them are hot white dwarfs stars. We further limited the sample to stars with fitted temperatures exceeding 23 500 K and log{g} > 7.0. We determined stellar distances for our sample based on their absolute SDSS g filter magnitudes, derived from WD stellar atmosphere model fits to the SDSS stellar spectra. Results: We compared our LF with those of other researchers where overlap occurs; however, our LFs are unique in their extension to the most luminous/hottest WDs. The cool end of our LF connects with the hot end of previously determined SDSS WD LFs and agreement here is quite good. It is also good with previous non-SDSS WD LFs. We note distinct differences between the DA and non-DA LFs and discuss the reliability of the DA LF at its hot end. We have extended the range of luminosities covered in the most recent WD LFs. The SDSS sample is understood quite well and its exploration should contribute to a number of new insights into early white dwarf evolution.

  9. Iron abundance in the hot DA white dwarfs Feige 24 and G191 B2B

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vennes, Stephane; Chayer, Pierre; Thorstensen, John R.; Bowyer, Stuart; Shipman, Harry L.

    1992-01-01

    Attention is given to model calculations of the far- and extreme-UV line spectra of highly ionized Fe species (Fe IV, Fe V, and Fe VI) for hot high-gravity H-rich stars. A spectral analysis of 31 hr of exposure of the DA white dwarf Feige 24 with IUE in the echelle mode reveals the presence of Fe with an abundance relative to H by number of (5-10) x 10 exp -6 with an uncertainty dominated by the determination of stellar parameters. An analysis of IUE data from the white dwarf G191 B2B results in a similar Fe abundance if this star shares similar atmospheric parameters (Teff, g) with Feige 24. Fe is thus the second most abundant photospheric element in hot DA white dwarfs.

  10. Pulsations in white dwarf stars

    OpenAIRE

    Van Grootel, Valérie; Fontaine, Gilles; Brassard, Pierre; Dupret, Marc-Antoine

    2017-01-01

    I will present a description of the six distinct families of pulsating white dwarfs that are currently known. Pulsations are present at various stages of the evolution (from hot, pre-white dwarfs to cool white dwarfs), at various stellar masses, and for various atmospheric compositions. In all of them, a mechanism linked to opacity changes along the evolution drives the oscillations. The existence of these oscillations offers the opportunity to apply asteroseismology for constraining physics ...

  11. Mass loss, levitation, accretion, and the sharp-lined features in hot white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruhweiler, F.C.; Kondo, Y.

    1983-01-01

    We have studied eight white dwarfs, seven DA and one He-rich types, observed at a high resolution (lambda/Δlambdaroughly-equal10 4 ) with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE). Of the seven DA white dwarfs, three show spectral signatures of ionized heavy elements, such as Si II, SI III, C IV, Si IV, and N V, arising in the immediate environment of these stars. The shortward-shifted lines in two (G191--B2B and 2111+49) of the three DA types showing metallic lines are tentatively interpreted as an indication of mass loss from these stars. The He-rich white dwarf shows the features due to C cV and He II, which also arise in the immediate environment of that star. Although the statistical sample presented here is limited, we tentatively suggest a temperature and effective gravity range (T/sub eff/> or approx. =20,000 K and log (g) < or approx. =8.0) in DA white dwarfs within which metallic lines are present either in the photosphere or in the halo of the stars. We examine the physical processes relevant to the appearance of such metallic lines. We tentatively propose that radiative levitation can explain the appearance of the observed lines in the hot DA white dwarfs, although the role of radiation forces in mass loss is not clear

  12. NEW EVOLUTIONARY SEQUENCES FOR HOT H-DEFICIENT WHITE DWARFS ON THE BASIS OF A FULL ACCOUNT OF PROGENITOR EVOLUTION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Althaus, L. G.; Panei, J. A.; Miller Bertolami, M. M.; Corsico, A. H.; Romero, A. D.; Garcia-Berro, E.; Kepler, S. O.; Rohrmann, R. D.

    2009-01-01

    We present full evolutionary calculations appropriate for the study of hot hydrogen-deficient DO white dwarfs, PG 1159 stars, and DB white dwarfs. White dwarf sequences are computed for a wide range of stellar masses and helium envelopes on the basis of a complete treatment of the evolutionary history of progenitors stars, including the core hydrogen and helium burning phases, the thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch phase, and the born-again episode that is responsible for the hydrogen deficiency. We also provide colors and magnitudes for the new sequences for T eff < 40,000 K, where the NLTE effects are not dominant. These new calculations provide a homogeneous set of evolutionary tracks appropriate for mass and age determinations for both PG 1159 stars and DO white dwarfs. The calculations are extended down to an effective temperature of 7000 K. We applied these new tracks to redetermine stellar masses and ages of all known DO white dwarfs with spectroscopically determined effective temperatures and gravities, and compare them with previous results. We also compare for the first time consistent mass determinations for both DO and PG 1159 stars, and find a considerably higher mean mass for the DO white dwarfs. We discuss as well the chemical profile expected in the envelope of variable DB white dwarfs from the consideration of the evolutionary history of progenitor stars. Finally, we present tentative evidence for a different evolutionary channel, other than that involving the PG 1159 stars, for the formation of hot, hydrogen-deficient white dwarfs.

  13. Accretion onto hot white dwarfs in relation to symbiotic novae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Livio, M.; Prialnik, D.; Regev, O.

    1989-01-01

    Numerical calculations are used to study the hydrodynamic evolution of a hot white dwarf with 1 solar mass accreting hydrogen-rich matter at rates between 10 to the -8th and 10 to the -6th solar masses/yr. It is found that for accretion at a rate of about 10 to the -8th solar masses/yr, nova-type outbursts of long duration occur at intervals of about 1500 yr. About half of the accreted envelope is ejected during these outbursts. At a rate of about 10 to the -7th solar masses/yr, the star alternates between comparable periods at a high plateau luminosity and giant dimensions and periods at a low luminosity and white dwarf dimension. At 10 to the -6th solar masses/yr, equilibrium is achieved with a typical red giant luminosity supported by steady hydrogen burning. It is concluded that symbiotic novae are more likely to occur in detached systems involving wind accretors. Thus, the contribution of symbiotic stars to the frequency of type I supernovae is severely constrained. 39 refs

  14. White dwarf evolution - Cradle-to-grave constraints via pulsation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaler, Steven D.

    1990-01-01

    White dwarf evolution, particularly in the early phases, is not very strongly constrained by observation. Fortunately, white dwarfs undergo nonradial pulsation in three distinct regions of the H-R diagram. These pulsations provide accurate masses, surface compositional structure and rotation velocities, and help constrain other important physical properties. We demonstrate the application of the tools of stellar seismology to white dwarf evolution using the hot white dwarf star PG 1159-035 and the cool DAV (or ZZ Ceti) stars as examples. From pulsation studies, significant challenges to the theory of white dwarf evolution emerge.

  15. White dwarf evolution - Cradle-to-grave constraints via pulsation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawaler, S.D.

    1990-01-01

    White dwarf evolution, particularly in the early phases, is not very strongly constrained by observation. Fortunately, white dwarfs undergo nonradial pulsation in three distinct regions of the H-R diagram. These pulsations provide accurate masses, surface compositional structure and rotation velocities, and help constrain other important physical properties. We demonstrate the application of the tools of stellar seismology to white dwarf evolution using the hot white dwarf star PG 1159-035 and the cool DAV (or ZZ Ceti) stars as examples. From pulsation studies, significant challenges to the theory of white dwarf evolution emerge. 44 refs

  16. Non-LTE line-blanketed model atmospheres of hot stars. 2: Hot, metal-rich white dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanz, T.; Hubeny, I.

    1995-01-01

    We present several model atmospheres for a typical hot metal-rich DA white dwarf, T(sub eff) = 60,000 K, log g = 7.5. We consider pure hydrogen models, as well as models with various abundances of two typical 'trace' elements-carbon and iron. We calculte a number of Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE) and non-LTE models, taking into account the effect of numerous lines of these elements on the atmospheric structure. We demostrate that while the non-LTE effects are notvery significant for pure hydrogen models, except for describing correctly the central emission in H-alpha they are essential for predicting correctly the ionization balance of metals, such as carbon and iron. Previously reported discrepancies in LTE abundances determinations using C III and C IV lines are easily explained by non-LTE effects. We show that if the iron abundance is larger than 10(exp -5), the iron line opacity has to be considered not only for the spectrum synthesis, but also in the model construction itself. For such metal abundances, non-LTE metal line-blanketed models are needed for detailed abundance studies of hot, metal-rich white dwarfs. We also discuss the predicted Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) spectrum and show that it is very sensitive to metal abundances, as well as to non-LTE effects.

  17. A compact planetary nebula around the hot white dwarf EGB 6/PG 0950 + 139

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liebert, J.; Green, R.; Bond, H.E.; Holberg, J.B.; Wesemael, F. (Steward Observatory, Tucson, AZ (USA) Mount Wilson and Las Campanas Observatories, Pasadena, CA (USA) Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ (USA) Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD (USA) Arizona Univ., Tucson (USA) Montreal Universite, Montreal (Canada))

    1989-11-01

    The remarkable central star (0950 + 139), a very hot DA/DAO white dwarf, of the planetary nebula EGB 6 is described. Follow-up observations relevant to the analyses of both the nebula and the stellar photosphere are presented. Three kinds of scenarios are discussed to account for the existence of this peculiar nebula, but none appears very promising. The first consideration is that the nebula was ejected from the white dwarf as a discret event. This hypothesis is heavily constrained by the nebular size, density, and expansion rate; by the low luminosity and radius of the star; and by the absence of evidence for variation in density-sensitive forbidden lines from 1978 to 1987. No plausible mechanism can cause the observed amount of mass to be lost directly from a white dwarf in a steady or sporadic wind, at outflow velocities orders of magnitude below the escape velocity. Final consideration is given to the possibility that the gas is lost from a close companion star, but there is no evidence that this is a close binary system. 45 refs.

  18. A compact planetary nebula around the hot white dwarf EGB 6/PG 0950 + 139

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liebert, James; Green, Richard; Bond, Howard E.; Holberg, J. B.; Wesemael, F.

    1989-01-01

    The remarkable central star (0950 + 139), a very hot DA/DAO white dwarf, of the planetary nebula EGB 6 is described. Follow-up observations relevant to the analyses of both the nebula and the stellar photosphere are presented. Three kinds of scenarios are discussed to account for the existence of this peculiar nebula, but none appears very promising. The first consideration is that the nebula was ejected from the white dwarf as a discret event. This hypothesis is heavily constrained by the nebular size, density, and expansion rate; by the low luminosity and radius of the star; and by the absence of evidence for variation in density-sensitive forbidden lines from 1978 to 1987. No plausible mechanism can cause the observed amount of mass to be lost directly from a white dwarf in a steady or sporadic wind, at outflow velocities orders of magnitude below the escape velocity. Final consideration is given to the possibility that the gas is lost from a close companion star, but there is no evidence that this is a close binary system.

  19. A compact planetary nebula around the hot white dwarf EGB 6/PG 0950 + 139

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liebert, J.; Green, R.; Bond, H.E.; Holberg, J.B.; Wesemael, F.

    1989-01-01

    The remarkable central star (0950 + 139), a very hot DA/DAO white dwarf, of the planetary nebula EGB 6 is described. Follow-up observations relevant to the analyses of both the nebula and the stellar photosphere are presented. Three kinds of scenarios are discussed to account for the existence of this peculiar nebula, but none appears very promising. The first consideration is that the nebula was ejected from the white dwarf as a discret event. This hypothesis is heavily constrained by the nebular size, density, and expansion rate; by the low luminosity and radius of the star; and by the absence of evidence for variation in density-sensitive forbidden lines from 1978 to 1987. No plausible mechanism can cause the observed amount of mass to be lost directly from a white dwarf in a steady or sporadic wind, at outflow velocities orders of magnitude below the escape velocity. Final consideration is given to the possibility that the gas is lost from a close companion star, but there is no evidence that this is a close binary system. 45 refs

  20. What fraction of white dwarfs are members of binary systems?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holberg, J B

    2009-01-01

    White dwarfs were originally discovered as the subordinate faint companions of bright nearby stars (i.e. Sirius B and 40 Eri B). Several general categories of binary systems involving white dwarfs are recognized: Sirius-like systems, where the white dwarf may be difficult to detect, binary systems containing white dwarfs and low mass stars, where the white dwarf is often readily discerned; and double degenerate systems. Different modes of white dwarf discovery influence our perception of both the overall binary fraction and the nature of these systems; proper motion surveys emphasize resolved systems, while photometric surveys emphasize unresolved systems containing relatively hot white dwarfs. Recent studies of the local white dwarf population offer some hope of achieving realistic estimates of the relative number of binary systems containing white dwarfs. A sample of 132 white dwarfs within 20 pc indicates that an individual white dwarf has a probability of 32 ± 8% of occurring within a binary or multiple star system.

  1. KOI 1224: A FOURTH BLOATED HOT WHITE DWARF COMPANION FOUND WITH KEPLER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Breton, R. P.; Van Kerkwijk, M. H.; Rappaport, S. A.; Carter, J. A.

    2012-01-01

    We present an analysis and interpretation of the Kepler binary system KOI 1224. This is the fourth binary found with Kepler that consists of a thermally bloated, hot white dwarf in a close orbit with a more or less normal star of spectral class A or F. As we show, KOI 1224 contains a white dwarf with T eff = 14, 700 ± 1000 K, mass = 0.22 ± 0.02 M ☉ , and radius = 0.103 ± 0.002 R ☉ , and an F-star companion of mass 1.59 ± 0.06 M ☉ that is somewhat beyond its terminal-age main sequence. The orbital period is quite short at 2.69802 days. The ingredients that are used in the analysis are the Kepler binary light curve, including the detection of the Doppler boosting effect; the NUV and FUV fluxes from the GALEX images of this object; an estimate of the spectral type of the F-star companion; and evolutionary models of the companion designed to match its effective temperature and mean density. The light curve is modeled with a new code named Icarus which we describe in detail. Its features include the full treatment of orbital phase-resolved spectroscopy, Doppler boosting, irradiation effects, and transits/eclipses, which are particularly suited to irradiated eclipsing binaries. We interpret the KOI 1224 system in terms of its likely evolutionary history. We infer that this type of system, containing a bloated hot white dwarf, is the direct descendant of an Algol-type binary. In spite of this basic understanding of the origin of KOI 1224, we discuss a number of problems associated with producing a system with an orbital period this short.

  2. High-Resolution EUV Spectroscopy of White Dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowalski, Michael P.; Wood, K. S.; Barstow, M. A.

    2014-01-01

    We compare results of high-resolution EUV spectroscopic measurements of the isolated white dwarf G191-B2B and the binary system Feige 24 obtained with the J-PEX (Joint Plasmadynamic Experiment), which was sponsored jointly by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and NASA. J-PEX delivers the world's highest resolution in EUV and does so at high effective area (e.g., more effective area in a sounding rocket than is available with Chandra at adjacent energies, but in a waveband Chandra cannot reach). The capability J-PEX represents is applicable to the astrophysics of hot plasmas in stellar coronae, white dwarfs and the ISM. G191-B2B and Feige 24 are quite distinct hot white dwarf systems having in common that they are bright in the portion of the EUV where He emission features and edges occur, hence they can be exploited to probe both the stellar atmosphere and the ISM, separating those components by model-fitting that sums over all relevant (He) spectral features in the band. There is evidence from these fits that atmospheric He is being detected but the result is more conservatively cast as a pair of upper limits. We discuss how longer duration satellite observations with the same instrumentation could increase exposure to detect atmospheric He in these and other nearby hot white dwarfs.

  3. Genesis of magnetic fields in isolated white dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briggs, Gordon P.; Ferrario, Lilia; Tout, Christopher A.; Wickramasinghe, Dayal T.

    2018-05-01

    A dynamo mechanism driven by differential rotation when stars merge has been proposed to explain the presence of strong fields in certain classes of magnetic stars. In the case of the high field magnetic white dwarfs (HFMWDs), the site of the differential rotation has been variously thought to be the common envelope, the hot outer regions of a merged degenerate core or an accretion disc formed by a tidally disrupted companion that is subsequently accreted by a degenerate core. We have shown previously that the observed incidence of magnetism and the mass distribution in HFMWDs are consistent with the hypothesis that they are the result of merging binaries during common envelope evolution. Here we calculate the magnetic field strengths generated by common envelope interactions for synthetic populations using a simple prescription for the generation of fields and find that the observed magnetic field distribution is also consistent with the stellar merging hypothesis. We use the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to study the correlation between the calculated and the observed field strengths and find that it is consistent for low envelope ejection efficiency. We also suggest that field generation by the plunging of a giant gaseous planet on to a white dwarf may explain why magnetism among cool white dwarfs (including DZ white dwarfs) is higher than among hot white dwarfs. In this picture a super-Jupiter residing in the outer regions of the white dwarf's planetary system is perturbed into a highly eccentric orbit by a close stellar encounter and is later accreted by the white dwarf.

  4. THE POST-MERGER MAGNETIZED EVOLUTION OF WHITE DWARF BINARIES: THE DOUBLE-DEGENERATE CHANNEL OF SUB-CHANDRASEKHAR TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE AND THE FORMATION OF MAGNETIZED WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ji Suoqing; Fisher, Robert T.; García-Berro, Enrique; Tzeferacos, Petros; Jordan, George; Lee, Dongwook; Lorén-Aguilar, Pablo; Cremer, Pascal; Behrends, Jan

    2013-01-01

    Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play a crucial role as standardizable cosmological candles, though the nature of their progenitors is a subject of active investigation. Recent observational and theoretical work has pointed to merging white dwarf binaries, referred to as the double-degenerate channel, as the possible progenitor systems for some SNe Ia. Additionally, recent theoretical work suggests that mergers which fail to detonate may produce magnetized, rapidly rotating white dwarfs. In this paper, we present the first multidimensional simulations of the post-merger evolution of white dwarf binaries to include the effect of the magnetic field. In these systems, the two white dwarfs complete a final merger on a dynamical timescale, and are tidally disrupted, producing a rapidly rotating white dwarf merger surrounded by a hot corona and a thick, differentially rotating disk. The disk is strongly susceptible to the magnetorotational instability (MRI), and we demonstrate that this leads to the rapid growth of an initially dynamically weak magnetic field in the disk, the spin-down of the white dwarf merger, and to the subsequent central ignition of the white dwarf merger. Additionally, these magnetized models exhibit new features not present in prior hydrodynamic studies of white dwarf mergers, including the development of MRI turbulence in the hot disk, magnetized outflows carrying a significant fraction of the disk mass, and the magnetization of the white dwarf merger to field strengths ∼2 × 10 8 G. We discuss the impact of our findings on the origins, circumstellar media, and observed properties of SNe Ia and magnetized white dwarfs

  5. The Post-merger Magnetized Evolution of White Dwarf Binaries: The Double-degenerate Channel of Sub-Chandrasekhar Type Ia Supernovae and the Formation of Magnetized White Dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Suoqing; Fisher, Robert T.; García-Berro, Enrique; Tzeferacos, Petros; Jordan, George; Lee, Dongwook; Lorén-Aguilar, Pablo; Cremer, Pascal; Behrends, Jan

    2013-08-01

    Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play a crucial role as standardizable cosmological candles, though the nature of their progenitors is a subject of active investigation. Recent observational and theoretical work has pointed to merging white dwarf binaries, referred to as the double-degenerate channel, as the possible progenitor systems for some SNe Ia. Additionally, recent theoretical work suggests that mergers which fail to detonate may produce magnetized, rapidly rotating white dwarfs. In this paper, we present the first multidimensional simulations of the post-merger evolution of white dwarf binaries to include the effect of the magnetic field. In these systems, the two white dwarfs complete a final merger on a dynamical timescale, and are tidally disrupted, producing a rapidly rotating white dwarf merger surrounded by a hot corona and a thick, differentially rotating disk. The disk is strongly susceptible to the magnetorotational instability (MRI), and we demonstrate that this leads to the rapid growth of an initially dynamically weak magnetic field in the disk, the spin-down of the white dwarf merger, and to the subsequent central ignition of the white dwarf merger. Additionally, these magnetized models exhibit new features not present in prior hydrodynamic studies of white dwarf mergers, including the development of MRI turbulence in the hot disk, magnetized outflows carrying a significant fraction of the disk mass, and the magnetization of the white dwarf merger to field strengths ~2 × 108 G. We discuss the impact of our findings on the origins, circumstellar media, and observed properties of SNe Ia and magnetized white dwarfs.

  6. THE POST-MERGER MAGNETIZED EVOLUTION OF WHITE DWARF BINARIES: THE DOUBLE-DEGENERATE CHANNEL OF SUB-CHANDRASEKHAR TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE AND THE FORMATION OF MAGNETIZED WHITE DWARFS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ji Suoqing; Fisher, Robert T. [University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Department of Physics, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02740 (United States); Garcia-Berro, Enrique [Departament de Fisica Aplicada, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, c/Esteve Terrades, 5, E-08860 Castelldefels (Spain); Tzeferacos, Petros; Jordan, George; Lee, Dongwook [Center for Astrophysical Thermonuclear Flashes, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Loren-Aguilar, Pablo [School of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL (United Kingdom); Cremer, Pascal [Bethe Center for Theoretical Physics, Universitaet Bonn, Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn (Germany); Behrends, Jan [Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin (Germany)

    2013-08-20

    Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play a crucial role as standardizable cosmological candles, though the nature of their progenitors is a subject of active investigation. Recent observational and theoretical work has pointed to merging white dwarf binaries, referred to as the double-degenerate channel, as the possible progenitor systems for some SNe Ia. Additionally, recent theoretical work suggests that mergers which fail to detonate may produce magnetized, rapidly rotating white dwarfs. In this paper, we present the first multidimensional simulations of the post-merger evolution of white dwarf binaries to include the effect of the magnetic field. In these systems, the two white dwarfs complete a final merger on a dynamical timescale, and are tidally disrupted, producing a rapidly rotating white dwarf merger surrounded by a hot corona and a thick, differentially rotating disk. The disk is strongly susceptible to the magnetorotational instability (MRI), and we demonstrate that this leads to the rapid growth of an initially dynamically weak magnetic field in the disk, the spin-down of the white dwarf merger, and to the subsequent central ignition of the white dwarf merger. Additionally, these magnetized models exhibit new features not present in prior hydrodynamic studies of white dwarf mergers, including the development of MRI turbulence in the hot disk, magnetized outflows carrying a significant fraction of the disk mass, and the magnetization of the white dwarf merger to field strengths {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 8} G. We discuss the impact of our findings on the origins, circumstellar media, and observed properties of SNe Ia and magnetized white dwarfs.

  7. The DB gap and a new class of pulsating white dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shibahashi H.

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The recent systematic surveys providing enormously massive datasets of white dwarfs show that there is still a deficit of a factor of 2.5 in the DA/non-DA ratio within the temperature range of 30 000 K < Teff < 45 000 K, which has been regarded as the “DB gap” meaning a range with almost no helium atmosphere white dwarfs. Since all white dwarfs have to evolve through this temperature range along almost the identical sequence on the color-magnitude diagram, this implies that most of the helium atmosphere DO stars once evolve into hydrogen atmosphere hot DA stars in the temperature range of the DB gap and then back to helium atmosphere DB stars. Possible scenarios for this chameleon-like disguises of white dwarfs with helium dominant atmospheres are described and a new class of pulsating white dwarfs, named the hot-DAV stars, is predicted from these scenarios. One pulsating DA white dwarf, being consistent with the prediction, has been discovered indeed.

  8. Pulsations in white dwarfs: Selected topics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saio H.

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a very brief overview of the observed properties of g-mode pulsations in variable white dwarfs. We then discuss a few selected topics: Excitation mechanisms (kappa- and convection- mechanisms, and briefly the effect of a strong magnetic field (∼ 1 MG on g-modes as recently found in a hot DQ (carbon-rich atmosphere white dwarf. In the discussion of excitation mechanisms, a simple interpretation for the convection mechanism is given.

  9. Magnetic white dwarfs: Observations, theory and future prospects

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Berro, Enrique; Kilic, Mukremin; Kepler, Souza Oliveira

    2016-01-01

    Isolated magnetic white dwarfs have field strengths ranging from 103G to 109G, and constitute an interesting class of objects. The origin of the magnetic field is still the subject of a hot debate. Whether these fields are fossil, hence the remnants of original weak magnetic fields amplified during the course of the evolution of the progenitor of white dwarfs, or on the contrary, are the result of binary interactions or, finally, other physical mechanisms that could produce such large magnetic fields during the evolution of the white dwarf itself, remains to be elucidated. In this work, we review the current status and paradigms of magnetic fields in white dwarfs, from both the theoretical and observational points of view.

  10. The chemical evolution of white dwarf atmospheres: Diffusion and accretion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vauclair, G.; Vauclair, S.; Greenstein, J.L.

    1979-01-01

    A study of diffusion processes in white dwarfs is presented. We are especially interested in the estimate of the diffusion time scales for C, N, O, Mg, and Ca along the cooling sequence. The effect of the radiative acceleration is important in hot white dwarfs while in cooler ones the thermal diffusion dominates the gravitational settling. In hot white dwarfs, there should be an observable amount of CNO elements unless they have previously left the stars by a selective wind. Observational tests of this result are discussed. The diffusion time scales are always short compared to the evolutionary time scales. It is shown that in both hydrogen and helium envelopes, the convection zone, even at its maximum depth, is not able to bring back to the stellar surface the metals which have previously diffused downwards. The diffusion alone predicts a complete absence of metals in white dwarf atmospheres and envelopes. As metals are observed in white dwarfs, at least at effective temperatures lower than 15,000 K, there must be some mechanism competing with diffusion. We investigate the competition between diffusion and accretion and propose a general scheme for the chemical evolution of white dwarf atmospheres along the cooling sequence. (orig.)

  11. Evolutionary period changes in rotating hot pre--white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kawaler, S.D.; Winget, D.E.; Hansen, C.J.

    1985-11-15

    We have calculated and splitting of high order nonradial g-modes due to slow rotation in models of hot pre-white dwarf (''PWD'') stars of 0.60 M/sub sun/. We have investigated the effects of rotational spin-up, produced by gravitational contraction, on the rate of evolutionary period change for the cases of uniform and differential rotation. For models in the luminosity range of PG 1159-035 (Lapprox.100 L/sub sun/), we find that rotation rates of a few thousand seconds for modes with m< or approx. =-2 produce values of d(ln P)/dt that are consistent with the measurement of the rate of period change of the 516 second period of PG 1159-035.

  12. VARIABILITY IN HOT CARBON-DOMINATED ATMOSPHERE (HOT DQ) WHITE DWARFS: RAPID ROTATION?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, Kurtis A.; Bierwagen, Michael [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Texas A and M University-Commerce, P.O. Box 3011, Commerce, TX, 75429 (United States); Montgomery, M. H.; Winget, D. E.; Falcon, Ross E., E-mail: Kurtis.Williams@tamuc.edu [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, 1 University Station C1400, Austin, TX, 78712 (United States)

    2016-01-20

    Hot white dwarfs (WDs) with carbon-dominated atmospheres (hot DQs) are a cryptic class of WDs. In addition to their deficiency of hydrogen and helium, most of these stars are highly magnetic, and a large fraction vary in luminosity. This variability has been ascribed to nonradial pulsations, but increasing data call this explanation into question. We present studies of short-term variability in seven hot DQ WDs. Three (SDSS J1426+5752, SDSS J2200−0741, and SDSS J2348−0942) were known to be variable. Their photometric modulations are coherent over at least two years, and we find no evidence for variability at frequencies that are not harmonics. We present the first time-series photometry for three additional hot DQs (SDSS J0236−0734, SDSS J1402+3818, and SDSS J1615+4543); none are observed to vary, but the signal-to-noise is low. Finally, we present high speed photometry for SDSS J0005−1002, known to exhibit a 2.1-day photometric variation; we do not observe any short-term variability. Monoperiodicity is rare among pulsating WDs, so we contemplate whether the photometric variability is due to rotation rather than pulsations; similar hypotheses have been raised by other researchers. If the variability is due to rotation, then hot DQ WDs as a class contain many rapid rotators. Given the lack of companions to these stars, the origin of any fast rotation is unclear—both massive progenitor stars and double degenerate merger remnants are possibilities. We end with suggestions of future work that would best clarify the nature of these rare, intriguing objects.

  13. White dwarf-red dwarf binaries in the Galaxy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Besselaar, E.J.M. van den

    2007-01-01

    This PhD thesis shows several studies on white dwarf - red dwarf binaries. White dwarfs are the end products of most stars and red dwarfs are normal hydrogen burning low-mass stars. White dwarf - red dwarf binaries are both blue (white dwarf) and red (red dwarf). Together with the fact that they are

  14. Stark Broadening of Carbon and Oxygen Lines in Hot DQ White Dwarf Stars: Recent Results and Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dufour P.

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available White dwarf stars are traditionally found to have surface compositions made primarily of hydrogen or helium. However, a new family has recently been uncovered, the so-called hot DQ white dwarfs, which have surface compositions dominated by carbon and oxygen with little or no trace of hydrogen and helium (Dufour et al. 2007, 2008, 2010. Deriving precise atmospheric parameters for these objects (such as the effective temperature and the surface gravity requires detailed modeling of spectral line profiles. Stark broadening parameters are of crucial importance in that context. We present preliminary results from our new generation of model atmospheres including the latest Stark broadening calculations for C II lines and discuss the implications as well as future work that remains to be done.

  15. White Dwarf Stars

    OpenAIRE

    Kepler, S. O.; Romero, Alejandra Daniela; Pelisoli, Ingrid; Ourique, Gustavo

    2017-01-01

    White dwarf stars are the final stage of most stars, born single or in multiple systems. We discuss the identification, magnetic fields, and mass distribution for white dwarfs detected from spectra obtained by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey up to Data Release 13 in 2016, which lead to the increase in the number of spectroscopically identified white dwarf stars from 5000 to 39000. This number includes only white dwarf stars with log g >= 6.5 stars, i.e., excluding the Extremely Low Mass white dw...

  16. Hot subdwarfs formed from the merger of two He white dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwab, Josiah

    2018-06-01

    We perform stellar evolution calculations of the remnant of the merger of two He white dwarfs (WDs). Our initial conditions are taken from hydrodynamic simulations of double WD mergers and the viscous disc phase that follows. We evolve these objects from shortly after the merger into their core He-burning phase, when they appear as hot subdwarf stars. We use our models to quantify the amount of H that survives the merger, finding that it is difficult for ≳ 10^{-4} M_{⊙} of H to survive, with even less being concentrated in the surface layers of the object. We also study the rotational evolution of these merger remnants. We find that mass-loss over the {˜ } 10^4 yr following the merger can significantly reduce the angular momentum of these objects. As hot subdwarfs, our models have moderate surface rotation velocities of 30-100 km s-1. The properties of our models are not representative of many apparently isolated hot subdwarfs, suggesting that those objects may form via other channels or that our modelling is incomplete. However, a sub-population of hot subdwarfs are moderate-to-rapid rotators and/or have He-rich atmospheres. Our models help to connect the observed properties of these objects to their progenitor systems.

  17. White dwarf stars with chemically stratified atmospheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muchmore, D.

    1982-01-01

    Recent observations and theory suggest that some white dwarfs may have chemically stratified atmospheres - thin layers of hydrogen lying above helium-rich envelopes. Models of such atmospheres show that a discontinuous temperature inversion can occur at the boundary between the layers. Model spectra for layered atmospheres at 30,000 K and 50,000 K tend to have smaller decrements at 912 A, 504 A, and 228 A than uniform atmospheres would have. On the basis of their continuous extreme ultraviolet spectra, it is possible to distinguish observationally between uniform and layered atmospheres for hot white dwarfs.

  18. Multiband photometry and spectroscopy of an all-sky sample of bright white dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raddi, R.; Gentile Fusillo, N. P.; Pala, A. F.; Hermes, J. J.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Chote, P.; Hollands, M. A.; Henden, A.; Catalán, S.; Geier, S.; Koester, D.; Munari, U.; Napiwotzki, R.; Tremblay, P.-E.

    2017-12-01

    The upcoming NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will obtain space-based uninterrupted light curves for a large sample of bright white dwarfs distributed across the entire sky, providing a very rich resource for asteroseismological studies and the search for transits from planetary debris. We have compiled an all-sky catalogue of ultraviolet, optical and infrared photometry as well as proper motions, which we propose as an essential tool for the preliminary identification and characterization of potential targets. We present data for 1864 known white dwarfs and 305 high-probability white dwarf candidates brighter than 17 mag. We describe the spectroscopic follow-up of 135 stars, of which 82 are white dwarfs and 25 are hot subdwarfs. The new confirmed stars include six pulsating white dwarf candidates (ZZ Cetis), and nine white dwarf binaries with a cool main-sequence companion. We identify one star with a spectroscopic distance of only 25 pc from the Sun. Around the time TESS is launched, we foresee that all white dwarfs in this sample will have trigonometric parallaxes measured by the ESA Gaia mission next year.

  19. Spectroscopic analysis of DA white dwarfs from the McCook and Sion catalog

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gianninas, A; Bergeron, P; Ruiz, M T

    2009-01-01

    For some years now, we have been gathering optical spectra of DA white dwarfs in an effort to study and define the empirical ZZ Ceti instability strip. However, we have recently expanded this survey to include all the DA white dwarfs in the McCook and Sion catalog down to a limiting visual magnitude of V = 17.5. We present here a spectroscopic analysis of over 1000 DA white dwarfs from this ongoing survey. We have several specific areas of interest most notably the hot DAO white dwarfs, the ZZ Ceti instability strip, and the DA+dM binary systems. Furthermore, we present a comparison of the ensemble properties of our sample with those of other large surveys of DA white dwarfs, paying particular attention to the distribution of mass as a function of effective temperature.

  20. Panchromatic Calibration of Astronomical Observations with State-of-the-Art White Dwarf Model Atmospheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, T.

    2016-05-01

    Theoretical spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of white dwarfs provide a powerful tool for cross-calibration and sensitivity control of instruments from the far infrared to the X-ray energy range. Such SEDs can be calculated from fully metal-line blanketed NLTE model-atmospheres that are e.g. computed by the Tübingen NLTE Model-Atmosphere Package (TMAP) that has arrived at a high level of sophistication. TMAP was successfully employed for the reliable spectral analysis of many hot, compact post-AGB stars. High-quality stellar spectra obtained over a wide energy range establish a data base with a large number of spectral lines of many successive ions of different species. Their analysis allows to determine effective temperatures, surface gravities, and element abundances of individual (pre-)white dwarfs with very small error ranges. We present applications of TMAP SEDs for spectral analyses of hot, compact stars in the parameter range from (pre-) white dwarfs to neutron stars and demonstrate the improvement of flux calibration using white-dwarf SEDs that are e.g. available via registered services in the Virtual Observatory.

  1. WHITE-DWARF-MAIN-SEQUENCE BINARIES IDENTIFIED FROM THE LAMOST PILOT SURVEY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ren Juanjuan; Luo Ali; Li Yinbi; Wei Peng; Zhao Jingkun; Zhao Yongheng; Song Yihan; Zhao Gang

    2013-01-01

    We present a set of white-dwarf-main-sequence (WDMS) binaries identified spectroscopically from the Large sky Area Multi-Object fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST, also called the Guo Shou Jing Telescope) pilot survey. We develop a color selection criteria based on what is so far the largest and most complete Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7 WDMS binary catalog and identify 28 WDMS binaries within the LAMOST pilot survey. The primaries in our binary sample are mostly DA white dwarfs except for one DB white dwarf. We derive the stellar atmospheric parameters, masses, and radii for the two components of 10 of our binaries. We also provide cooling ages for the white dwarf primaries as well as the spectral types for the companion stars of these 10 WDMS binaries. These binaries tend to contain hot white dwarfs and early-type companions. Through cross-identification, we note that nine binaries in our sample have been published in the SDSS DR7 WDMS binary catalog. Nineteen spectroscopic WDMS binaries identified by the LAMOST pilot survey are new. Using the 3σ radial velocity variation as a criterion, we find two post-common-envelope binary candidates from our WDMS binary sample

  2. THE LINK BETWEEN PLANETARY SYSTEMS, DUSTY WHITE DWARFS, AND METAL-POLLUTED WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Debes, John H.; Walsh, Kevin J.; Stark, Christopher

    2012-01-01

    It has long been suspected that metal-polluted white dwarfs (types DAZ, DBZ, and DZ) and white dwarfs with dusty disks possess planetary systems, but a specific physical mechanism by which planetesimals are perturbed close to a white dwarf has not yet been fully posited. In this paper, we demonstrate that mass loss from a central star during post-main-sequence evolution can sweep planetesimals into interior mean motion resonances with a single giant planet. These planetesimals are slowly removed through chaotic excursions of eccentricity that in time create radial orbits capable of tidally disrupting the planetesimal. Numerical N-body simulations of the solar system show that a sufficient number of planetesimals are perturbed to explain white dwarfs with both dust and metal pollution, provided other white dwarfs have more massive relic asteroid belts. Our scenario requires only one Jupiter-sized planet and a sufficient number of asteroids near its 2:1 interior mean motion resonance. Finally, we show that once a planetesimal is perturbed into a tidal crossing orbit, it will become disrupted after the first pass of the white dwarf, where a highly eccentric stream of debris forms the main reservoir for dust-producing collisions. These simulations, in concert with observations of white dwarfs, place interesting limits on the frequency of planetary systems around main-sequence stars, the frequency of planetesimal belts, and the probability that dust may obscure future terrestrial planet finding missions.

  3. The galactic population of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Napiwotzki, Ralf

    2009-01-01

    The contribution of white dwarfs of the different Galactic populations to the stellar content of our Galaxy is only poorly known. Some authors claim a vast population of halo white dwarfs, which would be in accordance with some investigations of the early phases of Galaxy formation claiming a top-heavy initial- mass- function. Here, I present a model of the population of white dwarfs in the Milky Way based on observations of the local white dwarf sample and a standard model of Galactic structure. This model will be used to estimate the space densities of thin disc, thick disc and halo white dwarfs and their contribution to the baryonic mass budget of the Milky Way. One result of this investigation is that white dwarfs of the halo population contribute a large fraction of the Galactic white dwarf number count, but they are not responsible for the lion's share of stellar mass in the Milky Way. Another important result is the substantial contribution of the - often neglected - population of thick disc white dwarfs. Misclassification of thick disc white dwarfs is responsible for overestimates of the halo population in previous investigations.

  4. Temperatures and luminosities of white dwarfs in dwarf novae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smak, J.

    1984-01-01

    Far ultraviolet radiation observed in dwarf novae at minimum can only be attributed to their white dwarfs. In three systems white dwarfs are detected directly through their eclipses. These data are used to determine the effective temperatures and luminosities of white dwarfs. The resulting temperatures range from about logT e = 4.1 to about 4.9, with typical values of about 4.5. The luminosities range from about logL 1 = 31.0 to about 33.5 and show correlation with the average accretion rates. Radiation from white dwarfs is likely to be the source of excitation of the emission lines from disks. It is also argued that the heating by the white dwarf can significantly modify the structure of the innermost parts of the disk and, particularly, inhibit the incidence of thermal instability in that region. 26 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab. (author)

  5. THE HYADES CLUSTER: IDENTIFICATION OF A PLANETARY SYSTEM AND ESCAPING WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuckerman, B.; Xu, S.; Klein, B.; Jura, M.

    2013-01-01

    Recently, some hot DA-type white dwarfs have been proposed to plausibly be escaping members of the Hyades. We used hydrogen Balmer lines to measure the radial velocities of seven such stars and confirm that three, and perhaps two others, are/were indeed cluster members and one is not. The other candidate Hyad is strongly magnetic and its membership status remains uncertain. The photospheres of at least one quarter of field white dwarf stars are ''polluted'' by elements heavier than helium that have been accreted. These stars are orbited by extended planetary systems that contain both debris belts and major planets. We surveyed the seven classical single Hyades white dwarfs and the newly identified (escaping) Hyades white dwarfs and found calcium in the photosphere of LP 475-242 of type DBA (now DBAZ), thus implying the presence of an orbiting planetary system. The spectrum of white dwarf GD 31, which may be, but probably is not, an escaping member of the Hyades, displays calcium absorption lines; these originate either from the interstellar medium or, less likely, from a gaseous circumstellar disk. If GD 31 was once a Hyades member, then it would be the first identified white dwarf Hyad with a cooling age >340 Myr.

  6. White dwarfs - the once and future suns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trimble, V.

    1986-01-01

    The history and properties of white dwarfs (Bessel's conclusion that Sirius and Procyon have invisible companions, Clark's discovery of Sirius B, Adams and Russell's study of white dwarf spectra, Chandrasekhar's explanation of white dwarf structure by equations incorporating quantum mechanics and relativity) are treated. Formation of white dwarfs, degeneracy, binary white dwarfs (and novae and supernovae) are explained. A mystery nearly 50 years old regarding the spectrum of the star Greenwich +70 degrees-8247 has been solved: it involves a stationary line phenomenon and a magnetic field of 300-500 million gauss. Processes being studied in white dwarfs and white dwarf models include gravitational settling, accretion, dredge-up, radiation pressure, and diffusive hydrogen burning

  7. Asteroseismology of White Dwarf Stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Carl J.

    1997-01-01

    The primary purpose of this investigation has been to study various aspects of multimode pulsations in variable white dwarfs. In particular, nonlinear interactions among pulsation modes in white dwarfs (and, to some extent, in other variable stars), analysis of recent observations where such interactions are important, and preliminary work on the effects of crystallization in cool white dwarfs are reported.

  8. SDSS DR7 WHITE DWARF CATALOG

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kleinman, S. J.; Nitta, A. [Gemini Observatory, 670 North A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Kepler, S. O.; Pelisoli, Ingrid; Pecanha, Viviane; Costa, J. E. S. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Koester, D. [Institut fuer Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, Universitaet Kiel, D-24098 Kiel (Germany); Krzesinski, J. [Mt. Suhora Observatory, Pedagogical University of Cracow, ul. Podchorazych 2, 30-084 Cracow (Poland); Dufour, P.; Lachapelle, F.-R.; Bergeron, P. [Departement de Physique, Universite de Montreal, C. P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7 (Canada); Yip, Ching-Wa [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Johns Hopkins University, 3701 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Harris, Hugh C. [United States Naval Observatory, Flagstaff Station, 10391 West Naval Observatory Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001-8521 (United States); Eisenstein, Daniel J. [Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MS 20, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Althaus, L.; Corsico, A., E-mail: hch@nofs.navy.mil [Facultad de Ciencias Astronomicas y Geofisicas, Paseo del Bosque S/N, (1900) La Plata (Argentina)

    2013-01-15

    We present a new catalog of spectroscopically confirmed white dwarf stars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7 spectroscopic catalog. We find 20,407 white dwarf spectra, representing 19,712 stars, and provide atmospheric model fits to 14,120 DA and 1011 DB white dwarf spectra from 12,843 and 923 stars, respectively. These numbers represent more than a factor of two increase in the total number of white dwarf stars from the previous SDSS white dwarf catalogs based on DR4 data. Our distribution of subtypes varies from previous catalogs due to our more conservative, manual classifications of each star in our catalog, supplementing our automatic fits. In particular, we find a large number of magnetic white dwarf stars whose small Zeeman splittings mimic increased Stark broadening that would otherwise result in an overestimated log g if fit as a non-magnetic white dwarf. We calculate mean DA and DB masses for our clean, non-magnetic sample and find the DB mean mass is statistically larger than that for the DAs.

  9. White dwarf radii and boundary-layer constraints in three dwarf novae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wood, J.H.

    1990-01-01

    The structure of the boundary layer between the accretion disc and white dwarf in three quiescent dwarf novae is explored with high signal-to-noise eclipse light curves obtained by phase folding 12-20 eclipses. Models of the eclipse shapes of various white dwarf/boundary layer configurations that might be at the centres of the accretion discs are calculated and compared with observations of the eclipses in Z Cha, OY Car and HT Cas. Possible models for the central objects are found to be a white dwarf with or without its lower hemisphere occulted by the disc, or a white dwarf with an optically thick boundary layer significantly extended in latitude up and down its sides. The most likely of these models for each system is an unocculted white dwarf with no boundary layer contributing significantly to the optical flux, or a white dwarf totally covered by an optically thick boundary layer. (author)

  10. Evolution models of helium white dwarf-main-sequence star merger remnants: the mass distribution of single low-mass white dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xianfei; Hall, Philip D.; Jeffery, C. Simon; Bi, Shaolan

    2018-02-01

    It is not known how single white dwarfs with masses less than 0.5Msolar -- low-mass white dwarfs -- are formed. One way in which such a white dwarf might be formed is after the merger of a helium-core white dwarf with a main-sequence star that produces a red giant branch star and fails to ignite helium. We use a stellar-evolution code to compute models of the remnants of these mergers and find a relation between the pre-merger masses and the final white dwarf mass. Combining our results with a model population, we predict that the mass distribution of single low-mass white dwarfs formed through this channel spans the range 0.37 to 0.5Msolar and peaks between 0.45 and 0.46Msolar. Helium white dwarf--main-sequence star mergers can also lead to the formation of single helium white dwarfs with masses up to 0.51Msolar. In our model the Galactic formation rate of single low-mass white dwarfs through this channel is about 8.7X10^-3yr^-1. Comparing our models with observations, we find that the majority of single low-mass white dwarfs (<0.5Msolar) are formed from helium white dwarf--main-sequence star mergers, at a rate which is about $2$ per cent of the total white dwarf formation rate.

  11. Infrared photometry of cool white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wickramasinghe, D.T.; Allen, D.A.; Bessell, M.S.

    1982-01-01

    The results are presented of a search for the effects of pressure induced H 2 dipole opacity on the infrared JHK magnitudes of cool white dwarfs. LHS 1126 is found to be a very cool (Tsub(e) approximately 4250 K) DC white dwarf with a H rich atmospheric composition dominated by H 2 dipole opacity in the infrared. JHK photometry also favours a H rich atmospheric composition for the DK white dwarfs LP 658-2 and W 489. The surprisingly high proportion of hydrogen rich white dwarfs in the sample appears to suggest that the mechanism which inhibits the accretion of hydrogen in the hotter helium stars becomes less effective at low (Tsub(e) approximately 3 + ion in cool hydrogen rich white dwarf atmospheres is pointed out and it is suggested that the opacity due to this ion may be responsible for the blanketing observed in the U and B magnitudes of some cool white dwarfs. (author)

  12. First Detection of Krypton and Xenon in a White Dwarf

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werner, Klaus; Rauch, Thomas; Ringat, Ellen; Kruk, Jeffrey W.

    2012-01-01

    We report on the first detection of the noble gases krypton (Z = 36) and xenon (54) in a white dwarf. About 20 KrVI-VII and Xe VI-VII lines were discovered in the ultraviolet spectrum of the hot DO-type white dwarf RE 0503-289. The observations, performed with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer, also reveal highly ionized photospheric lines from other trans-iron group elements, namely Ga (31), Ge (32), As (33), Se (34), Mo (42), Sn (50), Te (52), and I (53), from which gallium and molybdenum are new discoveries in white dwarfs, too. For Kr and Xe, we performed an NLTE analysis and derived mass fractions of log Kr = -4.3 plus or minus 0.5 and log Xe = -4.2 plus or minus 0.6, corresponding to an enrichment by factors of 450 and 3800, respectively, relative to the Sun. The origin of the large overabundances is unclear. We discuss the roles of neutron-capture nucleosynthesis in the-precursor star and radiation-driven diffusion. It is possible that diffusion is insignificant and thaI the observed metal abundances constrain the evolutionary history of the star. Its hydrogen deficiency may be the consequence of a late helium-shell nash or a binary white dwarf merger.

  13. Skylab ultraviolet stellar spectra - A new white dwarf, HD 149499 B

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsons, S. B.; Wray, J. D.; Benedict, G. F.; Henize, K. G.; Laget, M.

    1976-01-01

    The letter reports the discovery of a cool star with excess brightness in the vacuum ultraviolet on an objective-prism photograph obtained during the second Skylab mission. This star, HD 149499, is of type K0 V and has a companion with an apparent magnitude of about 11.8; the relatively flat UV spectrum observed at the position of HD 149499 is characteristic of a 10th or 11th magnitude unreddened O- or early B-type star. It is shown that the excess VUV brightness is due to the companion, HD 149499B, which probably lies in the region of the H-R diagram occupied by the hot white dwarfs. Inspection of white dwarf lists indicates that this star is the sixth or seventh brightest white dwarf known. A maximum orbital motion of 0.025 arcsec/yr is estimated along with a period of just under 500 yr.

  14. The discovery of Ni V in the photospheres of the hot DA white dwarfs RE 2214-492 and G191-B2B

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holberg, J. B.; Hubeny, I.; Barstow, M. A.; Lanz, T.; Sion, E. M.; Tweedy, R. W.

    1994-01-01

    We have co-added six recently obtained International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) echelle spectra of the hot DA white dwarf RE 2214-492 and 10 existing archive spectra of the well-known hot DA, G191-B2B. We find that both stars contain numerous weak features due to Ni V. Nickel is thus the second iron-group element to be found in the spectra of the very hottest DA white dwarfs. In addition to Ni V, we also observe Al III in both stars and present evidence for the possible presence of Ni IV and Fe IV in RE 2214-492. The presence of Ni and Al, together with previously reported elements, will contribute significantly to both the EUV opacity and to the apparent complexity of the UV spectra of these stars. Using Non-Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres we estimate the Ni abundances in RE 2214-492 the G191-B2B to be log(Ni/H) = -5.5 +/- 0.3 and -6.0 +/- 0.3, respectively.

  15. FOLLOW-UP OBSERVATIONS OF THE SECOND AND THIRD KNOWN PULSATING HOT DQ WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dufour, P.; Green, E. M.; Fontaine, G.; Brassard, P.; Francoeur, M.; Latour, M.

    2009-01-01

    We present follow-up time-series photometric observations that confirm and extend the results of the significant discovery made by Barlow et al. that the Hot DQ white dwarfs SDSS J220029.08 - 074121.5 and SDSS J234843.30 - 094245.3 are luminosity variable. These are the second and third known members of a new class of pulsating white dwarfs, after the prototype SDSS J142625.71+575218.3. We find that the light curve of SDSS J220029.08 - 074121.5 is dominated by an oscillation at 654.397 ± 0.056 s, and that the light pulse folded on that period is highly nonlinear due to the presence of the first and second harmonic of the main pulsation. We also present evidence for the possible detection of two additional pulsation modes with low amplitudes and periods of 577.576 ± 0.226 s and 254.732 ± 0.048 s in that star. Likewise, we find that the light curve of SDSS J234843.30 - 094245.3 is dominated by a pulsation with a period of 1044.168 ± 0.012 s, but with no sign of harmonic components. A new oscillation, with a low amplitude and a period of 416.919 ± 0.004 s, is also probably detected in that second star. We argue, on the basis of the very different folded pulse shapes, that SDSS J220029.08 - 074121.5 is likely magnetic, while SDSS J234843.30 - 094245.3 is probably not.

  16. PREFACE: 16th European White Dwarfs Workshop

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Berro, Enrique; Hernanz, Margarita; Isern, Jordi; Torres, Santiago

    2009-07-01

    The 16th European Workshop on White Dwarfs was held in Barcelona, Spain, from 30 June to 4 July 2008 at the premises of the UPC. Almost 120 participants from Europe (France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, and several others), America (USA, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile), and other continents (Australia, South Africa, . . . ) attended the workshop. Among these participants were the most relevant specialists in the field. The topics covered by the conference were: White dwarf structure and evolution Progenitors and Planetary Nebulae White dwarfs in binaries: cataclysmic variables, double degenerates and other binaries White dwarfs, dust disks and planetary systems Atmospheres, chemical composition, magnetic fields Variable white dwarfs White dwarfs in stellar clusters and the halo White Dwarfs as SNIa progenitors The programme included 54 talks, and 45 posters. The oral presentations were distributed into the following sessions: Luminosity function, mass function and populations White dwarf structure and evolution White dwarf ages White dwarf catalogs and surveys Central stars of planetary nebulae Supernovae progenitors White dwarfs in novae and CVs Physical processes in white dwarfs and magnetic white dwarfs Disks, dust and planets around white dwarfs Pulsating white dwarfs Additionally we had a special open session about Spitzer and white dwarfs. The Proceedings of the 16th European Workshop on White Dwarfs are representative of the current state-of-the-art of the research field and include new and exciting results. We acknowledge the very positive attitude of the attendants to the workshop, which stimulated very fruitful discussions that took place in all the sessions and after the official schedule. Also, the meeting allowed new collaborations tp start that will undoubtedly result in significant advances in the research field. We also acknowledge the willingness of the participants to deliver their contributions before the final deadline. We sincerely

  17. White-dwarf-white-dwarf galactic background in the LISA data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Edlund, Jeffrey A.; Tinto, Massimo; Krolak, Andrzej; Nelemans, Gijs

    2005-01-01

    LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) is a proposed space mission, which will use coherent laser beams exchanged between three remote spacecraft to detect and study low-frequency cosmic gravitational radiation. In the low part of its frequency band, the LISA strain sensitivity will be dominated by the incoherent superposition of hundreds of millions of gravitational wave signals radiated by inspiraling white-dwarf binaries present in our own Galaxy. In order to estimate the magnitude of the LISA response to this background, we have simulated a synthesized population that recently appeared in the literature. Our approach relies on entirely analytic expressions of the LISA time-delay interferometric responses to the gravitational radiation emitted by such systems, which allows us to implement a computationally efficient and accurate simulation of the background in the LISA data. We find the amplitude of the galactic white-dwarf binary background in the LISA data to be modulated in time, reaching a minimum equal to about twice that of the LISA noise for a period of about two months around the time when the Sun-LISA direction is roughly oriented towards the Autumn equinox. This suggests that, during this time period, LISA could search for other gravitational wave signals incoming from directions that are away from the galactic plane. Since the galactic white-dwarf background will be observed by LISA not as a stationary but rather as a cyclostationary random process with a period of 1 yr, we summarize the theory of cyclostationary random processes, present the corresponding generalized spectral method needed to characterize such process, and make a comparison between our analytic results and those obtained by applying our method to the simulated data. We find that, by measuring the generalized spectral components of the white-dwarf background, LISA will be able to infer properties of the distribution of the white-dwarf binary systems present in our Galaxy

  18. An overview of white dwarf stars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charpinet S.

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available We present a brief summary of what is currently known about white dwarf stars, with an emphasis on their evolutionary and internal properties. As is well known, white dwarfs represent the end products of stellar evolution for the vast majority of stars and, as such, bear the signatures of past events (such as mass loss, mixing phases, loss and redistribution of angular momentum, and thermonuclear burning that are of essential importance in the evolution of stars in general. In addition, white dwarf stars represent ideal testbeds for our understanding of matter under extreme conditions, and work on their constitutive physics (neutrino production rates, conductive and radiative opacities, interior liquid/solid equations of state, partially ionized and partially degenerate envelope equations of state, diffusion coefficients, line broadening mechanisms is still being actively pursued. Given a set of constitutive physics, cooling white dwarfs can be used advantageously as cosmochronometers. Moreover, the field has been blessed by the existence of four distinct families of pulsating white dwarfs, each mapping a different evolutionary phase, and this allows the application of the asteroseismological method to probe and test their internal structure and evolutionary state. We set the stage for the reviews that follow on cooling white dwarfs as cosmochronometers and physics laboratories, as well as on the properties of pulsating white dwarfs and the asteroseismological results that can be inferred.

  19. WDEC: A Code for Modeling White Dwarf Structure and Pulsations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bischoff-Kim, Agnès; Montgomery, Michael H.

    2018-05-01

    The White Dwarf Evolution Code (WDEC), written in Fortran, makes models of white dwarf stars. It is fast, versatile, and includes the latest physics. The code evolves hot (∼100,000 K) input models down to a chosen effective temperature by relaxing the models to be solutions of the equations of stellar structure. The code can also be used to obtain g-mode oscillation modes for the models. WDEC has a long history going back to the late 1960s. Over the years, it has been updated and re-packaged for modern computer architectures and has specifically been used in computationally intensive asteroseismic fitting. Generations of white dwarf astronomers and dozens of publications have made use of the WDEC, although the last true instrument paper is the original one, published in 1975. This paper discusses the history of the code, necessary to understand why it works the way it does, details the physics and features in the code today, and points the reader to where to find the code and a user guide.

  20. White dwarfs in the WTS: Eclipsing binaries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burleigh M.R.

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available We have identified photometric white dwarf candidates in the WFCAM transit survey through a reduced proper motion versus colour approach. Box-fitting with parameters adjusted to detect the unique signature of a white dwarf + planet/brown dwarf transit/eclipse event was performed, as well as looking for variability due to the irradiation of the companions atmosphere by the white dwarf's high UV flux. We have also performed a simple sensitivity analysis in order to assess the ability of the survey to detect companions to white dwarfs via the transit method.

  1. Merging white dwarfs and thermonuclear supernovae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Kerkwijk, M H

    2013-06-13

    Thermonuclear supernovae result when interaction with a companion reignites nuclear fusion in a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, causing a thermonuclear runaway, a catastrophic gain in pressure and the disintegration of the whole white dwarf. It is usually thought that fusion is reignited in near-pycnonuclear conditions when the white dwarf approaches the Chandrasekhar mass. I briefly describe two long-standing problems faced by this scenario, and the suggestion that these supernovae instead result from mergers of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs, including those that produce sub-Chandrasekhar-mass remnants. I then turn to possible observational tests, in particular, those that test the absence or presence of electron captures during the burning.

  2. Evolution models of helium white dwarf--main-sequence star merger remnants: the mass distribution of single low-mass white dwarfs

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, Xianfei; Hall, Philip D.; Jeffery, C. Simon; Bi, Shaolan

    2017-01-01

    It is not known how single white dwarfs with masses less than 0.5Msolar -- low-mass white dwarfs -- are formed. One way in which such a white dwarf might be formed is after the merger of a helium-core white dwarf with a main-sequence star that produces a red giant branch star and fails to ignite helium. We use a stellar-evolution code to compute models of the remnants of these mergers and find a relation between the pre-merger masses and the final white dwarf mass. Combining our results with ...

  3. A radio-pulsing white dwarf binary star.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marsh, T R; Gänsicke, B T; Hümmerich, S; Hambsch, F-J; Bernhard, K; Lloyd, C; Breedt, E; Stanway, E R; Steeghs, D T; Parsons, S G; Toloza, O; Schreiber, M R; Jonker, P G; van Roestel, J; Kupfer, T; Pala, A F; Dhillon, V S; Hardy, L K; Littlefair, S P; Aungwerojwit, A; Arjyotha, S; Koester, D; Bochinski, J J; Haswell, C A; Frank, P; Wheatley, P J

    2016-09-15

    White dwarfs are compact stars, similar in size to Earth but approximately 200,000 times more massive. Isolated white dwarfs emit most of their power from ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths, but when in close orbits with less dense stars, white dwarfs can strip material from their companions and the resulting mass transfer can generate atomic line and X-ray emission, as well as near- and mid-infrared radiation if the white dwarf is magnetic. However, even in binaries, white dwarfs are rarely detected at far-infrared or radio frequencies. Here we report the discovery of a white dwarf/cool star binary that emits from X-ray to radio wavelengths. The star, AR Scorpii (henceforth AR Sco), was classified in the early 1970s as a δ-Scuti star, a common variety of periodic variable star. Our observations reveal instead a 3.56-hour period close binary, pulsing in brightness on a period of 1.97 minutes. The pulses are so intense that AR Sco's optical flux can increase by a factor of four within 30 seconds, and they are also detectable at radio frequencies. They reflect the spin of a magnetic white dwarf, which we find to be slowing down on a 10 7 -year timescale. The spin-down power is an order of magnitude larger than that seen in electromagnetic radiation, which, together with an absence of obvious signs of accretion, suggests that AR Sco is primarily spin-powered. Although the pulsations are driven by the white dwarf's spin, they mainly originate from the cool star. AR Sco's broadband spectrum is characteristic of synchrotron radiation, requiring relativistic electrons. These must either originate from near the white dwarf or be generated in situ at the M star through direct interaction with the white dwarf's magnetosphere.

  4. Wave energy in white dwarf atmospheres. I - Magnetohydrodynamic energy spectra for homogeneous DB and layered DA stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musielak, Zdzislaw E.

    1987-01-01

    The radiative damping of acoustic and MHD waves that propagate through white dwarf photospheric layers is studied, and other damping processes that may be important for the propagation of the MHD waves are calculated. The amount of energy remaining after the damping processes have occurred in different types of waves is estimated. The results show that lower acoustic fluxes should be expected in layered DA and homogeneous DB white dwarfs than had previously been estimated. Acoustic emission manifests itself in an enhancement of the quadrupole term, but this term may become comparable to or even lower than the dipole term for cool white dwarfs. Energy carried by the acoustic waves is significantly dissipated in deep photospheric layers, mainly because of radiative damping. Acoustically heated corona cannot exist around DA and DB white dwarfs in a range T(eff) = 10,000-30,000 K and for log g = 7 and 8. However, relatively hot and massive white dwarfs could be exceptions.

  5. Pulsations in carbon-atmosphere white dwarfs: A new chapter in white dwarf asteroseismology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fontaine, G; Brassard, P; Dufour, P; Green, E M; Liebert, J

    2009-01-01

    We present some of the results of a survey aimed at exploring the asteroseismological potential of the newly-discovered carbon-atmosphere white dwarfs. We show that, in certains regions of parameter space, carbon-atmosphere white dwarfs may drive low-order gravity modes. We demonstrate that our theoretical results are consistent with the recent exciting discovery of luminosity variations in SDSS J1426+5752 and some null results obtained by a team of scientists at McDonald Observatory. We also present follow-up photometric observations carried out by ourselves at the Mount Bigelow 1.6-m telescope using the new Mont4K camera. The results of follow-up spectroscopic observations at the MMT are also briefly reported, including the surprising discovery that SDSS J1426+5752 is not only a pulsating star but that it is also a magnetic white dwarf with a surface field near 1.2 MG. The discovery of g-mode pulsations in SDSS J1426+5752 is quite significant in itself as it opens a fourth asteroseismological 'window', after the GW Vir, V777 Her, and ZZ Ceti families, through which one may study white dwarfs.

  6. Absence of young white dwarf companions to five technetium stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, V.V.; Lambert, D.L.

    1987-10-01

    A search for hot companions to five stars of type MS and S has been carried out using the IUE satellite. No hot companions were detected for the MS stars HR 85, 4647, 6702, and 8062, and the S star HR 8714. Limits on the luminosities of possible white dwarf companions provide lower limits of 2-5x10 to the 8th yr to the ages of any degenerate companions. All five stars exhibit strong Tc I lines, and the presence of technetium, with a half-life of 2.1x10 to the 5th yr, signifies recent nucleosynthesis. The limits on the ages of possible white dwarf companions that are equal to or greater than 1000 half-lives of Tc exclude the possibility that the s-process elemental enhancement seen in these MS and S stars resulted from mass transfer from a more highly evolved companion (as is probably the mechanism by which barium stars are created). These MS and S stars represent a sample of true thermally pulsing asymptotic giant-branch stars. 41 references.

  7. Constraining the neutrino magnetic dipole moment from white dwarf pulsations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Córsico, A.H.; Althaus, L.G.; Bertolami, M.M. Miller; Kepler, S.O.; García-Berro, E.

    2014-01-01

    Pulsating white dwarf stars can be used as astrophysical laboratories to constrain the properties of weakly interacting particles. Comparing the cooling rates of these stars with the expected values from theoretical models allows us to search for additional sources of cooling due to the emission of axions, neutralinos, or neutrinos with magnetic dipole moment. In this work, we derive an upper bound to the neutrino magnetic dipole moment (μ ν ) using an estimate of the rate of period change of the pulsating DB white dwarf star PG 1351+489. We employ state-of-the-art evolutionary and pulsational codes which allow us to perform a detailed asteroseismological period fit based on fully DB white dwarf evolutionary sequences. Plasmon neutrino emission is the dominant cooling mechanism for this class of hot pulsating white dwarfs, and so it is the main contributor to the rate of change of period with time (Pidot) for the DBV class. Thus, the inclusion of an anomalous neutrino emission through a non-vanishing magnetic dipole moment in these sequences notably influences the evolutionary timescales, and also the expected pulsational properties of the DBV stars. By comparing the theoretical Pidot value with the rate of change of period with time of PG 1351+489, we assess the possible existence of additional cooling by neutrinos with magnetic dipole moment. Our models suggest the existence of some additional cooling in this pulsating DB white dwarf, consistent with a non-zero magnetic dipole moment with an upper limit of μ ν  ∼< 10 -11  μ B . This bound is somewhat less restrictive than, but still compatible with, other limits inferred from the white dwarf luminosity function or from the color-magnitude diagram of the Globular cluster M5. Further improvements of the measurement of the rate of period change of the dominant pulsation mode of PG 1351+489 will be necessary to confirm our bound

  8. Merging White Dwarfs and Thermonuclear Supernovae

    OpenAIRE

    van Kerkwijk, Marten H.

    2012-01-01

    Thermonuclear supernovae result when interaction with a companion reignites nuclear fusion in a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, causing a thermonuclear runaway, a catastrophic gain in pressure, and the disintegration of the whole white dwarf. It is usually thought that fusion is reignited in near-pycnonuclear conditions when the white dwarf approaches the Chandrasekhar mass. I briefly describe two long-standing problems faced by this scenario, and our suggestion that these supernovae instead resul...

  9. NEW COOLING SEQUENCES FOR OLD WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Renedo, I.; Althaus, L. G.; GarcIa-Berro, E.; Miller Bertolami, M. M.; Romero, A. D.; Corsico, A. H.; Rohrmann, R. D.

    2010-01-01

    We present full evolutionary calculations appropriate for the study of hydrogen-rich DA white dwarfs. This is done by evolving white dwarf progenitors from the zero-age main sequence, through the core hydrogen-burning phase, the helium-burning phase, and the thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch phase to the white dwarf stage. Complete evolutionary sequences are computed for a wide range of stellar masses and for two different metallicities, Z = 0.01, which is representative of the solar neighborhood, and Z = 0.001, which is appropriate for the study of old stellar systems, like globular clusters. During the white dwarf cooling stage, we self-consistently compute the phase in which nuclear reactions are still important, the diffusive evolution of the elements in the outer layers and, finally, we also take into account all the relevant energy sources in the deep interior of the white dwarf, such as the release of latent heat and the release of gravitational energy due to carbon-oxygen phase separation upon crystallization. We also provide colors and magnitudes for these sequences, based on a new set of improved non-gray white dwarf model atmospheres, which include the most up-to-date physical inputs like the Lyα quasi-molecular opacity. The calculations are extended down to an effective temperature of 2500 K. Our calculations provide a homogeneous set of evolutionary cooling tracks appropriate for mass and age determinations of old DA white dwarfs and for white dwarf cosmochronology of the different Galactic populations.

  10. Progenitors of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drilling, J.S.; Schoenberner, D.

    1985-01-01

    Direct observational evidence is presented which indicates that the immediate progenitors of white dwarfs are the central stars of planetary nebulae (approximately 70%), other post-AGB objects (approximately 30%), and post-HB objects not massive enough to climb the AGB (approximately 0.3%). The combined birth rate for these objects is in satisfactory agreement with the death rate of main-sequence stars and the birth rate of white dwarfs

  11. Rare White dwarf stars with carbon atmospheres

    OpenAIRE

    Dufour, P.; Liebert, James; Fontaine, G.; Behara, N.

    2007-01-01

    White dwarfs represent the endpoint of stellar evolution for stars with initial masses between approximately 0.07 msun and 8-10 msun, where msun is the mass of the Sun (more massive stars end their life as either black holes or neutron stars). The theory of stellar evolution predicts that the majority of white dwarfs have a core made of carbon and oxygen, which itself is surrounded by a helium layer and, for ~80 per cent of known white dwarfs, by an additional hydrogen layer. All white dwarfs...

  12. WHITE DWARF/M DWARF BINARIES AS SINGLE DEGENERATE PROGENITORS OF TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wheeler, J. Craig

    2012-01-01

    Limits on the companions of white dwarfs in the single-degenerate scenario for the origin of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) have gotten increasingly tight, yet igniting a nearly Chandrasekhar mass C/O white dwarf from a condition of near hydrostatic equilibrium provides compelling agreement with observed spectral evolution. The only type of non-degenerate stars that survive the tight limits, M V ∼> 8.4 on the SN Ia in SNR 0509-67.5 and M V ∼> 9.5 in the remnant of SN 1572, are M dwarfs. While M dwarfs are observed in cataclysmic variables, they have special properties that have not been considered in most work on the progenitors of SNe Ia: they have small but finite magnetic fields and they flare frequently. These properties are explored in the context of SN Ia progenitors. White dwarf/M dwarf pairs may be sufficiently plentiful to provide, in principle, an adequate rate of explosions even with slow orbital evolution due to magnetic braking or gravitational radiation. Even modest magnetic fields on the white dwarf and M dwarf will yield adequate torques to lock the two stars together, resulting in a slowly rotating white dwarf, with the magnetic poles pointing at one another in the orbital plane. The mass loss will be channeled by a 'magnetic bottle' connecting the two stars, landing on a concentrated polar area on the white dwarf. This enhances the effective rate of accretion compared to spherical accretion. Luminosity from accretion and hydrogen burning on the surface of the white dwarf may induce self-excited mass transfer. The combined effects of self-excited mass loss, polar accretion, and magnetic inhibition of mixing of accretion layers give possible means to beat the 'nova limit' and grow the white dwarf to the Chandrasekhar mass even at rather moderate mass accretion rates.

  13. Evolution of White Dwarf Stars

    OpenAIRE

    L. G. Althaus

    2001-01-01

    This paper is aimed at presenting the main results we have obtained for the study of the evoution of white dwarf stars. The calculations are carried out by means of a detailed evolutionary code based on an updated physical description. In particular, we briefly discuss the results for the evolution of white dwarfs of different stellar masses and chemical composition, and the evolution of whit e dwarfs in the framework of a varying gravitational constant G scenario as well.

  14. The WFCAM transit survey and cool white dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinfield D.

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available We present results from our search for cool white dwarfs in the WTS (WFCAM Transit Survey. Repeat observations starting in 2007 allowed to produce deep stacked images in J and measure proper motions. We combine this with deep optical imaging to select cool white dwarf candidates (Teff < 5000 K. About 27 cool white dwarf candidates with proper motions above 0.10 arcsec/yr were identified in one of the fields representing 1/8th of the survey area. Follow-up spectroscopy with the 10.2 m GTC telescope at La Palma confirmed the white dwarf status for all observed candidates. On-going work is being carried out to increase the sample of cool white dwarfs that will allow a more comprehensive study of the thick disk/halo white dwarf population.

  15. White dwarf heating and the ultraviolet flux in dwarf novae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pringle, J.E.

    1988-01-01

    An investigation is made of the heating of the outer layers of the white dwarf which is likely to occur during a dwarf nova outburst. It is shown that the decline in IUE flux, observed during quiescent intervals in the dwarf novae VW Hydri and WX Hydri, may be due to the outer layers cooling off once the heat source is removed. The calculations here assume uniformity of the heat source over the white dwarf surface. This is unlikely to be realized from disc accretion, and we discuss that further calculations are required. (author)

  16. Polarized radiation in magnetic white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosi, L.A.; Zimmerman, R.L.; Kemp, J.C.

    1976-01-01

    A model for magnetic white dwarfs is proposed which attributes the partially polarized light to synchrotron radiation. The source of the radiation is relativistic electrons trapped in the magnetosphere of a white dwarf. The white dwarf's magnetic field is assumed to be dipolar. The Stokes parameters for the synchrotron radiation are tabulated as a function of frequency, observer's orientation, and energy and spatial distribution of the relativistic electrons. The results of the synchrotron calculations are applied to the polarization observations of Grw+70degree8247 and DQ Herculis. This model can account for the major features of the polarized radiation coming from these two magnetic white dwarfs. The calculations predict for Grw+70degree8247 that the surface magnetic field is B/sub s/approximately-less-than4 x 10 6 gauss, that the incident viewing angle is 45degreeapproximately-less-thantheta 0 approximately-less-than75degree, and that the electrons are trapped with nearly an isotropic distribution about the white dwarf. For DQ Herculis the surface magnetic field is B/sub s/approximately-less-than7 x 10 6 gauss and the trapped electrons are confined to a dislike region about the white dwarf. For both cases the density of electrons in the magnetosphere falls in the range of 10 5 approximately-less-thannapproximately-less-than10 7 cm -3 with energies of about 4--35 MeV

  17. X-ray survey of hot white dwarf stars - evidence for a m(He)/n(H) versus Teff correlation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Petre, R.; Shipman, H.L.; Canizares, C.R.

    1986-05-01

    Observations of 13 white dwarf and subdwarf stars using the Einstein Observatory High Resolution Image are reported. Included are stars of classes DA, DB, DAV, sDO, and sDB, with optically determined effective temperatures in the range 10,000-60,000 K. X-ray emission was detected from two of the 13: the very hot (55,000 K) DA1 star WD 2309 + 105 (= EG 233), with a count rate one-fifth that of HZ 43, and the relatively cool (26,000 K) DA3 star WD 1052 - 273 (=GD 125). The effective temperatures determined from ultraviolet and optical observations were used to place limits on the He content of the white dwarf photospheres, presuming that trace photospheric He is the missing opacity source which quenches the thermal X-rays in these stars. When presently obtained results were combined with those available from the literature evidence was found for a correlation between Teff and n(He)/n(H), in which HZ 43 is a conspicuous exception to the general trend. Both this correlation and the exceptional behavior of HZ 43 are qualitatively accounted for by a radiative acceleration model, in which the rate of upward movement of the He is a function of temperature and surface gravity 59 references.

  18. Explosive helium burning in white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khokhlov, A.M. (AN SSSR, Moscow. Astronomicheskij Sovet)

    1984-04-01

    Helium burning kinetics in white dwarfs has been considered at constant temperatures T >= 10/sup 9/ K and densities rho >10/sup 5/ g/cm/sup 3/. It is found, that helium detonation in white dwarfs does not lead to formation of light (A < 56) elements. Thus, helium white dwarf model for supernova 1 is inconsistent with observations.

  19. A WHITE DWARF MERGER AS PROGENITOR OF THE ANOMALOUS X-RAY PULSAR 4U 0142+61?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rueda, J. A.; Boshkayev, K.; Izzo, L.; Ruffini, R.; Lorén-Aguilar, P.; Külebi, B.; Aznar-Siguán, G.; García-Berro, E.

    2013-01-01

    It has been recently proposed that massive, fast-rotating, highly magnetized white dwarfs could describe the observational properties of some of soft gamma-ray repeaters and anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs). Moreover, it has also been shown that high-field magnetic white dwarfs can be the outcome of white dwarf binary mergers. The products of these mergers consist of a hot central white dwarf surrounded by a rapidly rotating disk. Here we show that the merger of a double degenerate system can explain the characteristics of the peculiar AXP 4U 0142+61. This scenario accounts for the observed infrared excess. We also show that the observed properties of 4U 0142+6 are consistent with an approximately 1.2 M ☉ white dwarf, remnant of the coalescence of an original system made of two white dwarfs of masses 0.6 M ☉ and 1.0 M ☉ . Finally, we infer a post-merging age τ WD ≈ 64 kyr and a magnetic field B ≈ 2 × 10 8 G. Evidence for such a magnetic field may come from the possible detection of the electron cyclotron absorption feature observed between the B and V bands at ≈10 15 Hz in the spectrum of 4U 0142+61

  20. The accreting white dwarfs in VY Scl nova-like variables

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sion, Edward M; Mizusawa, Trisha; Ballouz, Ronald-Louis

    2009-01-01

    Accurate distances for nova-like variables offer the possibility of extracting information on nova-like accretion rates during high states of optical brightness and on their underlying accretion-heated white dwarfs during intermediate and low brightness states. The modeling technique which is employed is discussed and a representative example, the novalike variable KR Aur, is presented. Although KR Aur was in a fainter high state when its far ultraviolet spectrum was obtained, roughly one-half of its FUV radiation is due to the light of an accretion disk and the other half is contributed by a hot white dwarf with T eff = 29, 000±2, 000K. However, this best-fit solution corresponds to a distance of 180 pc which was an early distance estimate due to Patterson (1984).

  1. Effects of magnetic fields in white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franzon, Bruno; Schramm, Stefan

    2017-01-01

    We perform calculations of white dwarfs endowed with strong magnetic fields. White dwarfs are the progenitors of supernova Type Ia explosions and they are widely used as candles to show that the Universe is expanding and accelerating. However, observations of ultraluminous supernovae have suggested that the progenitor of such an explosion should be a white dwarf with mass above the well-known Chandrasekhar limit ∼ 1.4 M⊙. In corroboration with other works, but by using a fully general relativistic framework, we obtained also strongly magnetized white dwarfs with masses M ∼ 2.0 M⊙. (paper)

  2. An unsuccessful search for brown dwarf companions to white dwarf stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shipman, Harry L.

    1986-01-01

    The results of a survey to detect excess infrared emission from white dwarf stars which would be attributable to a low mass companion are reviewed. Neither a simple comparison of spectroscopically identified white dwarf stars with the IRAS Point Source Catalog nor the coadding of IRAS survey data resulted in a detection of a brown dwarf. The seven nearest stars where the most stringent limits to the presence of a brown dwarf were obtained are listed, and an effort to detect brown dwarfs in the solar neighborhood is discussed.

  3. Axion cooling of white dwarfs

    OpenAIRE

    Isern, J.; Catalan, S.; Garcia--Berro, E.; Salaris, M.; Torres, S.

    2013-01-01

    The evolution of white dwarfs is a simple gravothermal process. This process can be tested in two ways, through the luminosity function of these stars and through the secular variation of the period of pulsation of those stars that are variable. Here we show how the mass of the axion can be constrained using the white dwarf luminosity function.

  4. A young contracting white dwarf in the peculiar binary HD 49798/RX J0648.0-4418?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popov, S. B.; Mereghetti, S.; Blinnikov, S. I.; Kuranov, A. G.; Yungelson, L. R.

    2018-02-01

    HD 49798/RX J0648.0-4418 is a peculiar X-ray binary with a hot subdwarf (sdO) mass donor. The nature of the accreting compact object is not known, but its spin period P = 13.2 s and \\dot{P} =-2.15 × 10^{-15} s s-1 proves that it can be only either a white dwarf or a neutron star. The spin-up has been very stable for more than 20 yr. We demonstrate that the continuous stable spin-up of the compact companion of HD 49798 can be best explained by contraction of a young white dwarf with an age ˜2 Myr. This allows us to interpret all the basic parameters of the system in the framework of an accreting white dwarf. We present examples of binary evolution, which result in such systems. If correct, this is the first direct evidence for a white dwarf contraction in early evolutionary stages.

  5. Nucleosynthesis in cold white dwarf explosions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Canal, R.; Hernanz, M.

    1986-01-01

    Type I supernovae (SNI) are generally thought to be the main contributors to the galactic nucleosynthesis of iron-peak elements and their yields of intermediate-mass elements may also be important. We concentrate here upon a different class of models, based on the explosion of cold, massive, partially solid white dwarfs. We show that such white dwarfs must be relatively frequent among SNI progenitors and how their hydrodynamics upon ignition is very different from that of hotter, fluid white dwarfs. The implications for nucleosynthesis are briefly discussed and some preliminary results are presented

  6. EX-111 thermal emission from hot white dwarfs: the suggested He abundance-temperature correlation. EX-112: the unique emission line white dwarf star GD 356. Semiannnual status report, 1 December 1985-1 June 1986

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shipman, H.L.

    1986-08-01

    Progress in the EXOSAT data analysis program is reported. EXOSAT observations for four white dwarfs (WD1031-115, WD0004+330, WD1615-154, and WD0109-264) were obtained. Counting rates were unexpectedly low, indicating that these objects have a substantial amount of x-ray absorbing matter in their photosheres. In addition, soft x-ray pulsations characterized by a 9.25 minute cycle were discovered in the DA white dwarf V471 Tauri. A residual x-ray flux from the K dwarf companion can be seen during the white dwarf eclipse at orbital phase 0.0. Pronounced dips in the soft x-ray light curve occur at orbital phases 0.15, 0.18, and 0.85. The dips may be correlated with the triangular Lagrangian points of the binary orbit. Smaller dips at phases near the eclipse may be associated with cool loops in the K star corona. Data for the white dwarf H1504+65 was also analyzed. This object is particularly unusual in that its photoshere is devoid of hydrogen and helium. Finally, existing data on the white dwarf Sirius B were analyzed to see what constraints from other data can be placed on the properties of this star. Interrelationships between radius, rotational velocity, and effective temperature were derived

  7. A DARK SPOT ON A MASSIVE WHITE DWARF

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kilic, Mukremin; Gianninas, Alexandros; Curd, Brandon; Wisniewski, John P. [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 W. Brooks St., Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Bell, Keaton J.; Winget, D. E.; Winget, K. I. [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Brown, Warren R. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Hermes, J. J. [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Dufour, Patrick [Institut de recherche sur les exoplanétes (iREx), Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7 (Canada)

    2015-12-01

    We present the serendipitous discovery of eclipse-like events around the massive white dwarf SDSS J152934.98+292801.9 (hereafter J1529+2928). We selected J1529+2928 for time-series photometry based on its spectroscopic temperature and surface gravity, which place it near the ZZ Ceti instability strip. Instead of pulsations, we detect photometric dips from this white dwarf every 38 minutes. Follow-up optical spectroscopy observations with Gemini reveal no significant radial velocity variations, ruling out stellar and brown dwarf companions. A disintegrating planet around this white dwarf cannot explain the observed light curves in different filters. Given the short period, the source of the photometric dips must be a dark spot that comes into view every 38 minutes due to the rotation of the white dwarf. Our optical spectroscopy does not show any evidence of Zeeman splitting of the Balmer lines, limiting the magnetic field strength to B < 70 kG. Since up to 15% of white dwarfs display kG magnetic fields, such eclipse-like events should be common around white dwarfs. We discuss the potential implications of this discovery on transient surveys targeting white dwarfs, like the K2 mission and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.

  8. Searching for benchmark systems containing ultra-cool dwarfs and white dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinfield D.J.

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available We have used the 2MASS all-sky survey and WISE to look for ultracool dwarfs that are part of multiple systems containing main sequence stars. We cross-matched L dwarf candidates from the surveys with Hipparcos and Gliese stars, finding two new systems. We consider the binary fraction for L dwarfs and main sequence stars, and further assess possible unresolved multiplicity within the full companion sample. This analysis shows that some of the L dwarfs in this sample might actually be unresolved binaries themselves. We have also identified a sample of common proper motion systems in which a main sequence star has a white dwarf as wide companion. These systems can help explore key issues in star evolution theory, as the initial-final mass relationship of white dwarfs, or the chromospheric activity-age relationship for stars still in the main sequence. Spectroscopy for 50 white dwarf candidates, selected from the SuperCOSMOS Science Archive, was obtained. We have also observed 6 of the main sequence star companions, and have estimated their effective temperatures, rotational and microturbulent velocities and metallicities.

  9. White dwarf models of supernovae and cataclysmic variables

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomoto, K.; Hashimoto, M.

    1986-01-01

    If the accreting white dwarf increases its mass to the Chandrasekhar mass, it will either explode as a Type I supernova or collapse to form a neutron star. In fact, there is a good agreement between the exploding white dwarf model for Type I supernovae and observations. We describe various types of evolution of accreting white dwarfs as a function of binary parameters (i.e,. composition, mass, and age of the white dwarf, its companion star, and mass accretion rate), and discuss the conditions for the precursors of exploding or collapsing white dwarfs, and their relevance to cataclysmic variables. Particular attention is given to helium star cataclysmics which might be the precursors of some Type I supernovae or ultrashort period x-ray binaries. Finally we present new evolutionary calculations using the updated nuclear reaction rates for the formation of O+Ne+Mg white dwarfs, and discuss the composition structure and their relevance to the model for neon novae. 61 refs., 14 figs

  10. A possible magnetic DA white dwarf

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wickramasinghe, D.T.; Bessell, M.S.

    1976-01-01

    The spectrum of a peculiar southern white dwarf suspect BPM 25114 is described. A possible magnetic interpretation suggests a DA white dwarf with a field of about 10 7 gauss. The star appears to be both a spectrum variable and perhaps light variable

  11. White dwarf stars with carbon atmospheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dufour, P; Liebert, J; Fontaine, G; Behara, N

    2007-11-22

    White dwarfs represent the endpoint of stellar evolution for stars with initial masses between approximately 0.07 and 8-10, where is the mass of the Sun (more massive stars end their life as either black holes or neutron stars). The theory of stellar evolution predicts that the majority of white dwarfs have a core made of carbon and oxygen, which itself is surrounded by a helium layer and, for approximately 80 per cent of known white dwarfs, by an additional hydrogen layer. All white dwarfs therefore have been traditionally found to belong to one of two categories: those with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere (the DA spectral type) and those with a helium-rich atmosphere (the non-DAs). Here we report the discovery of several white dwarfs with atmospheres primarily composed of carbon, with little or no trace of hydrogen or helium. Our analysis shows that the atmospheric parameters found for these stars do not fit satisfactorily in any of the currently known theories of post-asymptotic giant branch evolution, although these objects might be the cooler counterpart of the unique and extensively studied PG 1159 star H1504+65 (refs 4-7). These stars, together with H1504+65, might accordingly form a new evolutionary sequence that follows the asymptotic giant branch.

  12. An X-ray survey of hot white dwarf stars - Evidence for a m(He)/n(H) versus Teff correlation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petre, R.; Shipman, H. L.; Canizares, C. R.

    1986-01-01

    Observations of 13 white dwarf and subdwarf stars using the Einstein Observatory High Resolution Image are reported. Included are stars of classes DA, DB, DAV, sDO, and sDB, with optically determined effective temperatures in the range 10,000-60,000 K. X-ray emission was detected from two of the 13: the very hot (55,000 K) DA1 star WD 2309 + 105 (= EG 233), with a count rate one-fifth that of HZ 43, and the relatively cool (26,000 K) DA3 star WD 1052 - 273 (=GD 125). The effective temperatures determined from ultraviolet and optical observations were used to place limits on the He content of the white dwarf photospheres, presuming that trace photospheric He is the missing opacity source which quenches the thermal X-rays in these stars. When presently obtained results were combined with those available from the literature evidence was found for a correlation between Teff and n(He)/n(H), in which HZ 43 is a conspicuous exception to the general trend. Both this correlation and the exceptional behavior of HZ 43 are qualitatively accounted for by a radiative acceleration model, in which the rate of upward movement of the He is a function of temperature and surface gravity

  13. Conditions for accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomoto, Kenichi; Kondo, Yoji

    1991-01-01

    Recent discovery of an unexpectedly large number of low-mass binary pulsars (LMBPs) in globular clusters has instigated active discussions on the evolutionary origin of binary pulsars. Prompted by the possibility that at least some of LMBPs originate from accretion-induced collapse (AIC) of white dwarfs, a reexamination is conducted as to whether or not AIC occurs for the new models of O + Ne + Mg white dwarfs and solid C + O white dwarfs that can ignite explosive nuclear burning at significantly lower central densities than in the previous models. Even with low critical densities, AIC is still much more likely than explosion for both types of white dwarfs. Possible regions for AIC are presented in a diagram of mass accretion rate vs initial mass of the white dwarfs. 42 refs

  14. Is EG 50 a White or Strange Dwarf?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hajyan, G. S.; Vartanyan, Yu. L.

    2017-12-01

    The time dependences of the luminosity of a white dwarf and four strange dwarfs with masses of 0.5 M (the mass of the white dwarf EG 50 with a surface temperature of 2.1·104 K) are determined taking neutrino energy losses into account. It was assumed that these configurations radiate only at the expense of thermal energy reserves. It is shown that the sources of thermal energy owing to nonequilibrium b-processes and the phenomenon of crystallization of electron-nuclear matter are insignificant in determining the cooling time of white and strange dwarfs with masses of 0.5 M⨀. It is shown that in this approximation the time dependences of the luminosity of white and strange dwarfs with masses of 0.5 M⨀ differ significantly only for surface temperatures TR≥7·104 K, so it is impossible to determine whether EG 50 is a white or strange dwarf based on the cooling time.

  15. THE WHITE DWARF AGE OF NGC 2477

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeffery, Elizabeth J.; Von Hippel, Ted; DeGennaro, Steven; Jefferys, William H.; Van Dyk, David A.; Stein, Nathan

    2011-01-01

    We present deep photometric observations of the open cluster NGC 2477 using HST/WFPC2. By identifying seven cluster white dwarf candidates, we present an analysis of the white dwarf age of this cluster, using both the traditional method of fitting isochrones to the white dwarf cooling sequence, and by employing a new Bayesian statistical technique that has been developed by our group. This new method performs an objective, simultaneous model fit of the cluster and stellar parameters (namely, age, metallicity, distance, reddening, as well as individual stellar masses, mass ratios, and cluster membership) to the photometry. Based on this analysis, we measure a white dwarf age of 1.035 ± 0.054 ± 0.087 Gyr (uncertainties represent the goodness of model fits and discrepancy among models, respectively) in good agreement with the cluster's main-sequence turnoff age. This work is part of our ongoing work to calibrate main-sequence turnoff and white dwarf ages using open clusters, and to improve the precision of cluster ages to the ∼5% level.

  16. White dwarfs in cataclysmic variables

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sion, E.M.

    1987-01-01

    The physical properties and evolutionary state of the underlying white dwarfs in CVs are explored. Observations of 25 white dwarfs with effective temperature upper limits of 9000-75,000 K are discussed. Correlations between effective temperature, orbital period, accretion rate, and CV type with respect to the CV period gap are considered. Quasi-static and hydrodynamic evolutionary models are used to explain the surface temperature/luminosity distribution ratios. 42 references

  17. Evolution of the pulsation properties of hot pre-white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kawaler, S.D.; Winget, D.E.; Hansen, C.J.

    1985-08-01

    After solving the equations of linear, nonradial adiabatic oscillation for evolutionary pre-white dwarf (PWD) models, calculations are made for the periods, eigenfunctions, weight functions and rates of period change for high order dipole and quadrupole gravity mode oscillations in spherical nonrotating PWD models. The results obtained place stringent upper limits on the absolute magnitude of the rates of period change expected in stars represented by this class of models. 43 references.

  18. Hot Jupiters around M dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Murgas F.

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The WFCAM Transit Survey (WTS is a near-infrared transit survey running on the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT. We conduct Monte Carlo transit injection and detection simulations for short period (<10 day Jupiter-sized planets to characterize the sensitivity of the survey. We investigate the recovery rate as a function of period and magnitude in 2 hypothetical star-planet cases: M0–2 + hot Jupiter, M2–4 + hot Jupiter. We find that the WTS lightcurves are very sensitive to the presence of Jupiter-sized short-period transiting planets around M dwarfs. The non-detection of a hot-Jupiter around an M dwarf by the WFCAM Transit Survey allows us to place a firm upper limit of 1.9 per cent (at 95 per cent confidence on the planet occurrence rate.

  19. Maximum gravitational redshift of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shapiro, S.L.; Teukolsky, S.A.

    1976-01-01

    The stability of uniformly rotating, cold white dwarfs is examined in the framework of the Parametrized Post-Newtonian (PPN) formalism of Will and Nordtvedt. The maximum central density and gravitational redshift of a white dwarf are determined as functions of five of the nine PPN parameters (γ, β, zeta 2 , zeta 3 , and zeta 4 ), the total angular momentum J, and the composition of the star. General relativity predicts that the maximum redshifts is 571 km s -1 for nonrotating carbon and helium dwarfs, but is lower for stars composed of heavier nuclei. Uniform rotation can increase the maximum redshift to 647 km s -1 for carbon stars (the neutronization limit) and to 893 km s -1 for helium stars (the uniform rotation limit). The redshift distribution of a larger sample of white dwarfs may help determine the composition of their cores

  20. On the absence of young white dwarf companions to five technetium stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Verne V.; Lambert, David L.

    1987-01-01

    A search for hot companions to five stars of type MS and S has been carried out using the IUE satellite. No hot companions were detected for the MS stars HR 85, 4647, 6702, and 8062, and the S star HR 8714. Limits on the luminosities of possible white dwarf companions provide lower limits of 2-5x10 to the 8th yr to the ages of any degenerate companions. All five stars exhibit strong Tc I lines, and the presence of technetium, with a half-life of 2.1x10 to the 5th yr, signifies recent nucleosynthesis. The limits on the ages of possible white dwarf companions that are equal to or greater than 1000 half-lives of Tc exclude the possibility that the s-process elemental enhancement seen in these MS and S stars resulted from mass transfer from a more highly evolved companion (as is probably the mechanism by which barium stars are created). These MS and S stars represent a sample of true thermally pulsing asymptotic giant-branch stars.

  1. General Relativistic Calculations for White Dwarf Stars

    OpenAIRE

    Mathew, Arun; Nandy, Malay K.

    2014-01-01

    The mass-radius relations for white dwarf stars are investigated by solving the Newtonian as well as Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff (TOV) equations for hydrostatic equilibrium assuming the electron gas to be non-interacting. We find that the Newtonian limiting mass of $1.4562M_\\odot$ is modified to $1.4166M_\\odot$ in the general relativistic case for $^4_2$He (and $^{12}_{\\ 6}$C) white dwarf stars. Using the same general relativistic treatment, the critical mass for $^{56}_{26}$Fe white dwarf is ...

  2. Photospheric, circumstellar, and interstellar features of HE, C, N. O, and Si in the HST spectra of four hot white dwarf stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shipman, Harry L.; Provencal, Judi; Roby, Scott W.; Barstow, Martin; Bond, Howard; Bruhweiler, Fred; Finley, David; Fontaine, Gilles; Holberg, Jay; Nousek, John

    1995-01-01

    This paper reports on the observations of four hot white dwarf stars with the spectrographs on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The higher resolving power and higher signal/noise, in comparison with IUE, reveals a very rich phenomomenology, including photospheric features from heavy elements, circumstellar features, and the first direct detection of accretion onto the white dwarf component of a binary system. Specific results include the following: Our observations of the ultrahot degenerate H1504+65 confirm that it has a photosphere which is depleted in both H and He, and reveals features of C IV and O VI. The spectrum fits previously published models extremely well. The intermediate-temperature DO star PG 1034+001 has an ultraviolet spectrum showing complex profiles of the well-known resonance doublets of C IV, N v, and Si IV. The O V 1371 line shows a clear separation into a photospheric and a circumstellar component, and it is likely that the same two components can explain the other lines as well. The cooler DA star GD 394 has an extensive system of heavy-element features, but their radial velocity is such that it is highly unlikely that they are formed in the stellar photosphere. Time-resolved spectra of the accreting white dwarf in the V 471 Tau binary system are briefly presented here; they do show the presence of C IV, Si IV, and He II. However, the C IV and He II lines are in emission, rather than in aborption as had been expected.

  3. ON THE EVOLUTION OF MAGNETIC WHITE DWARFS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tremblay, P.-E. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Fontaine, G.; Brassard, P. [Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, C. P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7 (Canada); Freytag, B. [Department of Physics and Astronomy at Uppsala University, Regementsvägen 1, Box 516, SE-75120 Uppsala (Sweden); Steiner, O. [Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik, Schöneckstr. 6, D-79104 Freiburg (Germany); Ludwig, H.-G. [Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg, Landessternwarte, Königstuhl 12, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Steffen, M. [Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam, An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam (Germany); Wedemeyer, S., E-mail: tremblay@stsci.edu [Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1029 Blindern, NO-0315 Oslo (Norway)

    2015-10-10

    We present the first radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the atmosphere of white dwarf stars. We demonstrate that convective energy transfer is seriously impeded by magnetic fields when the plasma-β parameter, the thermal-to-magnetic-pressure ratio, becomes smaller than unity. The critical field strength that inhibits convection in the photosphere of white dwarfs is in the range B = 1–50 kG, which is much smaller than the typical 1–1000 MG field strengths observed in magnetic white dwarfs, implying that these objects have radiative atmospheres. We have employed evolutionary models to study the cooling process of high-field magnetic white dwarfs, where convection is entirely suppressed during the full evolution (B ≳ 10 MG). We find that the inhibition of convection has no effect on cooling rates until the effective temperature (T{sub eff}) reaches a value of around 5500 K. In this regime, the standard convective sequences start to deviate from the ones without convection due to the convective coupling between the outer layers and the degenerate reservoir of thermal energy. Since no magnetic white dwarfs are currently known at the low temperatures where this coupling significantly changes the evolution, the effects of magnetism on cooling rates are not expected to be observed. This result contrasts with a recent suggestion that magnetic white dwarfs with T{sub eff} ≲ 10,000 K cool significantly slower than non-magnetic degenerates.

  4. Infrared spectrum of an extremely cool white-dwarf star

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodgkin; Oppenheimer; Hambly; Jameson; Smartt; Steele

    2000-01-06

    White dwarfs are the remnant cores of stars that initially had masses of less than 8 solar masses. They cool gradually over billions of years, and have been suggested to make up much of the 'dark matter' in the halo of the Milky Way. But extremely cool white dwarfs have proved difficult to detect, owing to both their faintness and their anticipated similarity in colour to other classes of dwarf stars. Recent improved models indicate that white dwarfs are much more blue than previously supposed, suggesting that the earlier searches may have been looking for the wrong kinds of objects. Here we report an infrared spectrum of an extremely cool white dwarf that is consistent with the new models. We determine the star's temperature to be 3,500 +/- 200 K, making it the coolest known white dwarf. The kinematics of this star indicate that it is in the halo of the Milky Way, and the density of such objects implied by the serendipitous discovery of this star is consistent with white dwarfs dominating the dark matter in the halo.

  5. Ages of white dwarf-red subdwarf systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hektor Monteiro

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available We provide the first age estimates for two recently discovered white dwarf-red subdwarf systems, LHS 193AB and LHS 300AB. These systems provide a new opportunity for linking the reliable age estimates for the white dwarfs to the (measurable metallicities of the red subdwarfs. We have obtained precise photometry in the VJRKCIKCJH bands and spectroscopy covering from 6,000°A to 9,000°A (our spectral coveragefor the two new systems, as well as for a comparison white dwarfmain sequence red dwarf system, GJ 283 AB. Using model grids, we estimate the cooling age as well as temperature, surface gravity, mass, progenitor mass and total lifetimes of the white dwarfs. The results indicate that the two new systems are probably ancient thick disk objects with ages of at least 6-9 gigayears (Gyr.

  6. Hot spot manifestation in eclipsing dwarf nova HT Cassiopeiae

    OpenAIRE

    Bakowska, K.; Olech, A.

    2014-01-01

    We report the detection of the hot spot in light curves of the eclipsing dwarf nova HT Cassiopeiae during its superoutburst in 2010 November. Analysis of eight reconstructed light curves of the hot spot eclipses showed directly that the brightness of the hot spot was changing significantly during the superoutburst. Thereby, detected hot spot manifestation in HT Cas is the newest observational evidence for the EMT model for dwarf novae.

  7. Possible new class of dense white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glendenning, N.K.; Kettner, C.; Weber, F.

    1995-01-01

    If the strange quark matter hypothesis is true, then a new class of white dwarfs can exist whose nuclear material in their deep interiors can have a density as high as the neutron drip density, a few hundred times the density in maximum-mass white dwarfs and 4x10 4 the density in dwarfs of mass, M∼0.6 M circle-dot . Their masses fall in the approximate range 10 -4 to 1 M circle-dot . They are stable against acoustical modes of vibration. A strange quark core stabilizes these stars, which otherwise would have central densities that would place them in the unstable region of the sequence between white dwarfs and neutron stars. copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics

  8. Search for trans-iron elements in hot, helium-rich white dwarfs with the HST Cosmic Origins Spectrograph

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoyer, D.; Rauch, T.; Werner, K.; Kruk, J. W.

    2018-04-01

    The metal abundances in the atmospheres of hot white dwarfs (WDs) entering the cooling sequence are determined by the preceding Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) evolutionary phase and, subsequently, by the onset of gravitational settling and radiative levitation. In this paper, we investigate three hot He-rich WDs, which are believed to result from a late He-shell flash. During such a flash, the He-rich intershell matter is dredged up and dominates the surface chemistry. Hence, in contrast to the usual H-rich WDs, their spectra allow direct access to s-process element abundances in the intershell that were synthesized during the AGB stage. In order to look for trans-iron group elements (atomic number Z > 29), we performed a non-local thermodynamic equilibrium model atmosphere analysis of new ultraviolet spectra taken with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. One of our program stars is of PG 1159 spectral type; this star, PG 1707+427, has effective temperature Teff = 85 000 K, and surface gravity logg = 7.5. The two other stars are DO white dwarfs: WD 0111+002 has Teff = 58 000 K and log g = 7.7, and PG 0109+111 has Teff = 70 000 K and log g = 8.0. These stars trace the onset of element diffusion during early WD evolution. While zinc is the only trans-iron element we could detect in the PG 1159 star, both DOs exhibit lines from Zn, Ga, Ge, Se; one additionally exhibits lines from Sr, Sn, Te, and I and the other from As. Generally, the trans-iron elements are very abundant in the DOs, meaning that radiative levitation must be acting. Most extreme is the almost six orders of magnitude oversolar abundance of tellurium in PG 0109+111. In terms of mass fraction, it is the most abundant metal in the atmosphere. The two DOs join the hitherto unique hot DO RE 0503-289, in which 14 trans-iron elements had even been identified. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which

  9. White dwarf planets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bonsor Amy

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The recognition that planets may survive the late stages of stellar evolution, and the prospects for finding them around White Dwarfs, are growing. We discuss two aspects governing planetary survival through stellar evolution to the White Dwarf stage. First we discuss the case of a single planet, and its survival under the effects of stellar mass loss, radius expansion, and tidal orbital decay as the star evolves along the Asymptotic Giant Branch. We show that, for stars initially of 1 − 5 M⊙, any planets within about 1 − 5 AU will be engulfed, this distance depending on the stellar and planet masses and the planet's eccentricity. Planets engulfed by the star's envelope are unlikely to survive. Hence, planets surviving the Asymptotic Giant Branch phase will probably be found beyond ∼ 2 AU for a 1  M⊙ progenitor and ∼ 10 AU for a 5 M⊙ progenitor. We then discuss the evolution of two-planet systems around evolving stars. As stars lose mass, planet–planet interactions become stronger, and many systems stable on the Main Sequence become destabilised following evolution of the primary. The outcome of such instabilities is typically the ejection of one planet, with the survivor being left on an eccentric orbit. These eccentric planets could in turn be responsible for feeding planetesimals into the neighbourhood of White Dwarfs, causing observed pollution and circumstellar discs.

  10. NUCLEAR CONDENSATE AND HELIUM WHITE DWARFS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bedaque, Paulo F.; Berkowitz, Evan [Maryland Center for Fundamental Physics, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Cherman, Aleksey, E-mail: bedaque@umd.edu, E-mail: evanb@umd.edu, E-mail: a.cherman@damtp.cam.ac.uk [Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0WA (United Kingdom)

    2012-04-10

    We consider a high-density region of the helium phase diagram, where the nuclei form a Bose-Einstein condensate rather than a classical plasma or a crystal. Helium in this phase may be present in helium-core white dwarfs. We show that in this regime there is a new gapless quasiparticle not previously noticed, arising when the constraints imposed by gauge symmetry are taken into account. The contribution of this quasiparticle to the specific heat of a white dwarf core turns out to be comparable in a range of temperatures to the contribution from the particle-hole excitations of the degenerate electrons. The specific heat in the condensed phase is two orders of magnitude smaller than in the uncondensed plasma phase, which is the ground state at higher temperatures, and four orders of magnitude smaller than the specific heat that an ion lattice would provide, if formed. Since the specific heat of the core is an important input for setting the rate of cooling of a white dwarf star, it may turn out that such a change in the thermal properties of the cores of helium white dwarfs has observable implications.

  11. NUCLEAR CONDENSATE AND HELIUM WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bedaque, Paulo F.; Berkowitz, Evan; Cherman, Aleksey

    2012-01-01

    We consider a high-density region of the helium phase diagram, where the nuclei form a Bose-Einstein condensate rather than a classical plasma or a crystal. Helium in this phase may be present in helium-core white dwarfs. We show that in this regime there is a new gapless quasiparticle not previously noticed, arising when the constraints imposed by gauge symmetry are taken into account. The contribution of this quasiparticle to the specific heat of a white dwarf core turns out to be comparable in a range of temperatures to the contribution from the particle-hole excitations of the degenerate electrons. The specific heat in the condensed phase is two orders of magnitude smaller than in the uncondensed plasma phase, which is the ground state at higher temperatures, and four orders of magnitude smaller than the specific heat that an ion lattice would provide, if formed. Since the specific heat of the core is an important input for setting the rate of cooling of a white dwarf star, it may turn out that such a change in the thermal properties of the cores of helium white dwarfs has observable implications.

  12. WHITE DWARF-RED DWARF SYSTEMS RESOLVED WITH THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE. II. FULL SNAPSHOT SURVEY RESULTS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farihi, J.; Hoard, D. W.; Wachter, S.

    2010-01-01

    Results are presented for a Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys high-resolution imaging campaign of 90 white dwarfs with known or suspected low-mass stellar and substellar companions. Of the 72 targets that remain candidate and confirmed white dwarfs with near-infrared excess, 43 are spatially resolved into two or more components, and a total of 12 systems are potentially triples. For 68 systems where a comparison is possible, 50% have significant photometric distance mismatches between their white dwarf and M dwarf components, suggesting that white dwarf parameters derived spectroscopically are often biased due to the cool companion. Interestingly, 9 of the 30 binaries known to have emission lines are found to be visual pairs and hence widely separated, indicating an intrinsically active cool star and not irradiation from the white dwarf. There is a possible, slight deficit of earlier spectral types (bluer colors) among the spatially unresolved companions, exactly the opposite of expectations if significant mass is transferred to the companion during the common envelope phase. Using the best available distance estimates, the low-mass companions to white dwarfs exhibit a bimodal distribution in projected separation. This result supports the hypothesis that during the giant phases of the white dwarf progenitor, any unevolved companions either migrate inward to short periods of hours to days, or outward to periods of hundreds to thousands of years. No intermediate projected separations of a few to several AU are found among these pairs. However, a few double M dwarfs (within triples) are spatially resolved in this range, empirically demonstrating that such separations were readily detectable among the binaries with white dwarfs. A straightforward and testable prediction emerges: all spatially unresolved, low-mass stellar and substellar companions to white dwarfs should be in short-period orbits. This result has implications for substellar companion and

  13. Mass-Accretion effects on white dwarf interiors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Canal, R.; Hernanz, M.; Isern, J.; Labay, J.; Mochkovitch, R.

    1986-01-01

    There is observational evidence of the presence of young neutron stars in old binary systems. A likely explanation is that those neutron stars were produced in the collapse of old C+O white dwarfs. Old white dwarfs being cold and at least partially solid, accretion-induced mass growth should finally lead in a number of cases, to their collapse rather than to their explosion. We show in detail how mass accretion on initially solid white dwarfs can leave central solid cores when dynamical instability sets in. We also study the different effects of the existence of such cores on the outcome of the competition between thermonuclear explosion and gravitational collapse

  14. Convective mixing and accretion in white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koester, D.

    1976-01-01

    The evolution of convection zones in cooling white dwarfs with helium envelopes and outer hydrogen layers is calculated with a complete stellar evolution code. It is shown that white dwarfs of spectral type DB cannot be formed from DA stars by convective mixing. However, for cooler temperatures (Tsub(e) [de

  15. Branes constrictions with White Dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    García-Aspeitia, Miguel A.

    2015-01-01

    We consider here a robust study of stellar dynamics for white dwarf stars with polytropic matter in the weak-field approximation using the Lane–Emden equation from the brane-world scenario. We also derive an analytical solution to the nonlocal energy density and show the behavior and sensitivity of these stars to the presence of extra dimensions. Similarly, we analyze stability and compactness, in order to show whether it is possible to agree with the conventional wisdom of white dwarfs dynamics. Our results predict an average value of the brane tension of <λ>≳84.818 MeV 4 , with a standard deviation σ≃82.021 MeV 4 , which comes from a sample of dwarf stars, being weaker than other astrophysical observations but remaining higher than cosmological results provided by nucleosynthesis among others

  16. White dwarfs, the galaxy and Dirac's cosmology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stothers, R.

    1976-01-01

    Reference is made to the apparent absence, or deficiency, of white dwarfs fainter than about 10 -4 L solar mass. An explanation is here proposed on the basis of Dirac's cosmological hypothesis that the gravitational constant, G, has varied with the time elapsed since the beginning of the expansion of the Universe as t -1 and the number of particles in the Universe has increases as t 2 , if the measurements are made in atomic units. For a white dwarf the Chandrasekhar mass limit is a collection of fundamental constants proportional to Gsup(-3/2) and therefore increases with time as tsup(3/2). In the 'additive' version of Dirac's theory the actual mass, M, of a relatively small object like a star remains essentially unchanged by the creation of new matter in the Universe and hence a white dwarf will become more stable with the course of time; but in the 'multiplicative' version of the theory, M increases as t 2 and may eventually exceed the Chandrasekhar limit, and if this happens, gravitational collapse of the white dwarf into an invisible black hole or neutron star will quickly occur. It is considered interesting to find whether the 'multiplicative' theory may have a bearing on the apparent deficiency of faint white dwarfs, and to consider whether there are any possible consequences for galactic evolution. This is here discussed. (U.K.)

  17. Double Degenerates among DA white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bragaglia, A.; Greggio, L.; Renzini, A.; D'odorico, S.

    1990-01-01

    The results of a spectroscopic survey of catalog white dwarfs in search of radial velocity variations indicative of a binary motion are reported. In a sample of 54 DA white dwarfs, one Double Degenerate (DD) system with a period of 1.15 days (the shortest period DD system yet discovered) is found. Two other excellent and two good DD candidates, and two white dwarf + red dwarf pairs were also found. If all the candidates should be confirmed, this would indicate a frequency of about 13 percent of interacting binaries in an unbiased sample of evolved stars, with a DD frequency of about 10 percent. These results suggest fairly large values for the common-envelope parameter alpha, implying that a source of energy other than orbital may be required to eject the envelope during common-envelope events. Finally, in combination with previous evidence our result implies that DDs with WD components of the DA variety are unlikely to be the precursors of Type I supernovae, but DDs with non-DA components remain very attractive candidates. 20 refs

  18. The cool DA white dwarf G128-7: Atmospheric parameters and evolutionary consequences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wehrse, R.; Liebert, J.

    1980-01-01

    Atmospheric parameters are derived for the very cool DA white dwarf G128-7 (Gr283). The best fit to the models yields Tsub(eff) = 5800 0 K, [M/H] approx. 8.0 is found because of the implied formation of molecular hydrogen and its effects on the temperature stratification; at higher Tsub(eff), the molecule formation is unimportant and the H-lines show little gravity dependence. The dominance of non-DA spectral types for a sample of nearby, well observed white dwarfs with 13.0 0 K) leads us to conclude that the 3:1 ratio in favor of hydrogen atmospheres for hot white dwarfs is not preserved as the stars cool; this is evidence that convective mixing of the outer hydrogen layer has occured for some but not all stars. Results of recent theoretical investigations suggest that the surviving cool DA stars have larger initial hydrogen layer masses (>approx.10 -10 M) or higher than normal stallar masses. The latter possibility would be consistent with our inference for a higher than normal surface gravity in G128-7. (orig.) 891 WL/orig. 892 HIS

  19. A SEARCH FOR ASTEROIDS, MOONS, AND RINGS ORBITING WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Di Stefano, Rosanne; Howell, Steve B.; Kawaler, Steven D.

    2010-01-01

    Do white dwarfs host asteroid systems? Although several lines of argument suggest that white dwarfs may be orbited by large populations of asteroids, transits would provide the most direct evidence. We demonstrate that the Kepler mission has the capability to detect transits of white dwarfs by asteroids. Because white-dwarf asteroid systems, if they exist, are likely to contain many asteroids orbiting in a spatially extended distribution, discoveries of asteroid transits can be made by monitoring only a small number of white dwarfs, compatible with Kepler's primary mission, which is to monitor stars with potentially habitable planets. Possible future missions that survey 10 times as many stars with similar sensitivity and minute-cadence monitoring can establish the characteristics of asteroid systems around white dwarfs, such as the distribution of asteroid sizes and semimajor axes. Transits by planets would be more dramatic, but the probability that they will occur is lower. Ensembles of planetary moons and/or the presence of rings around planets can also produce transits detectable by Kepler. The presence of moons and rings can significantly increase the probability that Kepler will discover planets orbiting white dwarfs, even while monitoring only a small number of them.

  20. Searching for white dwarfs candidates in Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nalezyty, Miroslaw; Majczyna, Agnieszka; Ciechanowska, Anna; Madej, Jerzy

    2009-01-01

    Large amount of observational spectroscopic data are recently available from different observational projects, like Sloan Digital Sky Survey. It's become more urgent to identify white dwarfs stars based on data itself i.e. without modelling white dwarf atmospheres. In particular, existing methods of white dwarfs identification presented in Kleinman et al. (2004) and in Eisenstein et al. (2006) did not allow to find all the white dwarfs in examined data. We intend to test various criteria of searching for white dwarf candidates, based on photometric and spectral features.

  1. Origin of the DA and non-DA white dwarf stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shipman, Harry L.

    1989-01-01

    Various proposals for the bifurcation of the white dwarf cooling sequence are reviewed. 'Primordial' theories, in which the basic bifurcation of the white dwarf sequence is rooted in events predating the white dwarf stage of stellar evolution, are discussed, along with the competing 'mixing' theories in which processes occurring during the white dwarf stage are responsible for the existence of DA or non-DA stars. A new proposal is suggested, representing a two-channel scenario. In the DA channel, some process reduces the hydrogen layer mass to the value of less than 10 to the -7th. The non-DA channel is similar to that in the primordial scenario. These considerations suggest that some mechanism operates in both channels to reduce the thickness of the outermost layer of the white dwarf. It is also noted that accretion from the interstellar medium has little to do with whether a particular white dwarf becomes a DA or a non-DA star.

  2. White dwarf stars exceeding the Chandrasekhar mass limit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomaschitz, Roman

    2018-01-01

    The effect of nonlinear ultra-relativistic electron dispersion on the mass-radius relation of high-mass white dwarfs is studied. The dispersion is described by a permeability tensor in the Dirac equation, generated by the ionized high-density stellar matter, which constitutes the neutralizing background of the nearly degenerate electron plasma. The electron dispersion results in a stable mass-radius relation for high-mass white dwarfs, in contrast to a mass limit in the case of vacuum permeabilities. In the ultra-relativistic regime, the dispersion relation is a power law whose amplitude and scaling exponent is inferred from mass and radius estimates of two high-mass white dwarfs, Sirius B and LHS 4033. Evidence for the existence of super-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs is provided by several Type Ia supernovae (e.g., SN 2013cv, SN 2003fg, SN 2007if and SN 2009dc), whose mass ejecta exceed the Chandrasekhar limit by up to a factor of two. The dispersive mass-radius relation is used to estimate the radii, central densities, Fermi temperatures, bulk and compression moduli and sound velocities of their white dwarf progenitors.

  3. White Dwarfs in the HET Dark Energy Experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castanheira, B. G.; Winget, D. E.; Williams, K.; Montgomery, M. H.; Falcon, R. E.; Hermes, J. J.

    2010-11-01

    In the past decades, large scale surveys have discovered a large number of white dwarfs. For example, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7 [5] lists about 20 000 spectroscopically confirmed new white dwarfs. More than just a number, the new discoveries revealed different flavors of white dwarfs, including a new class of pulsators [7] and a larger percentage of stars with a magnetic field [4]. The HET Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) will use the 9.2 m Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory and a set of 150 spectrographs to map the three-dimensional positions of one million galaxies. The main goal of the survey is to probe dark energy by observing the recent universe (2products. We expect to obtain spectra for about 10 000 white dwarfs in the next 3 to 4 years.

  4. Doubling the number of pulsating DB white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nitta, Atsuko; Kleinman, S J; Krzenski, J; Kepler, S O; Metcalfe, T S; Mukadam, Anjum S; Mullally, F; Nather, R E; Winget, D E; Sullivan, D; Thompson, Susan E

    2009-01-01

    We are searching for new pulsating DB white dwarf stars (DBVs) based on the newly found white dwarf stars from the spectra obtained by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. DBVs pulsate at hotter temperature ranges than their better known cousins, DAVs or ZZ Ceti stars. Since the evolution of white dwarf stars is characterized by cooling, asteroseismological studies of DBVs give us opportunities to study white dwarf structure at a different evolutionary stage than the DAVs. The hottest DBVs are thought to have neutrino luminosities exceeding their photon luminosities (Winget et al. 2004), a quantity measurable through asteroseismology. Therefore, they can also be used to study neutrino physics in the stellar interior. At the time of the meeting, we reported on the nine new DBVs, doubling the number of previously known DBVs. Here we report the new nine pulsators' lightcurves and power spectra.

  5. A DEEPLY ECLIPSING DETACHED DOUBLE HELIUM WHITE DWARF BINARY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parsons, S. G.; Marsh, T. R.; Gaensicke, B. T.; Drake, A. J.; Koester, D.

    2011-01-01

    Using Liverpool Telescope+RISE photometry we identify the 2.78 hr period binary star CSS 41177 as a detached eclipsing double white dwarf binary with a 21,100 K primary star and a 10,500 K secondary star. This makes CSS 41177 only the second known eclipsing double white dwarf binary after NLTT 11748. The 2 minute long primary eclipse is 40% deep and the secondary eclipse 10% deep. From Gemini+GMOS spectroscopy, we measure the radial velocities of both components of the binary from the Hα absorption line cores. These measurements, combined with the light curve information, yield white dwarf masses of M 1 = 0.283 ± 0.064 M sun and M 2 = 0.274 ± 0.034 M sun , making them both helium core white dwarfs. As an eclipsing, double-lined spectroscopic binary, CSS 41177 is ideally suited to measuring precise, model-independent masses and radii. The two white dwarfs will merge in roughly 1.1 Gyr to form a single sdB star.

  6. Branes constrictions with White Dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    García-Aspeitia, Miguel A., E-mail: aspeitia@fisica.uaz.edu.mx [Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Av, Insurgentes Sur 1582, Colonia Crédito Constructor, Del. Benito Juárez, C.P. 03940, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Unidad Académica de Física, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Calzada Solidaridad esquina con Paseo a la Bufa S/N, C.P. 98060, Zacatecas (Mexico)

    2015-11-06

    We consider here a robust study of stellar dynamics for white dwarf stars with polytropic matter in the weak-field approximation using the Lane–Emden equation from the brane-world scenario. We also derive an analytical solution to the nonlocal energy density and show the behavior and sensitivity of these stars to the presence of extra dimensions. Similarly, we analyze stability and compactness, in order to show whether it is possible to agree with the conventional wisdom of white dwarfs dynamics. Our results predict an average value of the brane tension of <λ>≳84.818 MeV{sup 4}, with a standard deviation σ≃82.021 MeV{sup 4}, which comes from a sample of dwarf stars, being weaker than other astrophysical observations but remaining higher than cosmological results provided by nucleosynthesis among others.

  7. Branes constrictions with White Dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia-Aspeitia, Miguel A. [Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Mexico (Mexico); Unidad Academica de Fisica, Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas (Mexico)

    2015-11-15

    We consider here a robust study of stellar dynamics for white dwarf stars with polytropic matter in the weak-field approximation using the Lane-Emden equation from the brane-world scenario. We also derive an analytical solution to the nonlocal energy density and show the behavior and sensitivity of these stars to the presence of extra dimensions. Similarly, we analyze stability and compactness, in order to show whether it is possible to agree with the conventional wisdom of white dwarfs dynamics. Our results predict an average value of the brane tension of left angle λ right angle >or similar 84.818 MeV{sup 4}, with a standard deviation σ ≅ 82.021 MeV{sup 4}, which comes from a sample of dwarf stars, being weaker than other astrophysical observations but remaining higher than cosmological results provided by nucleosynthesis among others. (orig.)

  8. A Dark Spot on a Massive White Dwarf

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilic, Mukremin; Gianninas, Alexandros; Bell, Keaton J.; Curd, Brandon; Brown, Warren R.; Hermes, J. J.; Dufour, Patrick; Wisniewski, John P.; Winget, D. E.; Winget, K. I.

    2015-12-01

    We present the serendipitous discovery of eclipse-like events around the massive white dwarf SDSS J152934.98+292801.9 (hereafter J1529+2928). We selected J1529+2928 for time-series photometry based on its spectroscopic temperature and surface gravity, which place it near the ZZ Ceti instability strip. Instead of pulsations, we detect photometric dips from this white dwarf every 38 minutes. Follow-up optical spectroscopy observations with Gemini reveal no significant radial velocity variations, ruling out stellar and brown dwarf companions. A disintegrating planet around this white dwarf cannot explain the observed light curves in different filters. Given the short period, the source of the photometric dips must be a dark spot that comes into view every 38 minutes due to the rotation of the white dwarf. Our optical spectroscopy does not show any evidence of Zeeman splitting of the Balmer lines, limiting the magnetic field strength to B Tecnologia e Inovação (Brazil) and Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva (Argentina).

  9. Recent advances on the formation and evolution of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sion, E.M.

    1986-01-01

    Advances made in the past seven years in both the theory and observation of white dwarfs which have led to major progress in understanding white dwarf formation and evolution are reviewed. The roles of convective dredge-up, mixing and dilution, accretion, gravitational and thermal diffusion in dense plasmas, radiate forces and mass outflow, nuclear shell burning, diffusion-induced reactions, late thermonuclear shell flashes, rotation, and magnetic fields in white dwarf evolution are considered. Recent work on the properties of white dwarfs in cataclysmic variables is briefly addressed. 153 references

  10. Theoretical models for asteroseismology of DA white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bradley, P.A. [XTA, MS B220, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)

    1996-09-01

    Because white dwarfs are the most common end state of stellar evolution, determining their internal structure will yield many clues about the final stages of stellar evolution and the physics of matter under extreme conditions. We present the results of our parametric survey of evolutionary models of compositionally stratified white dwarfs with hydrogen surface layers (DA white dwarfs) and provide a comprehensive set of theoretical {ital g}-mode pulsation periods for comparison to observations of pulsating DA white dwarfs. This survey complements the previous survey of helium atmosphere (DB) white dwarf periods of Bradley, Winget, & Wood. We show how to use the periods of low-overtone and/or trapped modes to constrain the internal structure of pulsating DA white dwarfs by utilizing their sensitivity to the total stellar mass and the location of the hydrogen/helium transition zone. We use G117-B15A as an example to demonstrate the potential of our models for asteroseismology; we suggest that G117-B15A has a mass of 0.55 {ital M}{sub {circle_dot}} and a hydrogen layer mass of {approx_equal}1.5{times}10{sup {minus}4} {ital M}{sub {asterisk}}. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Astronomical Society.}

  11. White dwarfs, the galaxy and Dirac's cosmology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stothers, R [National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Greenbelt, Md. (USA). Goddard Space Flight Center

    1976-08-05

    Reference is made to the apparent absence, or deficiency, of white dwarfs fainter than about 10/sup -4/L solar mass. An explanation is here proposed on the basis of Dirac's cosmological hypothesis that the gravitational constant, G, has varied with the time elapsed since the beginning of the expansion of the Universe as t/sup -1/ and the number of particles in the Universe has increases as t/sup 2/, if the measurements are made in atomic units. For a white dwarf the Chandrasekhar mass limit is a collection of fundamental constants proportional to Gsup(-3/2) and therefore increases with time as tsup(3/2). In the 'additive' version of Dirac's theory the actual mass, M, of a relatively small object like a star remains essentially unchanged by the creation of new matter in the Universe and hence a white dwarf will become more stable with the course of time; but in the 'multiplicative' version of the theory, M increases as t/sup 2/ and may eventually exceed the Chandrasekhar limit, and if this happens, gravitational collapse of the white dwarf into an invisible black hole or neutron star will quickly occur. It is considered interesting to find whether the 'multiplicative' theory may have a bearing on the apparent deficiency of faint white dwarfs, and to consider whether there are any possible consequences for galactic evolution. This is here discussed.

  12. Suppression of cooling by strong magnetic fields in white dwarf stars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valyavin, G; Shulyak, D; Wade, G A; Antonyuk, K; Zharikov, S V; Galazutdinov, G A; Plachinda, S; Bagnulo, S; Machado, L Fox; Alvarez, M; Clark, D M; Lopez, J M; Hiriart, D; Han, Inwoo; Jeon, Young-Beom; Zurita, C; Mujica, R; Burlakova, T; Szeifert, T; Burenkov, A

    2014-11-06

    Isolated cool white dwarf stars more often have strong magnetic fields than young, hotter white dwarfs, which has been a puzzle because magnetic fields are expected to decay with time but a cool surface suggests that the star is old. In addition, some white dwarfs with strong fields vary in brightness as they rotate, which has been variously attributed to surface brightness inhomogeneities similar to sunspots, chemical inhomogeneities and other magneto-optical effects. Here we describe optical observations of the brightness and magnetic field of the cool white dwarf WD 1953-011 taken over about eight years, and the results of an analysis of its surface temperature and magnetic field distribution. We find that the magnetic field suppresses atmospheric convection, leading to dark spots in the most magnetized areas. We also find that strong fields are sufficient to suppress convection over the entire surface in cool magnetic white dwarfs, which inhibits their cooling evolution relative to weakly magnetic and non-magnetic white dwarfs, making them appear younger than they truly are. This explains the long-standing mystery of why magnetic fields are more common amongst cool white dwarfs, and implies that the currently accepted ages of strongly magnetic white dwarfs are systematically too young.

  13. Short-range effects in large white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Membrado, M.C.; Pacheco, A.F.

    1988-01-01

    Recent work of Membrado and Pacheco (1988) on the implication of Yukawa-like effects in small white dwarfs is extended to analyze the very massive case. Although the role of these impurities grows substantially as the radius of the star decreases, when reasonable supergravity parameters are used the predicted change in the white dwarf mass-radius relation is unobservably small. 8 references

  14. White Dwarfs in Cataclysmic Variables: An Update

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. M. Sion

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available In this review, we summarize what is currently known about the surface temperatures of accreting white dwarfs in nonmagnetic and magnetic cataclysmic variables (CVs based upon synthetic spectral analyses of far ultraviolet data. We focus only on white dwarf surface temperatures, since in the area of chemical abundances, rotation rates, WD masses and accretion rates, relatively little has changed since our last review, pending the results of a large HST GO programinvolving 48 CVs of different CV types. The surface temperature of the white dwarf in SS Cygni is re-examined in the light of its revised distance. We also discuss new HST spectra of the recurrent nova T Pyxidis as it transitioned into quiescence following its April 2011 nova outburst.

  15. The first detection of ionized helium in the local ISM - EUVE and IUE spectroscopy of the hot DA white dwarf GD 246

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vennes, Stephane; Dupuis, Jean; Rumph, Todd; Drake, Jeremy; Bowyer, Stuart; Chayer, Pierre; Fontaine, Gilles

    1993-01-01

    We report observations of the extreme ultraviolet spectrum of the hot degenerate star GD 246 obtained with the EUVE. Our initial attempt at modeling the photospheric emission from the white dwarf reveals a relatively uncontaminated pure H spectrum in the range above 200 A, allowing a study of interstellar continuum absorption features in the line of sight of GD 246. Modeling of the He I autoionization transition discussed by Rumph et al. (1993), and the EUV continuum using the white dwarf as a source of background radiation provides measurements of both neutral and, for the first time, singly ionized He column densities in the local ISM (LISM). We estimate the He ionization fraction He II/(He I + He II) at roughly 25 percent with a total He column of 1.40-1.65 x 10 exp 18/sq cm. We have measured and compared H I column densities from the saturated Ly-alpha ISM absorption in IUE high-dispersion spectroscopy and from EUV continuum absorption: the two measurements are in good agreement with a total H column of 1.2-1.6 x 10 exp 19/sq cm. We discuss some implications for the nature of the LISM, particularly in the context of current models of the EUV radiation field.

  16. An overview of white dwarf stars

    OpenAIRE

    Fontaine, Gilles; Brassard, Pierre; Charpinet, Stéphane; Randall, Suzanna K.; Van Grootel, Valérie

    2013-01-01

    We present a brief summary of what is currently known about white dwarf stars, with an emphasis on their evolutionary and internal properties. As is well known, white dwarfs represent the end products of stellar evolution for the vast majority of stars and, as such, bear the signatures of past events (such as mass loss, mixing phases, loss and redistribution of angular momentum, and thermonuclear burning) that are of essential importance in the evolution of stars in general. In addition, whit...

  17. White Dwarf Stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-01-01

    Peering deep inside a cluster of several hundred thousand stars, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered the oldest burned-out stars in our Milky Way Galaxy, giving astronomers a fresh reading on the age of the universe. Located in the globular cluster M4, these small, burned-out stars -- called white dwarfs -- are about 12 to 13 billion years old. By adding the one billion years it took the cluster to form after the Big Bang, astronomers found that the age of the white dwarfs agrees with previous estimates that the universe is 13 to 14 billion years old. The images, including some taken by Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2, are available online at http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2002/10/ or http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/wfpc . The camera was designed and built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. In the top panel, a ground-based observatory snapped a panoramic view of the entire cluster, which contains several hundred thousand stars within a volume of 10 to 30 light-years across. The Kitt Peak National Observatory's .9-meter telescope took this picture in March 1995. The box at left indicates the region observed by the Hubble telescope. The Hubble telescope studied a small region of the cluster. A section of that region is seen in the picture at bottom left. A sampling of an even smaller region is shown at bottom right. This region is only about one light-year across. In this smaller region, Hubble pinpointed a number of faint white dwarfs. The blue circles indicate the dwarfs. It took nearly eight days of exposure time over a 67-day period to find these extremely faint stars. Globular clusters are among the oldest clusters of stars in the universe. The faintest and coolest white dwarfs within globular clusters can yield a globular cluster's age. Earlier Hubble observations showed that the first stars formed less than 1 billion years after the universe's birth in the big bang. So, finding the oldest stars puts astronomers within

  18. THE INITIAL-FINAL MASS RELATION AMONG WHITE DWARFS IN WIDE BINARIES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, J. K.; Oswalt, T. D.; Willson, L. A.; Wang, Q.; Zhao, G.

    2012-01-01

    We present the initial-final mass relation derived from 10 white dwarfs in wide binaries that consist of a main-sequence star and a white dwarf. The temperature and gravity of each white dwarf were measured by fitting theoretical model atmospheres to the observed spectrum using a χ 2 fitting algorithm. The cooling time and mass were obtained using theoretical cooling tracks. The total age of each binary was estimated from the chromospheric activity of its main-sequence component to an uncertainty of about 0.17 dex in log t. The difference between the total age and white dwarf cooling time is taken as the main-sequence lifetime of each white dwarf. The initial mass of each white dwarf was then determined using stellar evolution tracks with a corresponding metallicity derived from spectra of their main-sequence companions, thus yielding the initial-final mass relation. Most of the initial masses of the white dwarf components are between 1 and 2 M ☉ . Our results suggest a correlation between the metallicity of a white dwarf's progenitor and the amount of post-main-sequence mass loss it experiences—at least among progenitors with masses in the range of 1-2 M ☉ . A comparison of our observations to theoretical models suggests that low-mass stars preferentially lose mass on the red giant branch.

  19. White dwarf atmospheres and circumstellar environments

    CERN Document Server

    Hoard, Donald W

    2012-01-01

    Written by selected astronomers at the forefront of their fields, this timely and novel book compiles the latest results from research on white dwarf stars, complementing existing literature by focusing on fascinating new developments in our understanding of the atmospheric and circumstellar environments of these stellar remnants. Complete with a thorough refresher on the observational characteristics and physical basis for white dwarf classification, this is a must-have resource for researchers interested in the late stages of stellar evolution, circumstellar dust and nebulae, and the future

  20. Stroemgren photometry of southern white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bessell, M.S.; Wickramasinghe, D.T.

    1978-01-01

    Colours of southern white dwarfs in the uvby (Stroemgren four-colour) system have been obtained. The results are compared with those of Graham. The extensive absolute photometry of white dwarfs published by Greenstein has also been transferred into the four-colour system and both sets of results are compared with model atmosphere calculations. The scatter in log (g) is higher than previously supposed, and the evidence for an increase in at the cooler (Tsub(e) < 10 000 K) end of the DA sequence is discussed. (author)

  1. Stellar Laboratories: 3. New Ba 5, Ba 6, and Ba 7 Oscillator Strengths and the Barium Abundance in the Hot White Dwarfs G191-B2B and RE 0503-289

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, T.; Werner, K.; Quinet, P.; Kruk, Jeffrey Walter

    2014-01-01

    Context. For the spectral analysis of high-resolution and high-signal-to-noise (S/N) spectra of hot stars, state-of-the-art non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres are mandatory. These are strongly dependent on the reliability of the atomic data that is used for their calculation. Aims. Reliable Ba 5-7 oscillator strengths are used to identify Ba lines in the spectra of the DA-type white dwarf G191-B2B and the DO-type white dwarf RE 0503-289 and to determine their photospheric Ba abundances. Methods. We newly calculated Ba v-vii oscillator strengths to consider their radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions in detail in our NLTE stellar-atmosphere models for the analysis of Ba lines exhibited in high-resolution and high-S/N UV observations of G191-B2B and RE 0503-289. Results. For the first time, we identified highly ionized Ba in the spectra of hot white dwarfs. We detected Ba vi and Ba vii lines in the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spectrum of RE 0503-289. The Ba vi/Ba vii ionization equilibrium is well reproduced with the previously determined effective temperature of 70 000 K and surface gravity of log g=7.5. The Ba abundance is 3.5 +/- 0.5 × 10(exp-4) (mass fraction, about 23 000 times the solar value). In the FUSE spectrum of G191-B2B, we identified the strongest Ba vii line (at 993.41 Å) only, and determined a Ba abundance of 4.0 +/- 0.5 × 10(exp-6) (about 265 times solar). Conclusions. Reliable measurements and calculations of atomic data are a pre-requisite for stellar-atmosphere modeling. Observed Ba vi-vii line profiles in two white dwarfs' (G191-B2B and RE 0503-289) far-ultraviolet spectra were well reproduced with our newly calculated oscillator strengths. This allowed to determine the photospheric Ba abundance of these two stars precisely.

  2. Binary Star Orbits. V. The Nearby White Dwarf/Red Dwarf Pair 40 Eri BC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, Brian D.; Hartkopf, William I.; Miles, Korie N.

    2017-11-01

    A new relative orbit solution with new dynamical masses is determined for the nearby white dwarf-red dwarf pair 40 Eri BC. The period is 230.09 ± 0.68 years. It is predicted to close slowly over the next half-century, getting as close as 1.″32 in early 2066. We determine masses of 0.575 ± 0.018 {{ M }}⊙ for the white dwarf and 0.2041 ± 0.0064 {{ M }}⊙ for the red dwarf companion. The inconsistency of the masses determined by gravitational redshift and dynamical techniques, due to a premature orbit calculation, no longer exists.

  3. A comprehensive near- and far-ultraviolet spectroscopic study of the hot DA white dwarf G191-B2B

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preval, S. P.; Barstow, M. A.; Holberg, J. B.; Dickinson, N. J.

    2013-11-01

    We present a detailed spectroscopic analysis of the hot DA white dwarf G191-B2B, using the best signal-to-noise ratio, high-resolution near- and far-UV spectrum obtained to date. This is constructed from co-added Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Space Telescope Imaging Spectrometer (STIS) E140H, E230H and FUSE observations, covering the spectral ranges of 1150-3145 Å and 910-1185 Å, respectively. With the aid of recently published atomic data, we have been able to identify previously undetected absorption features down to equivalent widths of only a few mÅ. In total, 976 absorption features have been detected to 3σ confidence or greater, with 947 of these lines now possessing an identification, the majority of which are attributed to Fe and Ni transitions. In our survey, we have also potentially identified an additional source of circumstellar material originating from Si III. While we confirm the presence of Ge detected by Vennes et al., we do not detect any other species. Furthermore, we have calculated updated abundances for C, N, O, Si, P, S, Fe and Ni, while also calculating, for the first time, a non-local thermodynamic equilibrium abundance for Al, deriving Al III/H=1.60_{-0.08}^{+0.07}× {10}^{-7}. Our analysis constitutes what is the most complete spectroscopic survey of any white dwarf. All observed absorption features in the FUSE spectrum have now been identified, and relatively few remain elusive in the STIS spectrum.

  4. ENERGY DISSIPATION THROUGH QUASI-STATIC TIDES IN WHITE DWARF BINARIES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Willems, B.; Deloye, C. J.; Kalogera, V.

    2010-01-01

    We present a formalism to study tidal interactions in white dwarf binaries in the limiting case of quasi-static tides, in which the tidal forcing frequencies are small, compared to the inverse of the white dwarf's dynamical timescale. The formalism is valid for arbitrary orbital eccentricities and therefore applicable to white dwarf binaries in the Galactic disk as well as globular clusters. In the quasi-static limit, the total perturbation of the gravitational potential shows a phase shift with respect to the position of the companion, the magnitude of which is determined primarily by the efficiency of energy dissipation through convective damping. We determine rates of secular evolution of the orbital elements and white dwarf rotational angular velocity for a 0.3 M sun helium white dwarf in binaries with orbital frequencies in the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) gravitational wave frequency band and companion masses ranging from 0.3 M sun to 10 5 M sun . The resulting tidal evolution timescales for the orbital semimajor axis are longer than a Hubble time, so that convective damping of quasi-static tides need not be considered in the construction of gravitational wave templates of white dwarf binaries in the LISA band. Spin-up of the white dwarf, on the other hand, can occur on timescales of less than 10 Myr, provided that the white dwarf is initially rotating with a frequency much smaller than the orbital frequency. For semi-detached white dwarf binaries spin-up can occur on timescales of less than 1 Myr. Nevertheless, the timescales remain longer than the orbital inspiral timescales due to gravitational radiation, so that the degree of asynchronism in these binaries increases. As a consequence, tidal forcing eventually occurs at forcing frequencies beyond the quasi-static tide approximation. For the shortest period binaries, energy dissipation is therefore expected to take place through dynamic tides and resonantly excited g-modes.

  5. Energy transport in radially accreting white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thompson, A.M.

    1986-10-01

    Some of the non-thermal energy transport processes which may be present in a white dwarf accretion column are examined and it is determined whether these could in any way contribute to a resolution of the soft X-ray puzzle. The first two Chapters of this Thesis constitute a review of the observations and proposed models for white dwarf accretion columns. In Chapter 3 we show that in Kuijpers and Pringle's original bombardment model of white dwarf accretion columns, in which the energy of the accreting material is deposited uniformly into a static atmosphere which then radiates the energy away as optically thin bremsstrahlung/line radiation, an incorrect Coulomb collisional timescale was used. In Chapter 4 we extend the calculations of Chapter 3 to include the effect of cyclotron radiation. It is concluded that a cyclotron cooled bombardment solution for a white dwarf accretion column may exist. We extend this calculation to derive a simple piecewise uniform temperature structure for such an accretion column, incorporating the effect of thermal conduction. In Chaper 5 we examine two of the non thermal emission mechanisms that might be present in white dwarf accretion columns:- non thermal Lyman-{alpha} emission and non thermal inverse bremsstrahlung emission. It is shown that neither would actually be sufficiently large to be detectable. In Chapter 6 some possible extensions to the work presented are suggested. (author).

  6. The population of single and binary white dwarfs of the Galactic bulge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres, S.; García-Berro, E.; Cojocaru, R.; Calamida, A.

    2018-05-01

    Recent Hubble Space Telescope observations have unveiled the white dwarf cooling sequence of the Galactic bulge. Although the degenerate sequence can be well fitted employing the most up-to-date theoretical cooling sequences, observations show a systematic excess of red objects that cannot be explained by the theoretical models of single carbon-oxygen white dwarfs of the appropriate masses. Here, we present a population synthesis study of the white dwarf cooling sequence of the Galactic bulge that takes into account the populations of both single white dwarfs and binary systems containing at least one white dwarf. These calculations incorporate state-of-the-art cooling sequences for white dwarfs with hydrogen-rich and hydrogen-deficient atmospheres, for both white dwarfs with carbon-oxygen and helium cores, and also take into account detailed prescriptions of the evolutionary history of binary systems. Our Monte Carlo simulator also incorporates all the known observational biases. This allows us to model with a high degree of realism the white dwarf population of the Galactic bulge. We find that the observed excess of red stars can be partially attributed to white dwarf plus main sequence binaries, and to cataclysmic variables or dwarf novae. Our best fit is obtained with a higher binary fraction and an initial mass function slope steeper than standard values, as well as with the inclusion of differential reddening and blending. Our results also show that the possible contribution of double degenerate systems or young and thick-discbulge stars is negligible.

  7. White dwarfs: connection with masses of the parent stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amnuel', P.R.; Guseinov, O.Kh.; Novruzova, Kh.I.; Rustamov, Yu.S.

    1988-01-01

    A relationship between the mass of a white dwarf and the mass of the parent star on the main sequence is established. The white dwarf birth-rate matches the birth-rate (death-rate) of main sequence stars

  8. Ageing in old degenerates: asteroseismology of white dwarf stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Donoghue, D.

    1988-01-01

    Recent results on the use of pulsations in white dwarf stars as seismic probes of their structure are reviewed. The evolution of stars to the white dwarf stage is first described, followed by a discussion of their structure as expected from the theory of stellar evolution. A summary of the salient points of stellar pulsation theory is given and then compared with observations of pulsating white dwarfs: the pulsations are non-radial 'g-mode' pulsations and occur in all white dwarfs as they cool through the temperature ranges defining each of the four 'instability strips' on the white dwarf cooling curve. The presence of only some of the possible pulsation modes in any given star suggest that a filter mechanism to select these modes is at work, possibly the chemical stratification of the star. The pulsation periods can be measured very accurately so that period changes, due to evolutionary cooling, can be detected over relatively short intervals (2 - 30 years). The detection of such period changes can be used to place interesting limits on the age of the Galaxy and ultimately the age of the Universe. 17 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs

  9. Fate of accreting white dwarfs: Type I supernovae vs collapse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomoto, Ken'ichi.

    1986-01-01

    The final fate of accreting C + O white dwarfs is either thermonuclear explosion or collapse, if the white dwarf mass grows to the Chandrasekhar mass. We discuss how the fate depends on the initial mass, age, composition of the white dwarf and the mass accretion rate. Relatively fast accretion leads to a carbon deflagration at low central density that gives rise to a Type Ia supernova. Slower accretion induces a helium detonation that could be observed as a Type Ib supernova. If the initial mass of the C + O white dwarf is larger than 1.2 Msub solar, a carbon deflagration starts at high central density and induces a collapse of the white dwarf to form a neutron star. We examine the critical condition for which a carbon deflagration leads to collapse, not explosion. For the case of explosion, we discuss to what extent the nucleosynthesis models are consistent with spectra of Type Ia and Ib supernovae. 61 refs., 18 figs

  10. Mid-Infrared Observations of the White Dwarf Brown Dwarf Binary GD 1400

    OpenAIRE

    Farihi, J.; Zuckerman, B.; Becklin, E. E.

    2005-01-01

    Fluxes are measured for the DA white dwarf plus brown dwarf pair GD 1400 with the Infrared Array Camera on the {\\em Spitzer Space Telescope}. GD 1400 displays an infrared excess over the entire $3-8\\mu$m region consistent with the presence of a mid- to late-type L dwarf companion. A discussion is given regarding current knowledge of this unique system.

  11. TOWARD A NETWORK OF FAINT DA WHITE DWARFS AS HIGH-PRECISION SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC STANDARDS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Narayan, G.; Matheson, T.; Saha, A.; Claver, J. [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Axelrod, T.; Olszewski, E. [University of Arizona, Steward Observatory, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Holberg, J. B. [University of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, 1629 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Stubbs, C. W. [Department of Physics, Harvard University, 17 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Bohlin, R. C.; Deustua, S.; Rest, A., E-mail: gnarayan@noao.edu [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)

    2016-05-10

    We present the initial results from a program aimed at establishing a network of hot DA white dwarfs to serve as spectrophotometric standards for present and future wide-field surveys. These stars span the equatorial zone and are faint enough to be conveniently observed throughout the year with large-aperture telescopes. The spectra of these white dwarfs are analyzed in order to generate a non-local-thermodynamic-equilibrium model atmosphere normalized to Hubble Space Telescope colors, including adjustments for wavelength-dependent interstellar extinction. Once established, this standard star network will serve ground-based observatories in both hemispheres as well as space-based instrumentation from the UV to the near IR. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this concept and show how two different approaches to the problem using somewhat different assumptions produce equivalent results. We discuss the lessons learned and the resulting corrective actions applied to our program.

  12. On the masses of the white dwarfs in cataclysmic variables

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Livio, M.; Soker, N.

    1984-01-01

    The question of the masses of the white dwarfs in cataclysmic binaries is examined. It is shown that selection effects can explain an overabundance of massive white dwarfs in novae but not in dwarf novae. It is proposed that the spiralling-in process in the common envelope favours the formation of more massive white dwarfs A number of simplified spiralling-in calculations are performed. The calculations demonstrate that the probability of coalescence of the secondary with the primary core, or secondary dissipation, is higher in the case of a giant envelope than in the case of a super giant envelope. Consequently, binaries with primary core masses greater than approx. 0.7 Msolar masses (and thus massive white dwarf remnants), have a better chance of surviving common envelope evolution and are therefore better candidates for the formation of cataclysmic variables. (author)

  13. Testing the white dwarf mass-radius relationship with eclipsing binaries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsons, S. G.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Marsh, T. R.; Ashley, R. P.; Bours, M. C. P.; Breedt, E.; Burleigh, M. R.; Copperwheat, C. M.; Dhillon, V. S.; Green, M.; Hardy, L. K.; Hermes, J. J.; Irawati, P.; Kerry, P.; Littlefair, S. P.; McAllister, M. J.; Rattanasoon, S.; Rebassa-Mansergas, A.; Sahman, D. I.; Schreiber, M. R.

    2017-10-01

    We present high-precision, model-independent, mass and radius measurements for 16 white dwarfs in detached eclipsing binaries and combine these with previously published data to test the theoretical white dwarf mass-radius relationship. We reach a mean precision of 2.4 per cent in mass and 2.7 per cent in radius, with our best measurements reaching a precision of 0.3 per cent in mass and 0.5 per cent in radius. We find excellent agreement between the measured and predicted radii across a wide range of masses and temperatures. We also find the radii of all white dwarfs with masses less than 0.48 M⊙ to be fully consistent with helium core models, but they are on average 9 per cent larger than those of carbon-oxygen core models. In contrast, white dwarfs with masses larger than 0.52 M⊙ all have radii consistent with carbon-oxygen core models. Moreover, we find that all but one of the white dwarfs in our sample have radii consistent with possessing thick surface hydrogen envelopes (10-5 ≥ MH/MWD ≥ 10-4), implying that the surface hydrogen layers of these white dwarfs are not obviously affected by common envelope evolution.

  14. A Refined Search for Pulsations in White Dwarf Companions to Millisecond Pulsars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilic, Mukremin; Hermes, J. J.; Córsico, A. H.; Kosakowski, Alekzander; Brown, Warren R.; Antoniadis, John; Calcaferro, Leila M.; Gianninas, A.; Althaus, Leandro G.; Green, M. J.

    2018-06-01

    We present optical high-speed photometry of three millisecond pulsars with low-mass (<0.3 M⊙) white dwarf companions, bringing the total number of such systems with follow-up time-series photometry to five. We confirm the detection of pulsations in one system, the white dwarf companion to PSR J1738+0333, and show that the pulsation frequencies and amplitudes are variable over many months. A full asteroseismic analysis for this star is under-constrained, but the mode periods we observe are consistent with expectations for a M⋆ = 0.16 - 0.19M⊙ white dwarf, as suggested from spectroscopy. We also present the empirical boundaries of the instability strip for low-mass white dwarfs based on the full sample of white dwarfs, and discuss the distinction between pulsating low-mass white dwarfs and subdwarf A/F stars.

  15. Activity and Kinematics of White Dwarf-M Dwarf Binaries from the SUPERBLINK Proper Motion Survey

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skinner, Julie N.; Morgan, Dylan P.; West, Andrew A.; Lépine, Sébastien; Thorstensen, John R.

    2017-01-01

    We present an activity and kinematic analysis of high proper motion white dwarf-M dwarf binaries (WD+dMs) found in the SUPERBLINK survey, 178 of which are new identifications. To identify WD+dMs, we developed a UV–optical–IR color criterion and conducted a spectroscopic survey to confirm each candidate binary. For the newly identified systems, we fit the two components using model white dwarf spectra and M dwarf template spectra to determine physical parameters. We use H α chromospheric emission to examine the magnetic activity of the M dwarf in each system, and investigate how its activity is affected by the presence of a white dwarf companion. We find that the fraction of WD+dM binaries with active M dwarfs is significantly higher than their single M dwarf counterparts at early and mid-spectral types. We corroborate previous studies that find high activity fractions at both close and intermediate separations. At more distant separations, the binary fraction appears to approach the activity fraction for single M dwarfs. Using derived radial velocities and the proper motions, we calculate 3D space velocities for the WD+dMs in SUPERBLINK. For the entire SUPERBLINK WD+dMs, we find a large vertical velocity dispersion, indicating a dynamically hotter population compared to high proper motion samples of single M dwarfs. We compare the kinematics for systems with active M dwarfs and those with inactive M dwarfs, and find signatures of asymmetric drift in the inactive sample, indicating that they are drawn from an older population.

  16. Activity and Kinematics of White Dwarf-M Dwarf Binaries from the SUPERBLINK Proper Motion Survey

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skinner, Julie N. [Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Morgan, Dylan P.; West, Andrew A. [Department of Astronomy, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Lépine, Sébastien [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, 25 Park Place NE, Atlanta, GA, 30303 (United States); Thorstensen, John R., E-mail: jskinner@bu.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, 6127 Wilder Laboratory, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States)

    2017-09-01

    We present an activity and kinematic analysis of high proper motion white dwarf-M dwarf binaries (WD+dMs) found in the SUPERBLINK survey, 178 of which are new identifications. To identify WD+dMs, we developed a UV–optical–IR color criterion and conducted a spectroscopic survey to confirm each candidate binary. For the newly identified systems, we fit the two components using model white dwarf spectra and M dwarf template spectra to determine physical parameters. We use H α chromospheric emission to examine the magnetic activity of the M dwarf in each system, and investigate how its activity is affected by the presence of a white dwarf companion. We find that the fraction of WD+dM binaries with active M dwarfs is significantly higher than their single M dwarf counterparts at early and mid-spectral types. We corroborate previous studies that find high activity fractions at both close and intermediate separations. At more distant separations, the binary fraction appears to approach the activity fraction for single M dwarfs. Using derived radial velocities and the proper motions, we calculate 3D space velocities for the WD+dMs in SUPERBLINK. For the entire SUPERBLINK WD+dMs, we find a large vertical velocity dispersion, indicating a dynamically hotter population compared to high proper motion samples of single M dwarfs. We compare the kinematics for systems with active M dwarfs and those with inactive M dwarfs, and find signatures of asymmetric drift in the inactive sample, indicating that they are drawn from an older population.

  17. Testing the initial-final mass relationship of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Catalan, S; Isern, J; Garcia-Berro, E; Ribas, I

    2009-01-01

    In this contribution we revisit the initial-final mass relationship of white dwarfs, which links the mass of a white dwarf with that of its progenitor in the main-sequence. Although this function is of paramount importance to several fields in modern astrophysics, it is still not well constrained either from the theoretical or the observational points of view. We present here a revision of the present semi-empirical initial-final mass relationship using all the available data and including our recent results obtained from studying white dwarfs in common proper motion pairs. We have also analyzed the results obtained so far to provide some clues on the dependence of this relationship on metallicity. Finally, we have also performed an indirect test of the initial-final mass relationship by studying its effect on the luminosity function and on the mass distribution of white dwarfs.

  18. A low-temperature companion to a white dwarf star

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becklin, E. E.; Zuckerman, B.

    1988-01-01

    An infrared object located about 120 AU from the white dwarf GD165 has been discovered. With the exception of the possible brown dwarf companion to Giclas 29-38 reported last year, the companion to GD165 is the coolest (2100 K) dwarf star ever reported and, according to some theoretical models, it should be a substellar brown dwarf with a mass between 0.06 and 0.08 solar mass. These results, together with newly discovered low-mass stellar companions to white dwarfs, change the investigation of very low-mass stars from the study of a few chance objects to that of a statistical distribution. In particular, it appears that very low-mass stars and perhaps even brown dwarfs could be quite common in the Galaxy.

  19. Radiation of dwarf novae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruch, A.

    1987-01-01

    The nature of dwarf novae with their components white dwarf star, cool star, accretion disk, boundary layer and hot spot is investigated. It is shown that very different physical states and processes occur in the components of dwarf novae. Spectroscopical and photometrical observations are carried out. For better understanding the radiation portions of the single dwarf novae components are separated from the total electromagnetic spectrum recieved from the dwarf novae. The model assumptions are compared with the observations and verified

  20. Measuring the surface inhomogeneity of metals on accreting white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montgomery, M H; Hippel, T von; Thompson, S E

    2009-01-01

    Due to the short settling times of metals in DA white dwarf atmospheres, any white dwarfs with photospheric metals must be actively accreting. It is therefore natural to expect that the metals may not be deposited uniformly on the surface of the star. We present calculations showing how the temperature variations associated with white dwarf pulsations lead to an observable diagnostic of the surface metal distribution, and we show what constraints current data sets are able to provide.

  1. TRANSIT SURVEYS FOR EARTHS IN THE HABITABLE ZONES OF WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agol, Eric

    2011-01-01

    To date the search for habitable Earth-like planets has primarily focused on nuclear burning stars. I propose that this search should be expanded to cool white dwarf stars that have expended their nuclear fuel. I define the continuously habitable zone of white dwarfs and show that it extends from ∼0.005 to 0.02 AU for white dwarfs with masses from 0.4 to 0.9 M sun , temperatures less than ∼10 4 K, and habitable durations of at least 3 Gyr. As they are similar in size to Earth, white dwarfs may be deeply eclipsed by terrestrial planets that orbit edge-on, which can easily be detected with ground-based telescopes. If planets can migrate inward or reform near white dwarfs, I show that a global robotic telescope network could carry out a transit survey of nearby white dwarfs placing interesting constraints on the presence of habitable Earths. If planets were detected, I show that the survey would favor detection of planets similar to Earth: similar size, temperature, and rotation period, and host star temperatures similar to the Sun. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope could place even tighter constraints on the frequency of habitable Earths around white dwarfs. The confirmation and characterization of these planets might be carried out with large ground and space telescopes.

  2. The 25 parsec local white dwarf population

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holberg, J. B.; Oswalt, T. D.; Sion, E. M.; McCook, G. P.

    2016-11-01

    We have extended our detailed survey of the local white dwarf population from 20 to 25 pc, effectively doubling the sample volume, which now includes 232 stars. In the process, new stars within 20 pc have been added, a more uniform set of distance estimates as well as improved spectral and binary classifications are available. The present 25 pc sample is estimated to be about 68 per cent complete (the corresponding 20 pc sample is now 86 per cent complete). The space density of white dwarfs is unchanged at 4.8 ± 0.5 × 10-3 pc-3. This new study includes a white dwarf mass distribution and luminosity function based on the 232 stars in the 25 pc sample. We find a significant excess of single stars over systems containing one or more companions (74 per cent versus 26 per cent). This suggests mechanisms that result in the loss of companions during binary system evolution. In addition, this updated sample exhibits a pronounced deficiency of nearby `Sirius-like' systems. 11 such systems were found within the 20 pc volume versus only one additional system found in the volume between 20 and 25 pc. An estimate of white dwarf birth rates during the last ˜8 Gyr is derived from individual remnant cooling ages. A discussion of likely ways new members of the local sample may be found is provided.

  3. Activity and Kinematics of White Dwarf-M Dwarf Binaries from the SUPERBLINK Proper Motion Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skinner, Julie N.; Morgan, Dylan P.; West, Andrew A.; Lépine, Sébastien; Thorstensen, John R.

    2017-09-01

    We present an activity and kinematic analysis of high proper motion white dwarf-M dwarf binaries (WD+dMs) found in the SUPERBLINK survey, 178 of which are new identifications. To identify WD+dMs, we developed a UV-optical-IR color criterion and conducted a spectroscopic survey to confirm each candidate binary. For the newly identified systems, we fit the two components using model white dwarf spectra and M dwarf template spectra to determine physical parameters. We use Hα chromospheric emission to examine the magnetic activity of the M dwarf in each system, and investigate how its activity is affected by the presence of a white dwarf companion. We find that the fraction of WD+dM binaries with active M dwarfs is significantly higher than their single M dwarf counterparts at early and mid-spectral types. We corroborate previous studies that find high activity fractions at both close and intermediate separations. At more distant separations, the binary fraction appears to approach the activity fraction for single M dwarfs. Using derived radial velocities and the proper motions, we calculate 3D space velocities for the WD+dMs in SUPERBLINK. For the entire SUPERBLINK WD+dMs, we find a large vertical velocity dispersion, indicating a dynamically hotter population compared to high proper motion samples of single M dwarfs. We compare the kinematics for systems with active M dwarfs and those with inactive M dwarfs, and find signatures of asymmetric drift in the inactive sample, indicating that they are drawn from an older population. Based on observations obtained at the MDM Observatory operated by Dartmouth College, Columbia University, The Ohio State University, and the University of Michigan.

  4. Magnetically gated accretion in an accreting 'non-magnetic' white dwarf.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scaringi, S; Maccarone, T J; D'Angelo, C; Knigge, C; Groot, P J

    2017-12-13

    White dwarfs are often found in binary systems with orbital periods ranging from tens of minutes to hours in which they can accrete gas from their companion stars. In about 15 per cent of these binaries, the magnetic field of the white dwarf is strong enough (at 10 6 gauss or more) to channel the accreted matter along field lines onto the magnetic poles. The remaining systems are referred to as 'non-magnetic', because until now there has been no evidence that they have a magnetic field that is strong enough to affect the accretion dynamics. Here we report an analysis of archival optical observations of the 'non-magnetic' accreting white dwarf in the binary system MV Lyrae, whose light curve displays quasi-periodic bursts of about 30 minutes duration roughly every 2 hours. The timescale and amplitude of these bursts indicate the presence of an unstable, magnetically regulated accretion mode, which in turn implies the existence of magnetically gated accretion, in which disk material builds up around the magnetospheric boundary (at the co-rotation radius) and then accretes onto the white dwarf, producing bursts powered by the release of gravitational potential energy. We infer a surface magnetic field strength for the white dwarf in MV Lyrae of between 2 × 10 4 gauss and 1 × 10 5 gauss, too low to be detectable by other current methods. Our discovery provides a new way of studying the strength and evolution of magnetic fields in accreting white dwarfs and extends the connections between accretion onto white dwarfs, young stellar objects and neutron stars, for which similar magnetically gated accretion cycles have been identified.

  5. Vii. New Kr IV - VII Oscillator Strengths and an Improved Spectral Analysis of the Hot, Hydrogen-deficient Do-type White Dwarf RE 0503-289

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, T.; Quinet, P.; Hoyer, D.; Werner, K.; Richter, P.; Kruk, J. W.; Demleitner, M.

    2016-01-01

    For the spectral analysis of high-resolution and high signal-to-noise (SN) spectra of hot stars, state-of-the-art non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres are mandatory. These are strongly dependent on the reliability of the atomic data that is used for their calculation. Aims. New Krivvii oscillator strengths for a large number of lines enable us to construct more detailed model atoms for our NLTEmodel-atmosphere calculations. This enables us to search for additional Kr lines in observed spectra and to improve Kr abundance determinations. Methods. We calculated Krivvii oscillator strengths to consider radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions in detail in our NLTE stellar-atmosphere models for the analysis of Kr lines that are exhibited in high-resolution and high SN ultraviolet (UV)observations of the hot white dwarf RE 0503.

  6. Near-infrared imaging of white dwarfs with candidate debris disks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Zhongxiang; Tziamtzis, Anestis; Wang, Xuebing

    2014-01-01

    We have carried out JHK s imaging of 12 white dwarf debris disk candidates from the WIRED Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 catalog, aiming to confirm or rule out disks among these sources. On the basis of positional identification and the flux density spectra, we find that seven white dwarfs have excess infrared emission, but mostly at Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer W1 and W2 bands. Four are due to nearby red objects consistent with background galaxies or very low mass dwarfs, and one exhibits excess emission at JHK s consistent with an unresolved L0 companion at the correct distance. While our photometry is not inconsistent with all seven excesses arising from disks, the stellar properties are distinct from the known population of debris disk white dwarfs, making the possibility questionable. In order to further investigate the nature of these infrared sources, warm Spitzer imaging is needed, which may help resolve galaxies from the white dwarfs and provide more accurate flux measurements.

  7. White Dwarf Stars as Polytropic Gas Spheres

    OpenAIRE

    Nouh, M. I.; Saad, A. S.; Elkhateeb, M. M.; Korany, B.

    2014-01-01

    Due to the highly degeneracy of electrons in white dwarf stars, we expect that the relativistic effects play very important role in these stars. In the present article, we study the properties of the condensed matter in white dwarfs using Newtonian and relativistic polytropic fluid sphere. Two polytropic indices (namely n=3 and n=1.5) are proposed to investigate the physical characteristics of the models. We solve the Lane-Emden equations numerically.. The results show that the relativistic e...

  8. Unlocking the secrets of white dwarf stars

    CERN Document Server

    Van Horn, Hugh M

    2015-01-01

    White dwarfs, each containing about as much mass as our Sun but packed into a volume about the size of Earth, are the endpoints of evolution for most stars. Thousands of these faint objects have now been discovered, though only a century ago only three were known. They are among the most common stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, and they have become important tools in understanding the universe. Yet a century ago only three white dwarfs were known.   The existence of these stars completely baffled the scientists of the day, and solving the mysteries of these strange objects required revolutionary advances in science and technology, including the development of quantum physics, the construction and utilization of large telescopes, the invention of the digital computer, and the ability to make astronomical observations from space.   This book tells the story of the growth in our understanding of white dwarf stars, set within the context of the relevant scientific and technological advances. Part popular science, ...

  9. Uv spectra of nearby white dwarfs and the nature of the local interstellar medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruhweiler, F.C.; Kondo, Y.

    1982-01-01

    We have investigated the local interstellar medium in the directions of four white dwarfs, G191-B2B, W1346, HD 149499B, and Sirius B. All the observational data were obtained at the high-resolution mode (lambda/Δlambdaroughly-equal10 4 ) in the spectral range from about 1150 to 3200 A with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE). Interstellar absorption lines of several elements in various stages of ionization are seen against the continuum of the white dwarfs. Low average hydrogen number densities (n-bar/sub HtsI/) are found. They range from n-bar/sub HtsI/ = 0.08 cm -3 for Sirius B, the nearest white dwarf (2.7 pc), to n-bar/sub HtsI/ = 0.006 cm -3 for G191-B2B, the most distant white dwarf (48 pc) studied. The results show, when combined with other recent ultraviolet, EUV, and diffuse X-ray observations, that: (a) the Sun is located inside a low-density (n-bar/sub HtsI/roughly-equal0.1 cm -3 ) cloud; (b) beyond 2--3 pc from the Sun, this cloud is surrounded, at least in most directions, by an extended region of hot (Troughly-equal10/sup 5en-dash6/ K) thin (nroughly-equal10 -2 to 10 -3 cm -3 ) interstellar plasma with no evidence for additional clouds in the lines of sight studied; (c) the elemental depletions of C, N, O, Si, Mg, and possibly Fe are low in the solar vicinity as previously found toward α Vir, (d) the Sun is moving through this cloud at a relative velocity of about 20 km s -1 ; and (e) the current results, which are quite consistent with previous ultraviolet, EUV, and diffuse X-ray observations, have significant bearings on the theoretical modeling of the interstellar medium. Subject headings: interstellar: abundances: interstellar: matter: stars: white dwarfs: ultraviolet: spectra

  10. Stellar Laboratories . [VI. New Mo IV - VII Oscillator Strengths and the Molybdenum Abundance in the Hot White Dwarfs G191-B2B and RE 0503-289

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, T.; Quinet, T.; Hoyer, D.; Werner, K.; Demleitner, M.; Kruk, J. W.

    2016-01-01

    For the spectral analysis of high-resolution and high signal-to-noise (SN) spectra of hot stars, state-of-the-art non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres are mandatory. These are strongly dependent on the reliability of the atomic data that is used for their calculation. Aims: To identify molybdenum lines in the ultraviolet (UV) spectra of the DA-type white dwarf G191B2B and the DO-type white dwarf RE 0503289 and, to determine their photospheric Mo abundances, reliable Mo iv-vii oscillator strengths are used. Methods: We newly calculated Mo iv-vii oscillator strengths to consider their radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions indetail in our NLTE stellar-atmosphere models for the analysis of Mo lines exhibited in high-resolution and high SN UV observations of RE 0503289.Results. We identified 12 Mo v and nine Mo vi lines in the UV spectrum of RE 0503289 and measured a photospheric Mo abundance of 1.2 3.0 104(mass fraction, 22 500 56 400 times the solar abundance). In addition, from the As v and Sn iv resonance lines,we measured mass fractions of arsenic (0.51.3 105, about 300 1200 times solar) and tin (1.33.2 104, about 14 300 35 200 times solar). For G191B2B, upper limits were determined for the abundances of Mo (5.3 107, 100 times solar) and, in addition, for Kr (1.1106, 10 times solar) and Xe (1.7107, 10 times solar). The arsenic abundance was determined (2.35.9 107, about 21 53 times solar). A new, registered German Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (GAVO) service, TOSS, has been constructed to provide weighted oscillator strengths and transition probabilities.Conclusions. Reliable measurements and calculations of atomic data are a prerequisite for stellar-atmosphere modeling. Observed Mo v-vi line profiles in the UV spectrum of the white dwarf RE 0503289 were well reproduced with our newly calculated oscillator strengths. For the first time, this allowed the photospheric Mo abundance in a white dwarf to be determined.

  11. The fate of accreting white dwarfs: type I supernovae vs. collapse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomoto, Ken'ichi

    1986-01-01

    The fate of accreting white dwarfs is examined with respect to thermonuclear explosion or collapse. The paper was presented to the conference on ''The early universe and its evolution'', Erice, Italy 1986. Effects of accretion and the fate of white dwarfs, models for type 1a and 1b supernovae, collapse induced by carbon deflagration at high density, and fate of double white dwarfs, are all discussed. (U.K.)

  12. Detection of photospheric calcium in a DBA white dwarf

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kenyon, S.J.; Shipman, H.L.; Sion, E.M.; Aannestad, P.A.

    1988-01-01

    The detection of photospheric calcium absorption lines in the white dwarf star G200-39 (DBAZ4) is reported. The abundance of calcium relative to that of hydrogen is approximately solar, a result which lends support to the hypothesis that accretion of interstellar matter is responsible for hybrid composition white dwarfs. 21 references

  13. HUBBLE PINPOINTS WHITE DWARFS IN GLOBULAR CLUSTER

    Science.gov (United States)

    2002-01-01

    Peering deep inside a cluster of several hundred thousand stars, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope uncovered the oldest burned-out stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. Located in the globular cluster M4, these small, dying stars - called white dwarfs - are giving astronomers a fresh reading on one of the biggest questions in astronomy: How old is the universe? The ancient white dwarfs in M4 are about 12 to 13 billion years old. After accounting for the time it took the cluster to form after the big bang, astronomers found that the age of the white dwarfs agrees with previous estimates for the universe's age. In the top panel, a ground-based observatory snapped a panoramic view of the entire cluster, which contains several hundred thousand stars within a volume of 10 to 30 light-years across. The Kitt Peak National Observatory's 0.9-meter telescope took this picture in March 1995. The box at left indicates the region observed by the Hubble telescope. The Hubble telescope studied a small region of the cluster. A section of that region is seen in the picture at bottom left. A sampling of an even smaller region is shown at bottom right. This region is only about one light-year across. In this smaller region, Hubble pinpointed a number of faint white dwarfs. The blue circles pinpoint the dwarfs. It took nearly eight days of exposure time over a 67-day period to find these extremely faint stars. Globular clusters are among the oldest clusters of stars in the universe. The faintest and coolest white dwarfs within globular clusters can yield a globular cluster's age. Earlier Hubble observations showed that the first stars formed less than 1 billion years after the universe's birth in the big bang. So, finding the oldest stars puts astronomers within arm's reach of the universe's age. M4 is 7,000 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 made the observations from January through April 2001. These optical observations were combined to

  14. High-dispersion observations of H-alpha in the suspected brown dwarf, white dwarf binary system G29-38

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liebert, J.; Saffer, R.A.; Pilachowski, C.A.

    1989-01-01

    High-dispersion spectroscopy of the H-alpha absorption line of the cool DA white dwarf G29-38 is reported. This is the star for which a recently detected IR excess has been suggested to be due to a possible brown dwarf companion. Three echelle spectra show no evidence for radial-velocity variations larger than about 1.1 + or - 8.7 km/s and are used to derive a weighted heliocentric radial velocity of 33.7 + or - 4.3 kms/s for the white dwarf. The observations of a sharp absorption-line core restricts the possible rotation of the white dwarf to 40 km/s or less and ensures that any surface magnetic field has a strength of 100,000 G or less. These results make it unlikely that the DA white dwarf has previously been in a cataclysmic variable accretion phase. 18 references

  15. QCD matter in white dwarfs and supernova collapse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathews, Grant J.; Meixner, M.; Lan, N.Q.; Suh, I.-S.

    2010-01-01

    The search for astrophysical evidence for a transition to QCD matter is an important goal. Although much effort has gone into searching for neutron star candidates, here we describe the exploration of two other possible signatures. One is the search for strange dwarfs. Masses and radii for a large number of white dwarfs have been deduced from a combination of proper motion studies, Hipparcos parallax distances, effective temperatures, and binary or spectroscopic masses. Some stars appear to have radii which are significantly smaller than that expected for a standard electron-degenerate white-dwarf equation of state. We argue that there is marginal evidence for bimodality in the radius distribution. We show that the data exhibit several features consistent with the expected mass-radius relation of strange dwarfs. We identify eight nearby white dwarfs that are possible candidates for strange matter cores and suggest observational tests of this hypothesis. We also review the current status of core-collapse supernova research, and in particular, the effects on the explosion of a QCD phase transition in the proto-neutron-star core. We describe how a first order transition could enhance the explosion and lead to observable effects in the emergent neutrino light curve. (author)

  16. Collapse of white dwarfs in low mass binary systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Isern, J.; Canal, R.; Garcia-Berro, E.; Hernanz, M.; Labay, J.

    1987-01-01

    Low-mass binary X-ray sources and cataclysmic variables are composed of a compact star plus a non-degenerate star with a mass of the order of 1 M sun . In the first case, the degenerate star is a neutron star. In the second case, the star is a white dwarf. The similarities of both systems are so high that it is worthwhile to look for the possibility of obtaining a neutron star from the collapse of a white dwarf that accretes matter. The present work shows that massive, initially cold white dwarfs can collapse non-explosively if they accrete mass at a rate greater than 1.0E-7 M sun per year. (Author)

  17. Search for white dwarf companions of cool stars with peculiar element abundances

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boehm-Vitense, E.

    1984-01-01

    A search for a white dwarf companions of cool stars with peculiar element abundances was undertaken. One additional star the xi Cet, was found with a white dwarf companion. It was found that HR 1016, 56Uma, 16 Ser, have high excitation emission lines which indicate a high temperature object in the system. It is suggested that since these indications for high temperature companions were seen for all nearby Ba stars, it is highly probable that all Ba stars have white dwarf companions, and that the peculiar element abundances seen in the Ba stars are due to mass transfer. Observations, arguments and conclusions are presented. White dwarf companions were not found. Together with the Li and Be abundances and the chromospheric emission line spectra in these stars were studied. No white dwarf companions were seen for subgiant CH stars.

  18. Search for white dwarf companions of cool stars with peculiar element abundances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boehm-Vitense, E.

    1984-01-01

    A search for a white dwarf companions of cool stars with peculiar element abundances was undertaken. One additional star the xi Cet, was found with a white dwarf companion. It was found that HR 1016, 56Uma, 16 Ser, have high excitation emission lines which indicate a high temperature object in the system. It is suggested that since these indications for high temperature companions were seen for all nearby Ba stars, it is highly probable that all Ba stars have white dwarf companions, and that the peculiar element abundances seen in the Ba stars are due to mass transfer. Observations, arguments and conclusions are presented. White dwarf companions were not found. Together with the Li and Be abundances and the chromospheric emission line spectra in these stars were studied. No white dwarf companions were seen for subgiant CH stars

  19. SPIRAL INSTABILITY CAN DRIVE THERMONUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS IN BINARY WHITE DWARF MERGERS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kashyap, Rahul; Fisher, Robert; García-Berro, Enrique; Aznar-Siguán, Gabriela; Ji, Suoqing; Lorén-Aguilar, Pablo

    2015-01-01

    Thermonuclear, or Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), originate from the explosion of carbon–oxygen white dwarfs, and serve as standardizable cosmological candles. However, despite their importance, the nature of the progenitor systems that give rise to SNe Ia has not been hitherto elucidated. Observational evidence favors the double-degenerate channel in which merging white dwarf binaries lead to SNe Ia. Furthermore, significant discrepancies exist between observations and theory, and to date, there has been no self-consistent merger model that yields a SNe Ia. Here we show that a spiral mode instability in the accretion disk formed during a binary white dwarf merger leads to a detonation on a dynamical timescale. This mechanism sheds light on how white dwarf mergers may frequently yield SNe Ia

  20. SPIRAL INSTABILITY CAN DRIVE THERMONUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS IN BINARY WHITE DWARF MERGERS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kashyap, Rahul; Fisher, Robert [Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02740 (United States); García-Berro, Enrique; Aznar-Siguán, Gabriela [Departament de Física Aplicada, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, c/Esteve Terrades, 5, E-08860 Castelldefels (Spain); Ji, Suoqing [Department of Physics, Broida Hall, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106–9530 (United States); Lorén-Aguilar, Pablo [School of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL (United Kingdom)

    2015-02-10

    Thermonuclear, or Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), originate from the explosion of carbon–oxygen white dwarfs, and serve as standardizable cosmological candles. However, despite their importance, the nature of the progenitor systems that give rise to SNe Ia has not been hitherto elucidated. Observational evidence favors the double-degenerate channel in which merging white dwarf binaries lead to SNe Ia. Furthermore, significant discrepancies exist between observations and theory, and to date, there has been no self-consistent merger model that yields a SNe Ia. Here we show that a spiral mode instability in the accretion disk formed during a binary white dwarf merger leads to a detonation on a dynamical timescale. This mechanism sheds light on how white dwarf mergers may frequently yield SNe Ia.

  1. How much boundary layer heating occurs in an accreting prenova white dwarf?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Regev, O.; Shara, M.M.

    1989-01-01

    Understanding boundary layer heating is crucial in determining the thermal structure of the accreted envelope of a prenova white dwarf. The matched asymptotic expansion method was used to solve consistently for the structure of accretion disks transferring matter onto rotating white dwarfs. The fraction of accretion energy transported into prenova white dwarf envelopes was calculated. These results should be used by modelers of nova eruptions; they will produce significantly lower degeneracies and weaker explosions than expected until now. Detailed models of accretion disks and boundary layers can also be used to calculate the amount of white dwarf heating during a dwarf nova outburst. In general, such models can serve as input to model atmosphere codes to predict more realistic spectra of disk-accreting objects. 29 refs

  2. Rotation of the accreting white dwarfs and diversity of type Ia supernovae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uenishi, Tatsuhiro; Nomoto, Kenichi; Hachisu, Izumi

    2003-01-01

    We consider rotation of progenitor white dwarfs for a possible source of the diversity of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). Hydrostatic structure of rotating white dwarfs with different masses are calculated. Evolutionary sequences of white dwarfs are explored and the effect of 'supercritical' rotation in binary system is examined. Possible effects of rotation to cause diversity of SNe Ia are discussed

  3. SOAR + SMARTS Southern White Dwarf Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subasavage, John P.; Lepine, S.

    2012-01-01

    We present early results from the SOAR + SMARTS Southern White Dwarf SURVEY (SSSWDS). Our initial sift of relatively bright (15 color relation of Oppenheimer et al. 2001 are obtained and permit prioritized follow-up. For confirmation of luminosity class, we use the SOAR telescope atop Cerro Pachon equipped with the Goodman Spectrograph and a moderate resolution grating. In tandem, we acquire multi-epoch, optical Johnson-Kron-Cousins BVRI photometry using the SMARTS 1.0m telescope atop CTIO. Combined with JHK from 2MASS, we compare the photometric SED to relevant white dwarf model atmospheres to estimate physical parameters (e.g., effective temperature, mass) and distance. For the nearest targets, specifically those within the RECONS (www.recons.org) horizon of 25 pc, we aim to obtain trigonometric parallaxes as part of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory Parallax Investigation (CTIOPI) project being conducted at the SMARTS 0.9m telescope. To date, we have confirmed 100 relatively bright, new white dwarfs in the southern hemisphere. Of those, 13 are estimated to be within our 25 pc horizon-of-interest, including two that are estimated to be within 15 pc. Ongoing observations will boost these figures by the end of the project.

  4. White dwarfs and revelations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saltas, Ippocratis D.; Sawicki, Ignacy; Lopes, Ilidio

    2018-05-01

    We use the most recent, complete and independent measurements of masses and radii of white dwarfs in binaries to bound the class of non-trivial modified gravity theories, viable after GW170817/GRB170817, using its effect on the mass-radius relation of the stars. We show that the uncertainty in the latest data is sufficiently small that residual evolutionary effects, most notably the effect of core composition, finite temperature and envelope structure, must now accounted for if correct conclusions about the nature of gravity are to be made. We model corrections resulting from finite temperature and envelopes to a base Hamada-Salpeter cold equation of state and derive consistent bounds on the possible modifications of gravity in the stars' interiors, finding that the parameter quantifying the strength of the modification Y< 0.14 at 95% confidence, an improvement of a factor of three with respect to previous bounds. Finally, our analysis reveals some fundamental degeneracies between the theory of gravity and the precise chemical makeup of white dwarfs.

  5. Population Synthesis Studies of the White Dwarfs of the Galactic Disk and Halo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cojocaru, Elena-Ruxandra

    2016-09-01

    White dwarfs are fossil stars that can encode valuable information about the formation, evolution and other properties of the different Galactic stellar populations. They are the direct descendants of main-sequence stars with masses ranging from ∼0.8 M⊙ to ∼10 M⊙, which means that over 95% of the stars in our Galaxy will eventually become white dwarfs. This fact, correlated with the excellent quality of modern white dwarf cooling models, clearly marks their potential as cosmic clocks for estimating the ages of Galactic stellar populations, as well as place white dwarfs as privileged objects in understanding several actual astrophysical problems. Stellar population synthesis methods (Tinsley, 1968) use theoretical evolutionary sequences to reproduce luminosities, temperatures and other parameters building up to a synthetic population that can be readily compared to an observed sample of stars. Such techniques are perfect for the study of the different white dwarf populations in our Galaxy and their strength has only grown in recent years, fueled both by improved evolutionary sequences and detailed cooling tracks and also by the ever growing samples of white dwarfs identified through modern survey missions. In particular, the work presented in this thesis uses an updated population synthesis code based on previous versions of the code from our group (García-Berro et al., 1999; Torres et al., 2002; García-Berro et al., 2004; Torres et al., 2005; Camacho et al., 2014). Our synthetic population code, based on Monte Carlo statistical techniques, has been extensively used in the study of the disk (García-Berro et al., 1! 999; Torres et al., 2001; Torres & García-Berro, 2016) and halo (Torres et al., 2002; García-Berro et al., 2004) single white-dwarf population, white dwarf plus main sequence stars (Camacho et al., 2014), as well as open clusters such as NGC 6791 (García-Berro et al., 2010; García-Berro et al., 2011) or globular clusters, as 47 Tuc (Garc

  6. Stellar equilibrium configurations of white dwarfs in the f(R, T) gravity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carvalho, G.A.; Moraes, P.H.R.S.; Marinho, R.M.; Malheiro, M. [Instituto Tecnologico de Aeronautica, Departamento de Fisica, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP (Brazil); Lobato, R.V. [Instituto Tecnologico de Aeronautica, Departamento de Fisica, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP (Brazil); Sapienza Universita di Roma, Dipartimento di Fisica, Rome (Italy); ICRANet, Pescara (Italy); Arbanil, Jose D.V. [Universidad Privada del Norte, Departamento de Ciencias, Lima (Peru); Otoniel, E. [Universidade Federal do Cariri, Instituto de Formacao de Professores, Brejo Santo, CE (Brazil)

    2017-12-15

    In this work we investigate the equilibrium configurations of white dwarfs in a modified gravity theory, namely, f(R, T) gravity, for which R and T stand for the Ricci scalar and trace of the energy-momentum tensor, respectively. Considering the functional form f(R, T) = R+2λT, with λ being a constant, we obtain the hydrostatic equilibrium equation for the theory. Some physical properties of white dwarfs, such as: mass, radius, pressure and energy density, as well as their dependence on the parameter λ are derived. More massive and larger white dwarfs are found for negative values of λ when it decreases. The equilibrium configurations predict a maximum mass limit for white dwarfs slightly above the Chandrasekhar limit, with larger radii and lower central densities when compared to standard gravity outcomes. The most important effect of f(R, T) theory for massive white dwarfs is the increase of the radius in comparison with GR and also f(R) results. By comparing our results with some observational data of massive white dwarfs we also find a lower limit for λ, namely, λ > -3 x 10{sup -4}. (orig.)

  7. Stellar equilibrium configurations of white dwarfs in the f( R, T) gravity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, G. A.; Lobato, R. V.; Moraes, P. H. R. S.; Arbañil, José D. V.; Otoniel, E.; Marinho, R. M.; Malheiro, M.

    2017-12-01

    In this work we investigate the equilibrium configurations of white dwarfs in a modified gravity theory, namely, f( R, T) gravity, for which R and T stand for the Ricci scalar and trace of the energy-momentum tensor, respectively. Considering the functional form f(R,T)=R+2λ T, with λ being a constant, we obtain the hydrostatic equilibrium equation for the theory. Some physical properties of white dwarfs, such as: mass, radius, pressure and energy density, as well as their dependence on the parameter λ are derived. More massive and larger white dwarfs are found for negative values of λ when it decreases. The equilibrium configurations predict a maximum mass limit for white dwarfs slightly above the Chandrasekhar limit, with larger radii and lower central densities when compared to standard gravity outcomes. The most important effect of f( R, T) theory for massive white dwarfs is the increase of the radius in comparison with GR and also f( R) results. By comparing our results with some observational data of massive white dwarfs we also find a lower limit for λ , namely, λ >- 3× 10^{-4}.

  8. Determination of the upper mass limit for stars producing white-dwarf remnants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romanishin, W.; Angel, J.R.P.

    1980-01-01

    We have searched ultraviolet and red plates of four open clusters (NGC 2168, 2287, 2422, and 6633) for faint blue objects which might be white dwarf members of the clusters. The most massive stars in these clusters range from 3 to 6 M/sub sun/. We find a definite concentration of faint blue objects in the clusters. This fact, plus initial photoelectric photometry, provides strong support for the identification of many of these objects as cluster white dwarfs. By modeling the expected number of possible white dwarfs in each cluster, we are able to put some limits on m/sub w/, the upper stellar mass limit for formation of white dwarfs. Our data require that some stars of at least 5 M/sub sun/ have evolved into white dwarfs and give a most probable value of 7 M/sub sun/ for m/sub w/

  9. LP 400-22, A Very Low Mass and High-Velocity White Dwarf

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawka, Adela; Vennes, Stephane; Oswalt, Terry D.; Smith, J. Allyn; Silvestri, Nicole M.

    2006-01-01

    We report the identification of LP 400-22 (WD 2234+222) as a very low mass and high-velocity white dwarf. The ultraviolet GALEX and optical photometric colors and a spectral line analysis of LP 400-22 show this star to have an effective temperature of 11,080+/-140 K and a surface gravity of log g = 6.32 +/-0.08. Therefore, this is a helium-core white dwarf with a mass of 0.17 M,. The tangential velocity of this white dwarf is 414+/-43 km/s, making it one of the fastest moving white dwarfs known. We discuss probable evolutionary scenarios for this remarkable object.

  10. Topics in white dwarf astrophysics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hintzen, P.M.N.

    1975-01-01

    This study was designed to investigate the apparent deficiency, compared to theoretical predictions, of cool degenerate stars. Two approaches to the problem were employed: a spectroscopic survey designed to identify red degenerates, and a model atmospheres study of the spectroscopic and photometric differences between red dwarfs and red degenerate stars. On computed atmospheric models for white dwarfs at the temperatures under investigation. Line profiles obtained from these models indicate that degenerate stars with T/sub e/ approximately 6000 0 K and depleted surface metals would be extremely difficult to identify spectroscopically. Their hydrogen and calcium line profiles would strongly resemble those of classical sub-dwarfs. Three apparently degenerate stars whose spectral features match our predictions have been identified. These results indicate that the existence of the previously postulated deficiency of red degenerate stars is uncertain

  11. The distribution of masses and radii of white-dwarf stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shipman, H.L.

    1978-01-01

    The status of determinations of white dwarf radii by model atmosphere methods is reviewed. The results are that (i) the mean radius of a sample of 95 hydrogen-rich stars with parallaxes is 0.0131 R(Sun); (ii) the mean radius of a sample of 13 helium-rich stars is 0.011 R(Sun), indistinguishably different from the radius of the hydrogen-rich stars; and (iii) that the most serious limitation on our knowledge of the mean radius of white dwarfs is the influence of selection effects. An estimate of the selection effects indicates that the true mean white dwarf radius is near 0.011 R(Sun). (Auth.)

  12. Atypical Thermonuclear Supernovae from Tidally Crushed White Dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosswog, S.; Ramirez-Ruiz, E.; Hix, William Raphael

    2008-01-01

    Suggestive evidence has accumulated that intermediate mass black holes (IMBHs) exist in some globular clusters. Some stars will inevitably wander sufficiently close to the hole to suffer a tidal disruption. IMBHs can disrupt not only solar-type stars but also compact white dwarf stars. We investigate the fate of white dwarfs that approach the hole close enough to be disrupted and compressed to such an extent that explosive nuclear burning is triggered. Based on a precise modeling of the gas dynamics together with the nuclear reactions, it is argued that thermonuclear ignition is a natural outcome for white dwarfs of all masses passing well within the tidal radius. A good fraction of the star is accreted, yielding high luminosities that persist for up to a year. A peculiar, underluminous thermonuclear explosion accompanied by a soft X-ray transient signal would, if detected, be a compelling testimony for the presence of an IMBH

  13. General relativistic effects in the structure of massive white dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, G. A.; Marinho, R. M.; Malheiro, M.

    2018-04-01

    In this work we investigate the structure of white dwarfs using the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations and compare our results with those obtained from Newtonian equations of gravitation in order to put in evidence the importance of general relativity (GR) for the structure of such stars. We consider in this work for the matter inside white dwarfs two equations of state, frequently found in the literature, namely, the Chandrasekhar and Salpeter equations of state. We find that using Newtonian equilibrium equations, the radii of massive white dwarfs (M>1.3M_{⊙ }) are overestimated in comparison with GR outcomes. For a mass of 1.415M_{⊙ } the white dwarf radius predicted by GR is about 33% smaller than the Newtonian one. Hence, in this case, for the surface gravity the difference between the general relativistic and Newtonian outcomes is about 65%. We depict the general relativistic mass-radius diagrams as M/M_{⊙ }=R/(a+bR+cR^2+dR^3+kR^4), where a, b, c and d are parameters obtained from a fitting procedure of the numerical results and k=(2.08× 10^{-6}R_{⊙ })^{-1}, being R_{⊙ } the radius of the Sun in km. Lastly, we point out that GR plays an important role to determine any physical quantity that depends, simultaneously, on the mass and radius of massive white dwarfs.

  14. Astero-archaeology: Reading the galactic history recorded in the white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wood, M.A.

    1990-01-01

    Galactic history is written in its oldest stars, the white dwarfs. Although still some years away from reading the details of that history, significant limits can already be placed on both the Galactic age and star formation history. The following is a complete analysis of the problem, starting with a fresh exploration of the physics of white dwarf stars. An extensive grid of numerical model sequences is presented and these are used to describe in detail the behavior of the white dwarf stars as a function of mass, core composition, surface layer masses and compositions, and uncertainties in the constitutive physics. These model sequences are used to decode the information contained in the white dwarf luminosity function. A theoretical context is established for current and future observations by presenting luminosity functions computed with differing choices for the input white dwarf evolutionary sequences, the assumed age of the local disk, the star formation rate as a function of time, and the possibility of scale height inflation of the disk with time. Finally, white dwarf cosmochronology is discussed within the context of other, conflicting, methods of cosmochronology. How this work can help resolve these conflicts and shed light on fundamental problems in galaxy formation and cosmology.

  15. Astero-archaeology: Reading the galactic history recorded in the white dwarf stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wood, M.A.

    1990-01-01

    Galactic history is written in its oldest stars, the white dwarfs. Although still some years away from reading the details of that history, significant limits can already be placed on both the Galactic age and star formation history. The following is a complete analysis of the problem, starting with a fresh exploration of the physics of white dwarf stars. An extensive grid of numerical model sequences is presented and these are used to describe in detail the behavior of the white dwarf stars as a function of mass, core composition, surface layer masses and compositions, and uncertainties in the constitutive physics. These model sequences are used to decode the information contained in the white dwarf luminosity function. A theoretical context is established for current and future observations by presenting luminosity functions computed with differing choices for the input white dwarf evolutionary sequences, the assumed age of the local disk, the star formation rate as a function of time, and the possibility of scale height inflation of the disk with time. Finally, white dwarf cosmochronology is discussed within the context of other, conflicting, methods of cosmochronology. How this work can help resolve these conflicts and shed light on fundamental problems in galaxy formation and cosmology

  16. UBV photometry of dwarf novae in the brightness minimum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voloshina, I.B.; Lyutyj, V.M.

    1983-01-01

    Photoelectric one-night observations of the dwarf novae SS Cyg at minimum light evidence for the existence of eclipses in this system at the moments of conjuctions. The orbital inclination of the system is estimated to be i approximately 70 deg C. The components of this system are low-massive (white and red dwarf stars) and low-luminous objects. As the optical luminosity of the dwarf novae at the minimum light is dependent on the accretion disk and hot spot at its periphery, where the substance jet run out from a nondegenerated component falls, eclipses should be associated with the disk and hot spot. The white dwarf star contributes greatly to the luminosity at the minimum light, but its eclipses are possible only at i approximately 90 deg

  17. Constraints on modified gravity models from white dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Banerjee, Srimanta; Singh, Tejinder P. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai 400005, Maharashtra (India); Shankar, Swapnil, E-mail: srimanta.banerjee@tifr.res.in, E-mail: swapnil.shankar@cbs.ac.in, E-mail: tpsingh@tifr.res.in [Department of Physics, Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences, Mumbai 400098, Maharashtra (India)

    2017-10-01

    Modified gravity theories can introduce modifications to the Poisson equation in the Newtonian limit. As a result, we expect to see interesting features of these modifications inside stellar objects. White dwarf stars are one of the most well studied stars in stellar astrophysics. We explore the effect of modified gravity theories inside white dwarfs. We derive the modified stellar structure equations and solve them to study the mass-radius relationships for various modified gravity theories. We also constrain the parameter space of these theories from observations.

  18. The angular momentum of isolated white dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brassard P.

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available This is a very brief report on an ongoing program aimed at mapping the internal rotation profiles of stars through asteroseismology. Three years ago, we developed and applied successfully a new technique to the pulsating GW Vir white dwarf PG 1159−035, and were able to infer that it rotates very slowly and rigidly over some 99% of its mass. We applied the same approach to the three other GW Vir pulsators with available rotational splitting data, and found similar results. We discuss the implications of these findings on the question of the angular momentum of white dwarfs resulting from single star evolution.

  19. Physics of white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koester, D.; Chanmugam, G. (Louisiana State Univ., New Orleans, LA (USA))

    1990-07-01

    White dwarf stars, compact objects with extremely high interior densities, are the most common end product in the evolution of stars. In this paper we review the history of their discovery, and of the realisation that their structure is determined by the physics of the degenerate electron gas. Spectral types and surface chemical composition show a complicated pattern dominated by diffusion processes and their interaction with accretion, convection and mass loss. While this interaction is not completely understood in all its detail at present, the study may ultimately lead to important constraints on the theory of stellar evolution in general. Variability, caused by non-radial oscillations of the star, is a common phenomenon and is shown to be a powerful probe of the structure of deeper layers that are not directly accessible to observation. Very strong magnetic fields detected in a small fraction of white dwarfs offer a unique opportunity to study the behaviour of atoms under conditions that cannot be simulated in terrestrial laboratories. (author).

  20. THE HABITABILITY AND DETECTION OF EARTH-LIKE PLANETS ORBITING COOL WHITE DWARFS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fossati, L.; Haswell, C. A.; Patel, M. R.; Busuttil, R. [Department of Physical Sciences, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA (United Kingdom); Bagnulo, S. [Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh BT61 9DG (United Kingdom); Kowalski, P. M. [GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, D-14473 Potsdam (Germany); Shulyak, D. V. [Institute of Astrophysics, Georg-August-University, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, D-37077 Goettingen (Germany); Sterzik, M. F., E-mail: l.fossati@open.ac.uk, E-mail: C.A.Haswell@open.ac.uk, E-mail: M.R.Patel@open.ac.uk, E-mail: r.busuttil@open.ac.uk, E-mail: sba@arm.ac.uk, E-mail: kowalski@gfz-potsdam.de, E-mail: denis.shulyak@gmail.com, E-mail: msterzik@eso.org [European Southern Observatory, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 (Chile)

    2012-09-20

    Since there are several ways planets can survive the giant phase of the host star, we examine the habitability and detection of planets orbiting white dwarfs. As a white dwarf cools from 6000 K to 4000 K, a planet orbiting at 0.01 AU would remain in the continuous habitable zone (CHZ) for {approx}8 Gyr. We show that photosynthetic processes can be sustained on such planets. The DNA-weighted UV radiation dose for an Earth-like planet in the CHZ is less than the maxima encountered on Earth, and hence non-magnetic white dwarfs are compatible with the persistence of complex life. Polarization due to a terrestrial planet in the CHZ of a cool white dwarf (CWD) is 10{sup 2} (10{sup 4}) times larger than it would be in the habitable zone of a typical M-dwarf (Sun-like star). Polarimetry is thus a viable way to detect close-in rocky planets around white dwarfs. Multi-band polarimetry would also allow us to reveal the presence of a planet atmosphere, providing a first characterization. Planets in the CHZ of a 0.6 M{sub Sun} white dwarf will be distorted by Roche geometry, and a Kepler-11d analog would overfill its Roche lobe. With current facilities a super-Earth-sized atmosphereless planet is detectable with polarimetry around the brightest known CWD. Planned future facilities render smaller planets detectable, in particular by increasing the instrumental sensitivity in the blue.

  1. THE HABITABILITY AND DETECTION OF EARTH-LIKE PLANETS ORBITING COOL WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fossati, L.; Haswell, C. A.; Patel, M. R.; Busuttil, R.; Bagnulo, S.; Kowalski, P. M.; Shulyak, D. V.; Sterzik, M. F.

    2012-01-01

    Since there are several ways planets can survive the giant phase of the host star, we examine the habitability and detection of planets orbiting white dwarfs. As a white dwarf cools from 6000 K to 4000 K, a planet orbiting at 0.01 AU would remain in the continuous habitable zone (CHZ) for ∼8 Gyr. We show that photosynthetic processes can be sustained on such planets. The DNA-weighted UV radiation dose for an Earth-like planet in the CHZ is less than the maxima encountered on Earth, and hence non-magnetic white dwarfs are compatible with the persistence of complex life. Polarization due to a terrestrial planet in the CHZ of a cool white dwarf (CWD) is 10 2 (10 4 ) times larger than it would be in the habitable zone of a typical M-dwarf (Sun-like star). Polarimetry is thus a viable way to detect close-in rocky planets around white dwarfs. Multi-band polarimetry would also allow us to reveal the presence of a planet atmosphere, providing a first characterization. Planets in the CHZ of a 0.6 M ☉ white dwarf will be distorted by Roche geometry, and a Kepler-11d analog would overfill its Roche lobe. With current facilities a super-Earth-sized atmosphereless planet is detectable with polarimetry around the brightest known CWD. Planned future facilities render smaller planets detectable, in particular by increasing the instrumental sensitivity in the blue.

  2. Pulsating low-mass white dwarfs in the frame of new evolutionary sequences. V. Asteroseismology of ELMV white dwarf stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calcaferro, Leila M.; Córsico, Alejandro H.; Althaus, Leandro G.

    2017-11-01

    Context. Many pulsating low-mass white dwarf stars have been detected in the past years in the field of our Galaxy. Some of them exhibit multiperiodic brightness variation, therefore it is possible to probe their interiors through asteroseismology. Aims: We present a detailed asteroseismological study of all the known low-mass variable white dwarf stars based on a complete set of fully evolutionary models that are representative of low-mass He-core white dwarf stars. Methods: We employed adiabatic radial and nonradial pulsation periods for low-mass white dwarf models with stellar masses ranging from 0.1554 to 0.4352 M⊙ that were derived by simulating the nonconservative evolution of a binary system consisting of an initially 1 M⊙ zero-age main-sequence (ZAMS) star and a 1.4 M⊙ neutron star companion. We estimated the mean period spacing for the stars under study (where this was possible), and then we constrained the stellar mass by comparing the observed period spacing with the average of the computed period spacings for our grid of models. We also employed the individual observed periods of every known pulsating low-mass white dwarf star to search for a representative seismological model. Results: We found that even though the stars under analysis exhibit few periods and the period fits show multiplicity of solutions, it is possible to find seismological models whose mass and effective temperature are in agreement with the values given by spectroscopy for most of the cases. Unfortunately, we were not able to constrain the stellar masses by employing the observed period spacing because, in general, only few periods are exhibited by these stars. In the two cases where we were able to extract the period spacing from the set of observed periods, this method led to stellar mass values that were substantially higher than expected for this type of stars. Conclusions: The results presented in this work show the need for further photometric searches, on the one hand

  3. A Common Origin of Magnetism from Planets to White Dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Isern, Jordi; Külebi, Baybars [Institut de Ciències de l’Espai (CSIC), Campus UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola (Spain); García-Berro, Enrique [Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya, Ed. Nexus-201, c/Gran Capità 2-4, E-08034 Barcelona (Spain); Lorén-Aguilar, Pablo [School of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL (United Kingdom)

    2017-02-20

    Isolated magnetic white dwarfs have field strengths ranging from kilogauss to gigagauss. However, the origin of the magnetic field has not been hitherto elucidated. Whether these fields are fossil, hence the remnants of original weak magnetic fields amplified during the course of the evolution of their progenitor stars, or are the result of binary interactions, or, finally, they are produced by other internal physical mechanisms during the cooling of the white dwarf itself, remains a mystery. At sufficiently low temperatures, white dwarfs crystallize. Upon solidification, phase separation of its main constituents, {sup 12}C and {sup 16}O, and of the impurities left by previous evolution occurs. This process leads to the formation of a Rayleigh–Taylor unstable liquid mantle on top of a solid core. This convective region, as it occurs in solar system planets like the Earth and Jupiter, can produce a dynamo able to yield magnetic fields of strengths of up to 0.1 MG, thus providing a mechanism that could explain magnetism in single white dwarfs.

  4. The connection between period spectra and constraints in white dwarf asteroseismology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bischoff-Kim Agnès

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available White dwarfs are the end product of evolution for around 98% of the stars in our Galaxy. Buried in their interiors are the records of physical processes that take place during earlier stages in the life of the star. In recent years, a well-established theory of non-radial oscillations, improved white dwarf models, year of expertise built up in the field of white dwarf asteroseismic fitting, and computing power have culminated in the asteroseismology finally delivering what it promised: a detailed map of the interior structure of white dwarfs. As always in science, new results raise new questions. We perform a number of numerical experiments to better understand the connection between a given set of periods varying in the number of periods and in the set of radial overtones and the quality of the constraints on interior structure one obtains from fitting these periods.

  5. The critical binary star separation for a planetary system origin of white dwarf pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veras, Dimitri; Xu, Siyi; Rebassa-Mansergas, Alberto

    2018-01-01

    The atmospheres of between one quarter and one half of observed single white dwarfs in the Milky Way contain heavy element pollution from planetary debris. The pollution observed in white dwarfs in binary star systems is, however, less clear, because companion star winds can generate a stream of matter which is accreted by the white dwarf. Here, we (i) discuss the necessity or lack thereof of a major planet in order to pollute a white dwarf with orbiting minor planets in both single and binary systems, and (ii) determine the critical binary separation beyond which the accretion source is from a planetary system. We hence obtain user-friendly functions relating this distance to the masses and radii of both stars, the companion wind, and the accretion rate on to the white dwarf, for a wide variety of published accretion prescriptions. We find that for the majority of white dwarfs in known binaries, if pollution is detected, then that pollution should originate from planetary material.

  6. COOL WHITE DWARFS IDENTIFIED IN THE SECOND DATA RELEASE OF THE UKIRT INFRARED DEEP SKY SURVEY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lodieu, N.; Leggett, S. K.; Nitta, A.; Bergeron, P.

    2009-01-01

    We have paired the second data release of the Large Area Survey of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey with the fifth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to identify 10 cool white dwarf candidates, from their photometry and astrometry. Of these 10, one was previously known to be a very cool white dwarf. We have obtained optical spectroscopy for seven of the candidates using the GMOS-N spectrograph on Gemini North, and have confirmed all seven as white dwarfs. Our photometry and astrometry indicate that the remaining two objects are also white dwarfs. The model analysis of the photometry and available spectroscopy shows that the seven confirmed new white dwarfs, and the two new likely white dwarfs, have effective temperatures in the range of T eff = 5400-6600 K. Our analysis of the previously known white dwarf confirms that it is cool, with T eff = 3800 K. The cooling age for this dwarf is 8.7 Gyr, while that for the nine ∼ 6000 K white dwarfs is 1.8-3.6 Gyr. We are unable to determine the masses of the white dwarfs from the existing data, and therefore we cannot constrain the total ages of the white dwarfs. The large cooling age for the coolest white dwarf in the sample, combined with its low estimated tangential velocity, suggests that it is an old member of the thin disk, or a member of the thick disk of the Galaxy, with an age of 10-11 Gyr. The warmer white dwarfs appear to have velocities typical of the thick disk or even halo; these may be very old remnants of low-mass stars, or they may be relatively young thin-disk objects with unusually high space motion.

  7. IUE spectrophotometry of the DA4 primary in the short-period white dwarf-red dwarf spectroscopic binary Case 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sion, E. M.; Guinan, E. F.; Wesemael, F.

    1984-01-01

    Low-resolution ultraviolet International Ultraviolet Explorer spectra of the DA white dwarf Case 1 are presented. The spectra show the presence of the 1400 A feature, already discovered in several other DA stars, and of a shallower trough in the 1550-1700 A range. A model atmosphere analysis of the ultraviolet energy distribution of the Ly-alpha red wing yields T(e) = 13,000 + or - 500 K. Possible interpretations of the 1400 A feature are reviewed. Case 1 is the coolest white dwarf found in a short-period, detached white dwarf-red dwarf binary, and its cooling time is consistent with estimates of the efficiency of angular momentum removal mechanisms in the phases subsequent to common envelope binary evolution.

  8. Undergoing spherically symmetric steady-state accretion stability of white dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sienkiewicz, R [Polska Akademia Nauk, Warsaw. N. Copernicus Astronomical Center

    1980-01-01

    Thermal and vibrational stabilities of accreting white dwarfs with steady-state nuclear burning were considered, assuming spherically symmetric accretion of the hydrogen-rich matter and using linear stability analysis. Almost all models with masses 0.2 M(sun) - 1.39 M(sun) were found to be unstable in some way. The type of instability expected to dominate is given as a function of the accretion rate. For most accretion rates it is the thermal instability. Oscillation periods are given for the models in which the vibrational instability is the most violent one. These periods are of the order of seconds or minutes. We expect that our stability analysis may suggest the cause of the variabilities of the hot components of some symbiotic stars, for a wide range of the accretion rates. In this case our models may serve as the initial conditions for evolutionary computations. The results predict that short-period oscillations should be observed in some hot nuclei of planetary nebulae.

  9. White dwarfs as physics laboratories: the case of axions

    OpenAIRE

    Isern, J.; Althaus, L.; Catalan, S.; Corsico, A.; Garcia-Berro, E.; Salaris, M.; Torres, S.

    2012-01-01

    White dwarfs are almost completely degenerate objects that cannot obtain energy from thermonuclear sources, so their evolution is just a gravothermal cooling process. Recent improvements in the accuracy and precision of the luminosity function and in pulsational data of variable white dwarfs suggest that they are cooling faster than expected from conventional theory. In this contribution we show that the inclusion of an additional cooling term due to axions able to interact with electrons wit...

  10. White Dwarf Model Atmospheres: Synthetic Spectra for Supersoft Sources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    The Tübingen NLTE Model-Atmosphere Package (TMAP) calculates fully metal-line blanketed white dwarf model atmospheres and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) at a high level of sophistication. Such SEDs are easily accessible via the German Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (GAVO) service TheoSSA. We discuss applications of TMAP models to (pre) white dwarfs during the hottest stages of their stellar evolution, e.g. in the parameter range of novae and supersoft sources.

  11. Super-Nyquist White Dwarf Pulsations in K2 Long-Cadence Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Keaton J.; Hermes, JJ; Montgomery, Michael H.; Vanderbosch, Zach

    2017-06-01

    The Kepler and K2 missions have recently revolutionized the field of white dwarf asteroseismology. Since white dwarfs pulsate on timescales of order 10 minutes, we aim to observe these objects at K2’s short cadence (1 minute). Occasionally we find signatures of pulsations in white dwarf targets that were only observed by K2 at long cadence (30 minute). These signals suffer extreme aliasing since the intrinsic frequencies exceed the Nyquist sampling limit. We present our work to recover accurate frequency determinations for these targets, guided by a limited amount of supplementary, ground-based photometry from McDonald Observatory.

  12. Radius constraints from high-speed photometry of 20 low-mass white dwarf binaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hermes, J. J.; Brown, Warren R.; Kilic, Mukremin; Gianninas, A.; Chote, Paul; Sullivan, D. J.; Winget, D. E.; Bell, Keaton J.; Falcon, R. E.; Winget, K. I.; Harrold, Samuel T.; Montgomery, M. H.; Mason, Paul A.

    2014-01-01

    We carry out high-speed photometry on 20 of the shortest-period, detached white dwarf binaries known and discover systems with eclipses, ellipsoidal variations (due to tidal deformations of the visible white dwarf), and Doppler beaming. All of the binaries contain low-mass white dwarfs with orbital periods of less than four hr. Our observations identify the first eight tidally distorted white dwarfs, four of which are reported for the first time here. We use these observations to place empirical constraints on the mass-radius relationship for extremely low-mass (≤0.30 M ☉ ) white dwarfs. We also detect Doppler beaming in several of these binaries, which confirms their high-amplitude radial-velocity variability. All of these systems are strong sources of gravitational radiation, and long-term monitoring of those that display ellipsoidal variations can be used to detect spin-up of the tidal bulge due to orbital decay.

  13. Radius constraints from high-speed photometry of 20 low-mass white dwarf binaries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hermes, J. J. [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Brown, Warren R. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Kilic, Mukremin; Gianninas, A. [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 West Brooks Street, Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Chote, Paul; Sullivan, D. J. [School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140 (New Zealand); Winget, D. E.; Bell, Keaton J.; Falcon, R. E.; Winget, K. I.; Harrold, Samuel T.; Montgomery, M. H. [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Mason, Paul A., E-mail: j.j.hermes@warwick.ac.uk [Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968 (United States)

    2014-09-01

    We carry out high-speed photometry on 20 of the shortest-period, detached white dwarf binaries known and discover systems with eclipses, ellipsoidal variations (due to tidal deformations of the visible white dwarf), and Doppler beaming. All of the binaries contain low-mass white dwarfs with orbital periods of less than four hr. Our observations identify the first eight tidally distorted white dwarfs, four of which are reported for the first time here. We use these observations to place empirical constraints on the mass-radius relationship for extremely low-mass (≤0.30 M {sub ☉}) white dwarfs. We also detect Doppler beaming in several of these binaries, which confirms their high-amplitude radial-velocity variability. All of these systems are strong sources of gravitational radiation, and long-term monitoring of those that display ellipsoidal variations can be used to detect spin-up of the tidal bulge due to orbital decay.

  14. THE CONTRIBUTION OF HALO WHITE DWARF BINARIES TO THE LASER INTERFEROMETER SPACE ANTENNA SIGNAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruiter, Ashley J.; Belczynski, Krzysztof; Benacquista, Matthew; Holley-Bockelmann, Kelly

    2009-01-01

    Galactic double white dwarfs were postulated as a source of confusion limited noise for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), the future space-based gravitational wave observatory. Until very recently, the Galactic population consisted of a relatively well-studied disk population, a somewhat studied smaller bulge population and a mostly unknown, but potentially large halo population. It has been argued that the halo population may produce a signal that is much stronger (factor of ∼5 in spectral amplitude) than the disk population. However, this surprising result was not based on an actual calculation of a halo white dwarf population, but was derived on (1) the assumption that one can extrapolate the halo population properties from those of the disk population and (2) the postulated (unrealistically) high number of white dwarfs in the halo. We perform the first calculation of a halo white dwarf population using population synthesis models. Our comparison with the signal arising from double white dwarfs in the Galactic disk+bulge clearly shows that it is impossible for the double white dwarf halo signal to exceed that of the rest of the Galaxy. Using microlensing results to give an upper limit on the content of white dwarfs in the halo (∼30% baryonic mass in white dwarfs), our predicted halo signal is a factor of 10 lower than the disk+bulge signal. Even in the implausible case, where all of the baryonic halo mass is found in white dwarfs, the halo signal does not become comparable to that of the disk+bulge, and thus would still have a negligible effect on the detection of other LISA sources.

  15. The kinematics of the white dwarf population from the SDSS DR12

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anguiano, B.; Rebassa-Mansergas, A.; García-Berro, E.; Torres, S.; Freeman, K.; Zwitter, T.

    2018-04-01

    We use the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12, which is the largest available white dwarf catalog to date, to study the evolution of the kinematical properties of the population of white dwarfs in the Galactic disc. We derive masses, ages, photometric distances and radial velocities for all white dwarfs with hydrogen-rich atmospheres. For those stars for which proper motions from the USNO-B1 catalog are available the true three-dimensional components of the stellar space velocity are obtained. This subset of the original sample comprises 20,247 objects, making it the largest sample of white dwarfs with measured three-dimensional velocities. Furthermore, the volume probed by our sample is large, allowing us to obtain relevant kinematical information. In particular, our sample extends from a Galactocentric radial distance R G = 7.8 kpc to 9.3 kpc, and vertical distances from the Galactic plane ranging from Z = -0.5 kpc to 0.5 kpc. We examine the mean components of the stellar three-dimensional velocities, as well as their dispersions with respect to the Galactocentric and vertical distances. We confirm the existence of a mean Galactocentric radial velocity gradient, ∂/∂R G = -3 +/- 5 km s-1 kpc-1. We also confirm North-South differences in . Specifically, we find that white dwarfs with Z > 0 (in the North Galactic hemisphere) have reverse is true for white dwarfs with Z < 0. The age-velocity dispersion relation derived from the present sample indicates that the Galactic population of white dwarfs may have experienced an additional source of heating, which adds to the secular evolution of the Galactic disc.

  16. SPITZER OBSERVATIONS OF WHITE DWARFS: THE MISSING PLANETARY DEBRIS AROUND DZ STARS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, S.; Jura, M.

    2012-01-01

    We report a Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera search for infrared excesses around white dwarfs, including 14 newly observed targets and 16 unpublished archived stars. We find a substantial infrared excess around two warm white dwarfs—J220934.84+122336.5 and WD 0843+516, the latter apparently being the hottest white dwarf known to display a close-in dust disk. Extending previous studies, we find that the fraction of white dwarfs with dust disks increases as the star's temperature increases; for stars cooler than 10,000 K, even the most heavily polluted ones do not have ∼1000 K dust. There is tentative evidence that the dust disk occurrence is correlated with the volatility of the accreted material. In the Appendix, we modify a previous analysis to clarify how Poynting-Robertson drag might play an important role in transferring materials from a dust disk into a white dwarf's atmosphere.

  17. Asteroseismology of pulsating DA white dwarfs with fully evolutionary models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Althaus L.G.

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available We present a new approach for asteroseismology of DA white dwarfs that consists in the employment of a large set of non-static, physically sound, fully evolutionary models representative of these stars. We already have applied this approach with success to pulsating PG1159 stars (GW Vir variables. Our white dwarf models, which cover a wide range of stellar masses, effective temperatures, and envelope thicknesses, are the result of fully evolutionary computations that take into account the complete history of the progenitor stars from the ZAMS. In particular, the models are characterized by self-consistent chemical structures from the centre to the surface, a crucial aspect of white dwarf asteroseismology. We apply this approach to an ensemble of 44 bright DAV (ZZ Ceti stars.

  18. The Continuing Search for Variability Among Cool White Dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, J. J.; Oswalt, T. D.; Johnston, K. B.; Rudkin, M.; Heinz, T.

    2002-12-01

    The Continuing Search for Variability Among Cool White Dwarfs Justin J. Schaefer University of Wyoming Department of Physics and Astronomy P.O. Box 3905 Laramie, Wyoming 82071 USA (schaefju@uwyo.edu) Terry D. Oswalt, Kyle Johnston, Merissa Rudkin, Tamalyn Heinz Florida Institute of Technology and the SARA Observatory Department of Physics & Space Sciences 150 West University Boulevard Melbourne, Florida 32901 USA (oswalt@luyten.astro.fit.edu, kyjohnst@fit.edu, mrudkin@astro.fit.edu, theinz@fit.edu) ABSTRACT We present BVRI photometry of eleven binaries with white dwarf (WD) components. The observations were obtained at the SARA 0.9-meter telescope on Kitt Peak during the summer of 2002. Standard system (B-V), (V-R) and (R-I) color indices of four white dwarfs were determined. This data will be used to estimate the WD cooling ages in wide WD+dM binaries, as part of our ongoing research program to determine the chromospheric activity-age relation for M dwarf stars. Time-series differential photometry was also collected for eight cool white dwarfs as part of a program to explore the variability in the low luminosity, low temperature regime of the WD cooling track. We failed to detect any variability greater than ~0.04 magnitudes in these stars. Several nights of differential photometry data were collected on the DAO WD + K dwarf short-period variable HS1136+6646. From the light variations we determined a likely orbital period of 0.825 +/-0.009 days. Strong evidence is presented for two other possible periods within this light curve, possibly indicative of rotational modulation by the WD component. We gratefully acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation, which funds the SARA Research Experiences for Undergraduates program via grant AST-0097616 to Florida Tech. One of us (TDO) also acknowledges partial support for this work from NASA (subcontract Y701296) and the NSF (AST 0206115).

  19. FIRST DIRECT EVIDENCE THAT BARIUM DWARFS HAVE WHITE DWARF COMPANIONS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gray, R. O.; McGahee, C. E.; Griffin, R. E. M.; Corbally, C. J.

    2011-01-01

    Barium II (Ba) stars are chemically peculiar F-, G-, and K-type objects that show enhanced abundances of s-process elements. Since s-process nucleosynthesis is unlikely to take place in stars prior to the advanced asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stage, the prevailing hypothesis is that each present Ba star was contaminated by an AGB companion which is now a white dwarf (WD). Unless the initial mass ratio of such a binary was fairly close to unity, the receiving star is thus at least as likely to be a dwarf as a giant. So although most known Ba stars appear to be giants, the hypothesis requires that Ba dwarfs be comparably plentiful and moreover that they should all have WD companions. However, despite dedicated searches with the IUE satellite, no WD companions have been directly detected to date among the classical Ba dwarfs, even though some 90% of those stars are spectroscopic binaries, so the contamination hypothesis is therefore presently in some jeopardy. In this paper, we analyze recent deep, near-UV and far-UV Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) exposures of four of the brightest of the class (HD 2454, 15360, 26367, and 221531), together with archived GALEX data for two newly recognized Ba dwarfs: HD 34654 and HD 114520 (which also prove to be spectroscopic binaries). The GALEX observations of the Ba dwarfs as a group show a significant far-UV excess compared to a control sample of normal F-type dwarfs. We suggest that this ensemble far-UV excess constitutes the first direct evidence that Ba dwarfs have WD companions.

  20. Rotation of White Dwarf Stars

    OpenAIRE

    Kawaler, Steven D.

    2014-01-01

    I discuss and consider the status of observational determinations of the rotation velocities of white dwarf stars via asteroseismology and spectroscopy. While these observations have important implications on our understanding of the angular momentum evolution of stars in their late stages of evolution, more direct methods are sorely needed to disentangle ambiguities.

  1. Pulsating White Dwarfs in Cataclysmic Variables: The Marriage of ZZ Cet and Dwarf Nova

    OpenAIRE

    Warner, Brian; Woudt, Patrick A.

    2003-01-01

    There are now four dwarf novae known with white dwarf primaries that show large amplitude non-radial oscillations of the kind seen in ZZ Cet stars. We compare the properties of these stars and point out that by the end of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey more than 30 should be known.

  2. The white dwarf luminosity function - A possible probe of the galactic halo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamanaha, Christopher M.; Silk, Joseph; Wood, M. A.; Winget, D. E.

    1990-01-01

    The dynamically inferred dark halo mass density, amounting to above 0.01 solar masses/cu pc at the sun's Galactocentric radius, can be composed of faint white dwarfs provided that the halo formed in a sufficiently early burst of star formation. The model is constrained by the observed disk white dwarf luminosity function which falls off below log (L/solar L) = -4.4, due to the onset of star formation in the disk. By using a narrow range for the initial mass function and an exponentially decaying halo star formation rate with an e-folding time equal to the free-fall time, all the halo dark matter is allowed to be in cool white dwarfs which lie beyond the falloff in the disk luminosity function. Although it is unlikely that all the dark matter is in these dim white dwarfs, a definite signature in the low-luminosity end of the white dwarf luminosity function is predicted even if they comprise only 1 percent of the dark matter. Current CCD surveys should answer the question of the existence of this population within the next few years.

  3. TOWARD A SPECTROSCOPIC CENSUS OF WHITE DWARFS WITHIN 40 pc OF THE SUN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Limoges, M.-M.; Bergeron, P.; Lépine, S.

    2013-01-01

    We present the preliminary results of a survey aimed at significantly increasing the range and completeness of the local census of spectroscopically confirmed white dwarfs. The current census of nearby white dwarfs is reasonably complete only to about 20 pc of the Sun, a volume that includes around 130 white dwarfs, a sample too small for detailed statistical analyses. This census is largely based on follow-up investigations of stars with very large proper motions. We describe here the basis of a method that will lead to a catalog of white dwarfs within 40 pc of the Sun and north of the celestial equator, thus increasing by a factor of eight the extent of the northern sky census. White dwarf candidates are identified from the SUPERBLINK proper motion database, allowing us to investigate stars down to a proper motion limit μ > 40 mas yr –1 , while minimizing the kinematic bias for nearby objects. The selection criteria and distance estimates are based on a combination of color-magnitude and reduced proper motion diagrams. Our follow-up spectroscopic observation campaign has so far uncovered 193 new white dwarfs, among which we identify 127 DA (including 9 DA+dM and 4 magnetic), 1 DB, 56 DC, 3 DQ, and 6 DZ stars. We perform a spectroscopic analysis on a subsample of 84 DAs, and provide their atmospheric parameters. In particular, we identify 11 new white dwarfs with spectroscopic distances within 25 pc of the Sun, including five candidates to the D < 20 pc subset.

  4. White Dwarf.Org - Establishing a Permanent Endowment for the Whole Earth Telescope

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Metcalfe Travis S.

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available White Dwarf Research Corporation is a non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research and public education on topics relevant to white dwarf stars. It was founded in 1999 in Austin, Texas to help fulfill the need for an alternative research center where scarce funding dollars could be used more efficiently, and to provide a direct link between astronomers who study white dwarf stars and the general public. Due to its administrative simplicity, WDRC can facilitate the funding of multi-institutional and international collaborations, provide seamless grant portability, minimize overhead rates, and actively seek non-governmental funding sources. I describe the motivation for, and current status of, one of the long-term goals of WDRC: to establish a permanent endowment for the operation of the Whole Earth Telescope. I pay particular attention to fund-raising efforts through the website at http://WhiteDwarf.org/donate/.

  5. KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD: A DETAILED MODEL ATMOSPHERE ANALYSIS OF NEARBY WHITE DWARFS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giammichele, N.; Bergeron, P. [Kitt Peak National Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (United States); Dufour, P., E-mail: noemi.giammichele@astro.umontreal.ca, E-mail: pierre.bergeron@astro.umontreal.ca, E-mail: patrick.dufour@astro.umontreal.ca [Departement de Physique, Universite de Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7 (Canada)

    2012-04-01

    We present improved atmospheric parameters of nearby white dwarfs lying within 20 pc of the Sun. The aim of the current study is to obtain the best statistical model of the least-biased sample of the white dwarf population. A homogeneous analysis of the local population is performed combining detailed spectroscopic and photometric analyses based on improved model atmosphere calculations for various spectral types including DA, DB, DC, DQ, and DZ stars. The spectroscopic technique is applied to all stars in our sample for which optical spectra are available. Photometric energy distributions, when available, are also combined to trigonometric parallax measurements to derive effective temperatures, stellar radii, as well as atmospheric compositions. A revised catalog of white dwarfs in the solar neighborhood is presented. We provide, for the first time, a comprehensive analysis of the mass distribution and the chemical distribution of white dwarf stars in a volume-limited sample.

  6. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Bright white dwarfs for high-speed photometry (Raddi+, 2017)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raddi, R.; Gentile Fusillo, N. P.; Pala, A. F.; Hermes, J. J.; Gansicke, B. T.; Chote, P.; Hollands, M. A.; Henden, A.; Catalan, S.; Geier, S.; Koester, D.; Munari, U.; Napiwotzki, R.; Tremblay, P.-E.

    2017-11-01

    This photometric and reduced proper motion catalogue was created to identify suitable targets for the space-borne mission TESS, which will acquire all- sky time-series photometry for at least two years searching for exoplanet transits and enabling asteroseismology for numerous classes of stars. We cross-matched APASS, GALEX, 2MASS, and WISE, with PPMXL.The attached data include current-epoch positions and photometry of known white dwarfs, candidate white dwarfs, and new spectroscopically confirmed white dwarfs. For the new stars, we estimated the atmospheric parameters (temperature and surface gravity), masses, and ages. Nine white dwarfs have low mass secondaries, for which we estimate temperatures and ages. (6 data files).

  7. Properties of an eclipsing double white dwarf binary NLTT 11748

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaplan, David L.; Walker, Arielle N.; Marsh, Thomas R.; Bours, Madelon C. P.; Breedt, Elmé; Bildsten, Lars; Copperwheat, Chris M.; Dhillon, Vik S.; Littlefair, Stuart P.; Howell, Steve B.; Shporer, Avi; Steinfadt, Justin D. R.

    2014-01-01

    We present high-quality ULTRACAM photometry of the eclipsing detached double white dwarf binary NLTT 11748. This system consists of a carbon/oxygen white dwarf and an extremely low mass (<0.2 M ☉ ) helium-core white dwarf in a 5.6 hr orbit. To date, such extremely low-mass white dwarfs, which can have thin, stably burning outer layers, have been modeled via poorly constrained atmosphere and cooling calculations where uncertainties in the detailed structure can strongly influence the eventual fates of these systems when mass transfer begins. With precise (individual precision ≈1%), high-cadence (≈2 s), multicolor photometry of multiple primary and secondary eclipses spanning >1.5 yr, we constrain the masses and radii of both objects in the NLTT 11748 system to a statistical uncertainty of a few percent. However, we find that overall uncertainty in the thickness of the envelope of the secondary carbon/oxygen white dwarf leads to a larger (≈13%) systematic uncertainty in the primary He WD's mass. Over the full range of possible envelope thicknesses, we find that our primary mass (0.136-0.162 M ☉ ) and surface gravity (log (g) = 6.32-6.38; radii are 0.0423-0.0433 R ☉ ) constraints do not agree with previous spectroscopic determinations. We use precise eclipse timing to detect the Rømer delay at 7σ significance, providing an additional weak constraint on the masses and limiting the eccentricity to ecos ω = (– 4 ± 5) × 10 –5 . Finally, we use multicolor data to constrain the secondary's effective temperature (7600 ± 120 K) and cooling age (1.6-1.7 Gyr).

  8. Stellar laboratories. III. New Ba v, Ba vi, and Ba vii oscillator strengths and the barium abundance in the hot white dwarfs G191-B2B and RE 0503-289

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, T.; Werner, K.; Quinet, P.; Kruk, J. W.

    2014-06-01

    Context. For the spectral analysis of high-resolution and high-signal-to-noise (S/N) spectra of hot stars, state-of-the-art non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres are mandatory. These are strongly dependent on the reliability of the atomic data that is used for their calculation. Aims: Reliable Ba v-vii oscillator strengths are used to identify Ba lines in the spectra of the DA-type white dwarf G191-B2B and the DO-type white dwarf RE 0503-289 and to determine their photospheric Ba abundances. Methods: We newly calculated Ba v-vii oscillator strengths to consider their radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions in detail in our NLTE stellar-atmosphere models for the analysis of Ba lines exhibited in high-resolution and high-S/N UV observations of G191-B2B and RE 0503-289. Results: For the first time, we identified highly ionized Ba in the spectra of hot white dwarfs. We detected Ba vi and Ba vii lines in the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spectrum of RE 0503-289. The Ba vi/Ba vii ionization equilibrium is well reproduced with the previously determined effective temperature of 70 000 K and surface gravity of log g = 7.5. The Ba abundance is 3.5 ± 0.5 × 10-4 (mass fraction, about 23 000 times the solar value). In the FUSE spectrum of G191-B2B, we identified the strongest Ba vii line (at 993.41 Å) only, and determined a Ba abundance of 4.0 ± 0.5 × 10-6 (about 265 times solar). Conclusions: Reliable measurements and calculations of atomic data are a pre-requisite for stellar-atmosphere modeling. Observed Ba vi-vii line profiles in two white dwarfs' (G191-B2B and RE 0503-289) far-ultraviolet spectra were well reproduced with our newly calculated oscillator strengths. This allowed to determine the photospheric Ba abundance of these two stars precisely. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for

  9. A consistency test of white dwarf and main sequence ages: NGC 6791

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Córsico A.H.

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available NGC 6791 is an open cluster that it is so close to us that can be imaged down to very faint luminosities. The main sequence turn-off age (∼8 Gyr and the age derived from the cut-off of the white dwarf luminosity function (∼6 Gyr were found to be significantly different. Here we demonstrate that the origin of this age discrepancy lies in an incorrect evaluation of the white dwarf cooling ages, and we show that when the relevant physical separation processes are included in the calculation of white dwarf sequences both ages are coincident.

  10. Using White Dwarf Companions of Blue Stragglers to Constrain Mass Transfer Physics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gosnell, Natalie M.; Leiner, Emily; Geller, Aaron M.; Knigge, Christian; Mathieu, Robert D.; Sills, Alison; Leigh, Nathan

    2018-06-01

    Complete membership studies of old open clusters reveal that 25% of the evolved stars follow pathways in stellar evolution that are impacted by binary evolution. Recent studies show that the majority of blue straggler stars, traditionally defined to be stars brighter and bluer than the corresponding main sequence turnoff, are formed through mass transfer from a giant star onto a main sequence companion, resulting in a white dwarf in a binary system with a blue straggler. We will present constraints on the histories and mass transfer efficiencies for two blue straggler-white dwarf binaries in open cluster NGC 188. The constraints are a result of measuring white dwarf cooling temperatures and surface gravities with HST COS far-ultraviolet spectroscopy. This information sets both the timeline for mass transfer and the stellar masses in the pre-mass transfer binary, allowing us to constrain aspects of the mass transfer physics. One system is formed through Case C mass transfer, leaving a CO-core white dwarf, and provides an interesting test case for mass transfer from an asymptotic giant branch star in an eccentric system. The other system formed through Case B mass transfer, leaving a He-core white dwarf, and challenges our current understanding of the expected regimes for stable mass transfer from red giant branch stars.

  11. THE WHITE DWARFS WITHIN 20 PARSECS OF THE SUN: KINEMATICS AND STATISTICS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sion, Edward M.; McCook, George P.; Wasatonic, Richard; Holberg, J. B.; Oswalt, Terry D.

    2009-01-01

    We present the kinematical properties, distribution of spectroscopic subtypes, and stellar population subcomponents of the white dwarfs within 20 pc of the Sun. We find no convincing evidence of halo white dwarfs in the total 20 pc sample of 129 white dwarfs nor is there convincing evidence of genuine thick disk subcomponent members within 20 parsecs. Virtually, the entire 20 pc sample likely belongs to the thin disk. The total DA to non-DA ratio of the 20 pc sample is 1.6, a manifestation of deepening envelope convection which transforms DA stars with sufficiently thin H surface layers into non-DAs. The addition of five new stars to the 20 pc sample yields a revised local space density of white dwarfs of (4.9 ± 0.5) x 10 -3 pc -3 and a corresponding mass density of (3.3 ± 0.3) x 10 -3 M sun pc -3 . We find that at least 15% of the white dwarfs within 20 parsecs of the Sun (the DAZ and DZ stars) have photospheric metals that possibly originate from accretion of circumstellar material (debris disks) around them. If this interpretation is correct, this suggests the possibility that the same percentage have planets or asteroid-like bodies orbiting them.

  12. White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars and Black Holes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szekeres, P.

    1977-01-01

    The three possible fates of burned-out stars: white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes, are described in elementary terms. Characteristics of these celestial bodies, as provided by Einstein's work, are described. (CP)

  13. White Dwarf Model Atmospheres: Synthetic Spectra for Super Soft Sources

    OpenAIRE

    Rauch, Thomas

    2011-01-01

    The T\\"ubingen NLTE Model-Atmosphere Package (TMAP) calculates fully metal-line blanketed white dwarf model atmospheres and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) at a high level of sophistication. Such SEDs are easily accessible via the German Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (GAVO) service TheoSSA. We discuss applications of TMAP models to (pre) white dwarfs during the hottest stages of their stellar evolution, e.g. in the parameter range of novae and super soft sources.

  14. A Predicted Astrometric Microlensing Event by a Nearby White Dwarf

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGill, Peter; Smith, Leigh C.; Wyn Evans, N.; Belokurov, Vasily; Smart, R. L.

    2018-04-01

    We used the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution catalogue, part of Gaia Data Release 1, to search for candidate astrometric microlensing events expected to occur within the remaining lifetime of the Gaia satellite. Our search yielded one promising candidate. We predict that the nearby DQ type white dwarf LAWD 37 (WD 1142-645) will lens a background star and will reach closest approach on November 11th 2019 (± 4 days) with impact parameter 380 ± 10 mas. This will produce an apparent maximum deviation of the source position of 2.8 ± 0.1 mas. In the most propitious circumstance, Gaia will be able to determine the mass of LAWD 37 to ˜3%. This mass determination will provide an independent check on atmospheric models of white dwarfs with helium rich atmospheres, as well as tests of white dwarf mass radius relationships and evolutionary theory.

  15. Three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of stellar collisions. II. White dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benz, W.; Thielemann, F.K.; Hills, J.G.

    1989-01-01

    Three-dimensional numerical simulations are presented for collisions between white dwarfs, using a smooth-particle hydrodynamics code with 5000 particles. The code allows for radiation and degenerate pressure and uses a reduced nuclear network which models the large release of nuclear energy. Two different collision models are considered over a range of impact parameters: between two 0.06 solar-mass C-O white dwarfs and between 0.9 solar-mass and 0.7 solar-mass C-O white dwarfs. In nearly head-on collisions, a very substantial fraction of the mass is lost as a result of a large release of nuclear energy. In grazing collisions, the fraction of mass lost is close to that produced in collisions between main-sequence stars. The quantity of processed elements ejected into the ISM by these collisions does not significantly affect the chemical evolution of the Galaxy. 24 refs

  16. Tidal interaction and coalescence of close binary white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Webbink, R.F.; Iben, I. Jr.

    1987-01-01

    The physical processes which govern the interaction and final coalescence of close binary white dwarfs are examined. During the approach to mass transfer, the rate of accumulation of rotational energy by a white dwarf can exceed 10 to the 37th erg/s, raising the possibility that the initial phases of mass transfer are strongly influenced by tidal heating of the donor star. The potential energy released by accretion is incapable of removing more than a minor fraction of this material from the system, and numerical simulations show that the accreted envelope engulfs the donor star, leading to formation of common envelope binary before carbon can be ignited at the base of the accreted envelope. Unless shocks can lift the degeneracy of the donor core, a core mass exceeding the Chandrasekhar limit can be created, leading directly to core collapse and a supernova explosion, regardless of whether or not carbon is ignited in the nondegenerate envelope. It is plausible that most of the mass of the donor white dwarf is assimilated in a degenerate state by the accretor. 32 references

  17. THE SPECTRAL TYPES OF WHITE DWARFS IN MESSIER 4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davis, D. Saul; Richer, Harvey B.; Rich, R. Michael; Reitzel, David R.; Kalirai, Jason S.

    2009-01-01

    We present the spectra of 24 white dwarfs in the direction of the globular cluster Messier 4 obtained with the Keck/LRIS and Gemini/GMOS spectrographs. Determining the spectral types of the stars in this sample, we find 24 type DA and 0 type DB (i.e., atmospheres dominated by hydrogen and helium, respectively). Assuming the ratio of DA/DB observed in the field with effective temperature between 15,000-25,000 K, i.e., 4.2:1, holds for the cluster environment, the chance of finding no DBs in our sample simply due to statistical fluctuations is only 6 x 10 -3 . The spectral types of the ∼100 white dwarfs previously identified in open clusters indicate that DB formation is strongly suppressed in that environment. Furthermore, all the ∼10 white dwarfs previously identified in other globular clusters are exclusively type DA. In the context of these two facts, this finding suggests that DB formation is suppressed in the cluster environment in general. Though no satisfactory explanation for this phenomenon exists, we discuss several possibilities.

  18. Properties of an eclipsing double white dwarf binary NLTT 11748

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaplan, David L.; Walker, Arielle N. [Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States); Marsh, Thomas R.; Bours, Madelon C. P.; Breedt, Elmé [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Bildsten, Lars [Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics and Department of Physics, Kohn Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Copperwheat, Chris M. [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, IC2, Liverpool Science Park, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF (United Kingdom); Dhillon, Vik S.; Littlefair, Stuart P. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Howell, Steve B. [NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Shporer, Avi [California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Steinfadt, Justin D. R., E-mail: kaplan@uwm.edu [Department of Physics, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States)

    2014-01-10

    We present high-quality ULTRACAM photometry of the eclipsing detached double white dwarf binary NLTT 11748. This system consists of a carbon/oxygen white dwarf and an extremely low mass (<0.2 M {sub ☉}) helium-core white dwarf in a 5.6 hr orbit. To date, such extremely low-mass white dwarfs, which can have thin, stably burning outer layers, have been modeled via poorly constrained atmosphere and cooling calculations where uncertainties in the detailed structure can strongly influence the eventual fates of these systems when mass transfer begins. With precise (individual precision ≈1%), high-cadence (≈2 s), multicolor photometry of multiple primary and secondary eclipses spanning >1.5 yr, we constrain the masses and radii of both objects in the NLTT 11748 system to a statistical uncertainty of a few percent. However, we find that overall uncertainty in the thickness of the envelope of the secondary carbon/oxygen white dwarf leads to a larger (≈13%) systematic uncertainty in the primary He WD's mass. Over the full range of possible envelope thicknesses, we find that our primary mass (0.136-0.162 M {sub ☉}) and surface gravity (log (g) = 6.32-6.38; radii are 0.0423-0.0433 R {sub ☉}) constraints do not agree with previous spectroscopic determinations. We use precise eclipse timing to detect the Rømer delay at 7σ significance, providing an additional weak constraint on the masses and limiting the eccentricity to ecos ω = (– 4 ± 5) × 10{sup –5}. Finally, we use multicolor data to constrain the secondary's effective temperature (7600 ± 120 K) and cooling age (1.6-1.7 Gyr).

  19. White Dwarf Rotation as a Function of Mass and a Dichotomy of Mode Line Widths: Kepler  Observations of 27 Pulsating DA White Dwarfs through K2 Campaign 8

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hermes, J. J.; Fanale, S. M.; Dennihy, E.; Fuchs, J. T.; Dunlap, B. H.; Clemens, J. C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 (United States); Gänsicke, B. T.; Greiss, S.; Tremblay, P.-E.; Fusillo, N. P. Gentile; Raddi, R.; Chote, P.; Marsh, T. R. [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Kawaler, Steven D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 (United States); Bell, Keaton J.; Montgomery, M. H.; Winget, D. E. [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Redfield, S., E-mail: jjhermes@unc.edu [Wesleyan University Astronomy Department, Van Vleck Observatory, 96 Foss Hill Drive, Middletown, CT 06459 (United States)

    2017-10-01

    We present photometry and spectroscopy for 27 pulsating hydrogen-atmosphere white dwarfs (DAVs; a.k.a. ZZ Ceti stars) observed by the Kepler space telescope up to K2 Campaign 8, an extensive compilation of observations with unprecedented duration (>75 days) and duty cycle (>90%). The space-based photometry reveals pulsation properties previously inaccessible to ground-based observations. We observe a sharp dichotomy in oscillation mode line widths at roughly 800 s, such that white dwarf pulsations with periods exceeding 800 s have substantially broader mode line widths, more reminiscent of a damped harmonic oscillator than a heat-driven pulsator. Extended Kepler coverage also permits extensive mode identification: we identify the spherical degree of 87 out of 201 unique radial orders, providing direct constraints of the rotation period for 20 of these 27 DAVs, more than doubling the number of white dwarfs with rotation periods determined via asteroseismology. We also obtain spectroscopy from 4 m-class telescopes for all DAVs with Kepler photometry. Using these homogeneously analyzed spectra, we estimate the overall mass of all 27 DAVs, which allows us to measure white dwarf rotation as a function of mass, constraining the endpoints of angular momentum in low- and intermediate-mass stars. We find that 0.51–0.73 M {sub ⊙} white dwarfs, which evolved from 1.7–3.0 M {sub ⊙} ZAMS progenitors, have a mean rotation period of 35 hr with a standard deviation of 28 hr, with notable exceptions for higher-mass white dwarfs. Finally, we announce an online repository for our Kepler data and follow-up spectroscopy, which we collect at http://k2wd.org.

  20. White dwarf-main sequence binaries from LAMOST: the DR5 catalogue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, J.-J.; Rebassa-Mansergas, A.; Parsons, S. G.; Liu, X.-W.; Luo, A.-L.; Kong, X.; Zhang, H.-T.

    2018-03-01

    We present the data release (DR) 5 catalogue of white dwarf-main sequence (WDMS) binaries from the Large Area Multi-Object fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST). The catalogue contains 876 WDMS binaries, of which 757 are additions to our previous LAMOST DR1 sample and 357 are systems that have not been published before. We also describe a LAMOST-dedicated survey that aims at obtaining spectra of photometrically-selected WDMS binaries from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) that are expected to contain cool white dwarfs and/or early type M dwarf companions. This is a population under-represented in previous SDSS WDMS binary catalogues. We determine the stellar parameters (white dwarf effective temperatures, surface gravities and masses, and M dwarf spectral types) of the LAMOST DR5 WDMS binaries and make use of the parameter distributions to analyse the properties of the sample. We find that, despite our efforts, systems containing cool white dwarfs remain under-represented. Moreover, we make use of LAMOST DR5 and SDSS DR14 (when available) spectra to measure the Na I λλ 8183.27, 8194.81 absorption doublet and/or Hα emission radial velocities of our systems. This allows identifying 128 binaries displaying significant radial velocity variations, 76 of which are new. Finally, we cross-match our catalogue with the Catalina Surveys and identify 57 systems displaying light curve variations. These include 16 eclipsing systems, two of which are new, and nine binaries that are new eclipsing candidates. We calculate periodograms from the photometric data and measure (estimate) the orbital periods of 30 (15) WDMS binaries.

  1. The not-so-extreme white dwarf of the CV GD 552

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Unda-Sanzana, E; Hinojosa-Goni; Marsh, T R; Gaensicke, B T; Maxted, P F L; Morales-Rueda, L; Dhillon, V S; Thoroughgood, T D; Watson, C A; Tremou, E

    2009-01-01

    GD 552 is a cataclysmic binary which was previously believed to be composed of an M-star and a white dwarf, the latter having an extreme mass of 1.4 solar masses. In a recent paper we showed that this is not compatible with new observational evidence and presented an alternative model in which the white dwarf has a typical mass and the companion is a brown dwarf, making the system a likely member of the elusive group of CVs which have already evolved through minimum orbital period. Here we present additional spectroscopical evidence supporting this conclusion by means of skew mapping.

  2. White dwarf cosmochronology in the solar neighborhood

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tremblay, P.-E.; Kalirai, J. S.; Soderblom, D. R.; Cignoni, M. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Cummings, J., E-mail: tremblay@stsci.edu [Center for Astrophysical Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)

    2014-08-20

    The study of the stellar formation history in the solar neighborhood is a powerful technique to recover information about the early stages and evolution of the Milky Way. We present a new method that consists of directly probing the formation history from the nearby stellar remnants. We rely on the volume complete sample of white dwarfs within 20 pc, where accurate cooling ages and masses have been determined. The well characterized initial-final mass relation is employed in order to recover the initial masses (1 ≲ M {sub initial}/M {sub ☉} ≲ 8) and total ages for the local degenerate sample. We correct for moderate biases that are necessary to transform our results to a global stellar formation rate, which can be compared to similar studies based on the properties of main-sequence stars in the solar neighborhood. Our method provides precise formation rates for all ages except in very recent times, and the results suggest an enhanced formation rate for the solar neighborhood in the last 5 Gyr compared to the range 5 < Age (Gyr) < 10. Furthermore, the observed total age of ∼10 Gyr for the oldest white dwarfs in the local sample is consistent with the early seminal studies that have determined the age of the Galactic disk from stellar remnants. The main shortcoming of our study is the small size of the local white dwarf sample. However, the presented technique can be applied to larger samples in the future.

  3. White dwarf cosmochronology in the solar neighborhood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tremblay, P.-E.; Kalirai, J. S.; Soderblom, D. R.; Cignoni, M.; Cummings, J.

    2014-01-01

    The study of the stellar formation history in the solar neighborhood is a powerful technique to recover information about the early stages and evolution of the Milky Way. We present a new method that consists of directly probing the formation history from the nearby stellar remnants. We rely on the volume complete sample of white dwarfs within 20 pc, where accurate cooling ages and masses have been determined. The well characterized initial-final mass relation is employed in order to recover the initial masses (1 ≲ M initial /M ☉ ≲ 8) and total ages for the local degenerate sample. We correct for moderate biases that are necessary to transform our results to a global stellar formation rate, which can be compared to similar studies based on the properties of main-sequence stars in the solar neighborhood. Our method provides precise formation rates for all ages except in very recent times, and the results suggest an enhanced formation rate for the solar neighborhood in the last 5 Gyr compared to the range 5 < Age (Gyr) < 10. Furthermore, the observed total age of ∼10 Gyr for the oldest white dwarfs in the local sample is consistent with the early seminal studies that have determined the age of the Galactic disk from stellar remnants. The main shortcoming of our study is the small size of the local white dwarf sample. However, the presented technique can be applied to larger samples in the future.

  4. Do some x-ray stars have white dwarf companions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mccollum, Bruce

    1995-01-01

    Some Be stars which are intermittent X-ray sources may have white dwarf companions rather than neutron stars. It is not possible to prove or rule out the existence of Be + WD systems using X-ray or optical data. However, the presence of a white dwarf could be established by the detection of its EUV continuum shortward of the Be star's continuum turnover at 100 A. Either the detection or the nondetection of Be + WD systems would have implications for models of Be star variability, models of Be binary system formation and evolution, and models of wind-fed accretion.

  5. The WIRED Survey. IV. New Dust Disks from the McCook & Sion White Dwarf Catalog

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoard, D.W.; Debes, John H.; Wachter, Stefanie; Leisawitz, David T.; Cohen, Martin

    2013-01-01

    We have compiled photometric data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer All Sky Survey and other archival sources for the more than 2200 objects in the original McCook & Sion Catalog of Spectroscopically Identified White Dwarfs. We applied color-selection criteria to identify 28 targets whose infrared spectral energy distributions depart from the expectation for the white dwarf photosphere alone. Seven of these are previously known white dwarfs with circumstellar dust disks, five are known central stars of planetary nebulae, and six were excluded for being known binaries or having possible contamination of their infrared photometry. We fit white dwarf models to the spectral energy distributions of the remaining ten targets, and find seven new candidates with infrared excess suggesting the presence of a circumstellar dust disk. We compare the model dust disk properties for these new candidates with a comprehensive compilation of previously published parameters for known white dwarfs with dust disks. It is possible that the current census of white dwarfs with dust disks that produce an excess detectable at K-band and shorter wavelengths is close to complete for the entire sample of known WDs to the detection limits of existing near-IR all-sky surveys. The white dwarf dust disk candidates now being found using longer wavelength infrared data are drawn from a previously underrepresented region of parameter space, in which the dust disks are overall cooler, narrower in radial extent, and/or contain fewer emitting grains.

  6. 70 DA WHITE DWARFS IDENTIFIED IN LAMOST PILOT SURVEY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, J. K.; Luo, A. L.; Zhao, G.; Oswalt, T. D.

    2013-01-01

    We present a spectroscopically identified catalog of 70 DA white dwarfs (WDs) from the LAMOST pilot survey. Thirty-five are found to be new identifications after cross-correlation with the Eisenstein et al. and Villanova catalogs. The effective temperature and gravity of these WDs are estimated by Balmer lines fitting. Most of them are hot WDs. The cooling times and masses of these WDs are estimated by interpolation in theoretical evolution tracks. The peak of the mass distribution is found to be ∼0.6 M ☉ , which is consistent with prior work in the literature. The distances of these WDs are estimated using the method of synthetic spectral distances. All of these WDs are found to be in the Galactic disk from our analysis of space motions. Our sample supports the expectation that WDs with high mass are concentrated near the plane of the Galactic disk.

  7. 70 DA WHITE DWARFS IDENTIFIED IN LAMOST PILOT SURVEY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, J. K.; Luo, A. L.; Zhao, G. [Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); Oswalt, T. D., E-mail: zjk@bao.ac.cn, E-mail: gzhao@bao.ac.cn, E-mail: lal@bao.ac.cn, E-mail: toswalt@fit.edu [Physics and Space Science Department, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901 (United States)

    2013-06-01

    We present a spectroscopically identified catalog of 70 DA white dwarfs (WDs) from the LAMOST pilot survey. Thirty-five are found to be new identifications after cross-correlation with the Eisenstein et al. and Villanova catalogs. The effective temperature and gravity of these WDs are estimated by Balmer lines fitting. Most of them are hot WDs. The cooling times and masses of these WDs are estimated by interpolation in theoretical evolution tracks. The peak of the mass distribution is found to be {approx}0.6 M {sub Sun }, which is consistent with prior work in the literature. The distances of these WDs are estimated using the method of synthetic spectral distances. All of these WDs are found to be in the Galactic disk from our analysis of space motions. Our sample supports the expectation that WDs with high mass are concentrated near the plane of the Galactic disk.

  8. A white dwarf cooling age of 8 Gyr for NGC 6791 from physical separation processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Berro, Enrique; Torres, Santiago; Althaus, Leandro G; Renedo, Isabel; Lorén-Aguilar, Pablo; Córsico, Alejandro H; Rohrmann, René D; Salaris, Maurizio; Isern, Jordi

    2010-05-13

    NGC 6791 is a well studied open cluster that it is so close to us that can be imaged down to very faint luminosities. The main-sequence turn-off age ( approximately 8 Gyr) and the age derived from the termination of the white dwarf cooling sequence ( approximately 6 Gyr) are very different. One possible explanation is that as white dwarfs cool, one of the ashes of helium burning, (22)Ne, sinks in the deep interior of these stars. At lower temperatures, white dwarfs are expected to crystallize and phase separation of the main constituents of the core of a typical white dwarf ((12)C and (16)O) is expected to occur. This sequence of events is expected to introduce long delays in the cooling times, but has not hitherto been proven. Here we report that, as theoretically anticipated, physical separation processes occur in the cores of white dwarfs, resolving the age discrepancy for NGC 6791.

  9. NGTS-1b: a hot Jupiter transiting an M-dwarf

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayliss, Daniel; Gillen, Edward; Eigmüller, Philipp; McCormac, James; Alexander, Richard D.; Armstrong, David J.; Booth, Rachel S.; Bouchy, François; Burleigh, Matthew R.; Cabrera, Juan; Casewell, Sarah L.; Chaushev, Alexander; Chazelas, Bruno; Csizmadia, Szilard; Erikson, Anders; Faedi, Francesca; Foxell, Emma; Gänsicke, Boris T.; Goad, Michael R.; Grange, Andrew; Günther, Maximilian N.; Hodgkin, Simon T.; Jackman, James; Jenkins, James S.; Lambert, Gregory; Louden, Tom; Metrailler, Lionel; Moyano, Maximiliano; Pollacco, Don; Poppenhaeger, Katja; Queloz, Didier; Raddi, Roberto; Rauer, Heike; Raynard, Liam; Smith, Alexis M. S.; Soto, Maritza; Thompson, Andrew P. G.; Titz-Weider, Ruth; Udry, Stéphane; Walker, Simon R.; Watson, Christopher A.; West, Richard G.; Wheatley, Peter J.

    2018-04-01

    We present the discovery of NGTS-1b, a hot Jupiter transiting an early M-dwarf host (Teff,* = 3916 ^{+71}_{-63} K) in a P = 2.647 d orbit discovered as part of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). The planet has a mass of 0.812 ^{+0.066}_{-0.075} MJ, making it the most massive planet ever discovered transiting an M-dwarf. The radius of the planet is 1.33 ^{+0.61}_{-0.33} RJ. Since the transit is grazing, we determine this radius by modelling the data and placing a prior on the density from the population of known gas giant planets. NGTS-1b is the third transiting giant planet found around an M-dwarf, reinforcing the notion that close-in gas giants can form and migrate similar to the known population of hot Jupiters around solar-type stars. The host star shows no signs of activity, and the kinematics hint at the star being from the thick disc population. With a deep (2.5 per cent) transit around a K = 11.9 host, NGTS-1b will be a strong candidate to probe giant planet composition around M-dwarfs via James Webb Space Telescope transmission spectroscopy.

  10. The white dwarf mass-radius relation with Gaia, Hubble and FUSE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joyce, Simon R. G.; Barstow, Martin A.; Casewell, Sarah L.; Holberg, Jay B.; Bond, Howard E.

    2018-04-01

    White dwarfs are becoming useful tools for many areas of astronomy. They can be used as accurate chronometers over Gyr timescales. They are also clues to the history of star formation in our galaxy. Many of these studies require accurate estimates of the mass of the white dwarf. The theoretical mass-radius relation is often invoked to provide these mass estimates. While the theoretical mass-radius relation is well developed, observational tests of this relation show a much larger scatter in the results than expected. High precision observational tests to confirm this relation are required. Gaia is providing distance measurements which will remove one of the main source of uncertainty affecting most previous observations. We combine Gaia distances with spectra from the Hubble and FUSE satelites to make precise tests of the white dwarf mass-radius relation.

  11. Four new massive pulsating white dwarfs including an ultramassive DAV

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curd, Brandon; Gianninas, A.; Bell, Keaton J.; Kilic, Mukremin; Romero, A. D.; Allende Prieto, Carlos; Winget, D. E.; Winget, K. I.

    2017-06-01

    We report the discovery of four massive (M > 0.8 M⊙) ZZ Ceti white dwarfs, including an ultramassive 1.16 M⊙ star. We obtained ground-based, time series photometry for 13 white dwarfs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 and Data Release 10 whose atmospheric parameters place them within the ZZ Ceti instability strip. We detect monoperiodic pulsations in three of our targets (J1015, J1554 and J2038) and identify three periods of pulsation in J0840 (173, 327 and 797 s). Fourier analysis of the remaining nine objects does not indicate variability above the 4 detection threshold. Our preliminary asteroseismic analysis of J0840 yields a stellar mass M = 1.14 ± 0.01 M⊙, hydrogen and helium envelope masses of MH = 5.8 × 10-7 M⊙ and MHe = 4.5 × 10-4 M⊙ and an expected core crystallized mass ratio of 50-70 per cent. J1015, J1554 and J2038 have masses in the range 0.84-0.91 M⊙ and are expected to have a CO core; however, the core of J0840 could consist of highly crystallized CO or ONeMg given its high mass. These newly discovered massive pulsators represent a significant increase in the number of known ZZ Ceti white dwarfs with mass M > 0.85 M⊙, and detailed asteroseismic modelling of J0840 will allow for significant tests of crystallization theory in CO and ONeMg core white dwarfs.

  12. A large oxygen-dominated core from the seismic cartography of a pulsating white dwarf.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giammichele, N; Charpinet, S; Fontaine, G; Brassard, P; Green, E M; Van Grootel, V; Bergeron, P; Zong, W; Dupret, M-A

    2018-02-01

    White-dwarf stars are the end product of stellar evolution for most stars in the Universe. Their interiors bear the imprint of fundamental mechanisms that occur during stellar evolution. Moreover, they are important chronometers for dating galactic stellar populations, and their mergers with other white dwarfs now appear to be responsible for producing the type Ia supernovae that are used as standard cosmological candles. However, the internal structure of white-dwarf stars-in particular their oxygen content and the stratification of their cores-is still poorly known, because of remaining uncertainties in the physics involved in stellar modelling codes. Here we report a measurement of the radial chemical stratification (of oxygen, carbon and helium) in the hydrogen-deficient white-dwarf star KIC08626021 (J192904.6+444708), independently of stellar-evolution calculations. We use archival data coupled with asteroseismic sounding techniques to determine the internal constitution of this star. We find that the oxygen content and extent of its core exceed the predictions of existing models of stellar evolution. The central homogeneous core has a mass of 0.45 solar masses, and is composed of about 86 per cent oxygen by mass. These values are respectively 40 per cent and 15 per cent greater than those expected from typical white-dwarf models. These findings challenge present theories of stellar evolution and their constitutive physics, and open up an avenue for calibrating white-dwarf cosmochronology.

  13. Pruning The ELM Survey: Characterizing Candidate Low-mass White Dwarfs through Photometric Variability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bell, Keaton J.; Winget, D. E.; Montgomery, M. H.; Castanheira, B. G.; Vanderbosch, Z.; Winget, K. I. [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Gianninas, A.; Kilic, Mukremin [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Hermes, J. J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 (United States); Brown, Warren R., E-mail: keatonb@astro.as.utexas.edu [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

    2017-02-01

    We assess the photometric variability of nine stars with spectroscopic T {sub eff} and log g values from the ELM Survey that locates them near the empirical extremely low-mass (ELM) white dwarf instability strip. We discover three new pulsating stars: SDSS J135512.34+195645.4, SDSS J173521.69+213440.6, and SDSS J213907.42+222708.9. However, these are among the few ELM Survey objects that do not show radial velocity (RV) variations that confirm the binary nature expected of helium-core white dwarfs. The dominant 4.31 hr pulsation in SDSS J135512.34+195645.4 far exceeds the theoretical cut-off for surface reflection in a white dwarf, and this target is likely a high-amplitude δ Scuti pulsator with an overestimated surface gravity. We estimate the probability to be less than 0.0008 that the lack of measured RV variations in four of eight other pulsating candidate ELM white dwarfs could be due to low orbital inclination. Two other targets exhibit variability as photometric binaries. Partial coverage of the 19.342 hr orbit of WD J030818.19+514011.5 reveals deep eclipses that imply a primary radius >0.4 R {sub ⊙}—too large to be consistent with an ELM white dwarf. The only object for which our time series photometry adds support to ELM white dwarf classification is SDSS J105435.78−212155.9, which has consistent signatures of Doppler beaming and ellipsoidal variations. We conclude that the ELM Survey contains multiple false positives from another stellar population at T {sub eff}≲9000 K, possibly related to the sdA stars recently reported from SDSS spectra.

  14. Helium flashes on accreting white dwarfs: consequences for type 1 supernova and nova abundances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hillebrandt, W.; Ziegert, W.; Thielemann, F.K.

    1986-01-01

    Helium flashes on an accreting 1 Solar mass carbon-oxygen white dwarf are investigated. It is demonstrated that the outer layers of a white dwarf growing towards the Chandrasekhar limit will be significantly enriched in elements like Mg, Al, Si and S provided the mass accretion rate is of the order of a few times 10 -8 to 10 -7 Solar mass per year. Since these stars are believed to explode as type I supernovae the abundances being ejected will depend also upon the accretion history of the white dwarfs. In addition this matter will have a rather non-solar isotopic composition. Finally, our results may help to explain abundances of heavy elements observed in certain novae if the white dwarf in those binary systems has gone through a high accretion rate phase once in the past before becoming a normal cataclysmic variable

  15. Generalized uncertainty principle and the maximum mass of ideal white dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rashidi, Reza, E-mail: reza.rashidi@srttu.edu

    2016-11-15

    The effects of a generalized uncertainty principle on the structure of an ideal white dwarf star is investigated. The equation describing the equilibrium configuration of the star is a generalized form of the Lane–Emden equation. It is proved that the star always has a finite size. It is then argued that the maximum mass of such an ideal white dwarf tends to infinity, as opposed to the conventional case where it has a finite value.

  16. He stars and He-accreting CO white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Limongi, M.; Tornambe, A.

    1991-01-01

    He star models in the mass range 0.4-1.0 solar mass have been evolved until the red giant phase or, depending on their mass, until crystallization on the white-dwarf cooling sequence. Some of the degenerate structures obtained in these computations have been successively accreted at various He accretion rates in order to better define the fate of the accreting dwarf versus its mass and accretion rate for a fixed degeneracy level of the accreting dwarf. He stars have been further induced to transfer mass to a degenerate companion through Roche lobe overflow, in conditions of large gravitational wave radiation by the system. CO dwarfs in binary systems with He stars are found to experience a thermal behavior whose effects are such to locate the structure on the verge of obtaining a strong SN-like explosive event. 22 refs

  17. Gravitational wave radiation from a double white dwarf system inside our galaxy: a potential method for seeking strange dwarfs

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Zhan-Kui Lü; Shi-Wei Wu; Zhi-Cheng Zeng

    2009-01-01

    Like the investigation of double white dwarf (DWD) systems, strange dwarf (SD) - white dwarf (WD) system evolution in Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA)'s absolute amplitude-frequency diagram is investigated. Since there is a strange quark core inside an SD, SDs' radii are significantly smaller than the value predicted by the standard WD model, which may strongly affect the gravitational wave (GW) signal in the mass-transferring phases of binary systems. We study how an SD-WD binary evolves across LISA's absolute amplitude-frequency diagram. In principle, we provide an executable way to detect SDs in the Galaxy's DWD systems by radically new windows offered by GW detectors.

  18. Binary White Dwarfs in the Galactic Halo

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Oirschot, Pim; Nelemans, Gijs; Helmi, Amina; Starkenburg, Else; Pols, Onno; Brown, Anthony G. A.

    We use the stellar population synthesis code SeBa (Portegies Zwart & Verbunt (1996), Toonen, Nelemans & Portegies Zwart (2012)) to study the halo white dwarf population. Here we assume a Kroupa initial mass function and compare 4 models, varying two parameters: the star formation (SF) history of the

  19. Diffusion of neon in white dwarf stars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughto, J; Schneider, A S; Horowitz, C J; Berry, D K

    2010-12-01

    Sedimentation of the neutron rich isotope 22Ne may be an important source of gravitational energy during the cooling of white dwarf stars. This depends on the diffusion constant for 22Ne in strongly coupled plasma mixtures. We calculate self-diffusion constants D(i) from molecular dynamics simulations of carbon, oxygen, and neon mixtures. We find that D(i) in a mixture does not differ greatly from earlier one component plasma results. For strong coupling (coulomb parameter Γ> few), D(i) has a modest dependence on the charge Z(i) of the ion species, D(i)∝Z(i)(-2/3). However, D(i) depends more strongly on Z(i) for weak coupling (smaller Γ). We conclude that the self-diffusion constant D(Ne) for 22Ne in carbon, oxygen, and neon plasma mixtures is accurately known so that uncertainties in D(Ne) should be unimportant for simulations of white dwarf cooling.

  20. LIMB-DARKENING COEFFICIENTS FOR ECLIPSING WHITE DWARFS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gianninas, A.; Strickland, B. D.; Kilic, Mukremin [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 W. Brooks St., Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Bergeron, P., E-mail: alexg@nhn.ou.edu, E-mail: benstrickland@ou.edu, E-mail: kilic@ou.edu, E-mail: bergeron@astro.umontreal.ca [Departement de Physique, Universite de Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7 (Canada)

    2013-03-20

    We present extensive calculations of linear and nonlinear limb-darkening coefficients as well as complete intensity profiles appropriate for modeling the light-curves of eclipsing white dwarfs. We compute limb-darkening coefficients in the Johnson-Kron-Cousins UBVRI photometric system as well as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) ugrizy system using the most up to date model atmospheres available. In all, we provide the coefficients for seven different limb-darkening laws. We describe the variations of these coefficients as a function of the atmospheric parameters, including the effects of convection at low effective temperatures. Finally, we discuss the importance of having readily available limb-darkening coefficients in the context of present and future photometric surveys like the LSST, Palomar Transient Factory, and the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS). The LSST, for example, may find {approx}10{sup 5} eclipsing white dwarfs. The limb-darkening calculations presented here will be an essential part of the detailed analysis of all of these systems.

  1. LIMB-DARKENING COEFFICIENTS FOR ECLIPSING WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gianninas, A.; Strickland, B. D.; Kilic, Mukremin; Bergeron, P.

    2013-01-01

    We present extensive calculations of linear and nonlinear limb-darkening coefficients as well as complete intensity profiles appropriate for modeling the light-curves of eclipsing white dwarfs. We compute limb-darkening coefficients in the Johnson-Kron-Cousins UBVRI photometric system as well as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) ugrizy system using the most up to date model atmospheres available. In all, we provide the coefficients for seven different limb-darkening laws. We describe the variations of these coefficients as a function of the atmospheric parameters, including the effects of convection at low effective temperatures. Finally, we discuss the importance of having readily available limb-darkening coefficients in the context of present and future photometric surveys like the LSST, Palomar Transient Factory, and the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS). The LSST, for example, may find ∼10 5 eclipsing white dwarfs. The limb-darkening calculations presented here will be an essential part of the detailed analysis of all of these systems.

  2. Unstable low-mass planetary systems as drivers of white dwarf pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mustill, Alexander J.; Villaver, Eva; Veras, Dimitri; Gänsicke, Boris T.; Bonsor, Amy

    2018-05-01

    At least 25 {per cent} of white dwarfs show atmospheric pollution by metals, sometimes accompanied by detectable circumstellar dust/gas discs or (in the case of WD 1145+017) transiting disintegrating asteroids. Delivery of planetesimals to the white dwarf by orbiting planets is a leading candidate to explain these phenomena. Here, we study systems of planets and planetesimals undergoing planet-planet scattering triggered by the star's post-main-sequence mass loss, and test whether this can maintain high rates of delivery over the several Gyr that they are observed. We find that low-mass planets (Earth to Neptune mass) are efficient deliverers of material and can maintain the delivery for Gyr. Unstable low-mass planetary systems reproduce the observed delayed onset of significant accretion, as well as the slow decay in accretion rates at late times. Higher-mass planets are less efficient, and the delivery only lasts a relatively brief time before the planetesimal populations are cleared. The orbital inclinations of bodies as they cross the white dwarf's Roche limit are roughly isotropic, implying that significant collisional interactions of asteroids, debris streams and discs can be expected. If planet-planet scattering is indeed responsible for the pollution of white dwarfs, many such objects, and their main-sequence progenitors, can be expected to host (currently undetectable) super-Earth planets on orbits of several au and beyond.

  3. DETECTION OF WHITE DWARF COMPANIONS TO BLUE STRAGGLERS IN THE OPEN CLUSTER NGC 188: DIRECT EVIDENCE FOR RECENT MASS TRANSFER

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gosnell, Natalie M.; Mathieu, Robert D. [Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 475 N. Charter St., Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Geller, Aaron M. [Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL 60208 (United States); Sills, Alison [Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1 (Canada); Leigh, Nathan [Department of Physics, University of Alberta, CCIS 4-183, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1 (Canada); Knigge, Christian, E-mail: gosnell@astro.wisc.edu [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 IBJ (United Kingdom)

    2014-03-01

    Several possible formation pathways for blue straggler stars have been developed recently, but no one pathway has yet been observationally confirmed for a specific blue straggler. Here we report the first findings from a Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys/Solar Blind Channel far-UV photometric program to search for white dwarf companions to blue straggler stars. We find three hot and young white dwarf companions to blue straggler stars in the 7 Gyr open cluster NGC 188, indicating that mass transfer in these systems ended less than 300 Myr ago. These companions are direct and secure observational evidence that these blue straggler stars were formed through mass transfer in binary stars. Their existence in a well-studied cluster environment allows for observational constraints of both the current binary system and the progenitor binary system, mapping the entire mass transfer history.

  4. Non explosive collapse of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Canal, R.; Schatzmann, E.

    1976-01-01

    We show that if a sufficiently cold carbon-oxygen white dwarf, close to the critical mass, accretes matter from a companion in a binary system, the time scale of collapse is long enough to allow neutronization before the onset of pycnonuclear reactions. This can possibly lead to the formation of X-ray sources by a non explosive collapse. (orig.) [de

  5. Asteroseismology of white dwarf stars

    OpenAIRE

    Córsico, A. H.

    2014-01-01

    Most of low- and intermediate-mass stars that populate the Universe will end their lives as white dwarf stars. These ancient stellar remnants have encrypted inside a precious record of the evolutionary history of the progenitor stars, providing a wealth of information about the evolution of stars, star formation, and the age of a variety of stellar populations, such as our Galaxy and open and globular clusters. While some information like surface chemical composition, temperature and gravity ...

  6. The mass limit of white dwarfs with strong magnetic fields in general relativity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wen De-Hua; Liu He-Lei; Zhang Xiang-Dong

    2014-01-01

    Recently, U. Das and B. Mukhopadhyay proposed that the Chandrasekhar limit of a white dwarf could reach a new high level (2.58M⊙) if a superstrong magnetic field were considered (Das U and Mukhopadhyay B 2013 Phys. Rev. Lett. 110 071102), where the structure of the strongly magnetized white dwarf (SMWD) is calculated in the framework of Newtonian theory (NT). As the SMWD has a far smaller size, in contrast with the usual expectation, we found that there is an obvious general relativistic effect (GRE) in the SMWD. For example, for the SMWD with a one Landau level system, the super-Chandrasekhar mass limit in general relativity (GR) is approximately 16.5% lower than that in NT. More interestingly, the maximal mass of the white dwarf will be first increased when the magnetic field strength keeps on increasing and reaches the maximal value M = 2.48M⊙ with B D = 391.5. Then if we further increase the magnetic fields, surprisingly, the maximal mass of the white dwarf will decrease when one takes the GRE into account. (geophysics, astronomy, and astrophysics)

  7. New white dwarf and subdwarf stars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12

    OpenAIRE

    Kepler, S. O.; Pelisoli, Ingrid; Koester, Detlev; Ourique, Gustavo; Romero, Alejandra Daniela; Reindl, Nicole; Kleinman, Scot J.; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Valois, A. Dean M.; Amaral, Larissa A.

    2015-01-01

    We report the discovery of 6576 new spectroscopically confirmed white dwarf and subdwarf stars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12. We obtain Teff, log g and mass for hydrogen atmospherewhite dwarf stars (DAs) and helium atmospherewhite dwarf stars (DBs), estimate the calcium/helium abundances for the white dwarf stars with metallic lines (DZs) and carbon/helium for carbon-dominated spectra (DQs). We found one central star of a planetary nebula, one ultracompact helium binary (AM ...

  8. Features of the mass transfer in magnetic cataclysmic variables with fast-rotating white dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isakova Polina

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The flow structure in magnetic cataclysmic variables was investigated taking into account the effects of strong magnetic field and fast rotation of the white dwarf. We modeled the AE Aqr system as a unique object that has the rotation period of the white dwarf is about 1000 times shorter than the orbital period of the binary system. Observations show that in spite of fast rotation of the white dwarf some part of the stream from the inner Lagrange point comes into the Roche lobe region. We analyzed possible mechanisms preventing material to outflow from the system.

  9. On the distance scale of planetary nebulae and white dwarf birth rates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weidemann, V.

    1977-01-01

    Arguments are presented which favor an increase of the distance scale of planetary nebulae by 30% compared to the Seaton-Webster scale. The consequences for evolutionary tracks, PN and white dwarf relations, and birth rates are discussed. It is concluded that opposite to Smith jr. (1976) underestimated, and that the proposed change in distance scale of PN brings white dwarf and PN birth rates into almost complete agreement. (orig.) [de

  10. Accretion on to Magnetic White Dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wickramasinghe Dayal

    2014-01-01

    The polars have no counterparts in neutron star systems and their study provides unique insights into the complex nature of the magnetospheric boundary. The observed properties of accretion shocks at the white dwarf surface such as the anomalous soft-X-ray excess and its time variability provide strong support for the hypothesis that under certain circumstances the field channelled funnel flow is “blobby”. This has been attributed to interchange instabilities such as the Magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the shocked gas at the stream-magnetosphere boundary where the stream fragments into discrete clumps of gas. As the clumps penetrate into the magnetosphere, they are shredded into smaller mass blobs via the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability that then couple on to field lines over an extended inner transition region in the orbital plane. The more massive blobs penetrate deep into the photosphere of the white dwarf releasing their energy as a reprocessed soft-X-ray black body component. Although similar instabilities are expected in the inner transition region in disced accretion albeit on a different scale there has been no direct observational evidence for blobby accretion in the generally lower field and disced IPs.

  11. Non-LTE spectral analyses of the lately discovered DB-gap white dwarfs from the SDSS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huegelmeyer, S D; Dreizler, S

    2009-01-01

    For a long time, no hydrogen-deficient white dwarfs have been known that have effective temperature between 30 kK and eff < 45 kK (Eisenstein et al. 2006). It has been shown for DO white dwarfs that the relaxation of LTE is necessary to account for non local effects in the atmosphere caused by the intense radiation field. Therefore, we calculated a non-LTE model grid and re-analysed the aforementioned set of SDSS spectra. Our results confirm the existence of DB-gap white dwarfs.

  12. Photometric variability in a warm, strongly magnetic DQ white dwarf, SDSS J103655.39+652252.2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, Kurtis A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A and M University-Commerce, P.O. Box 3011, Commerce, TX 75429 (United States); Winget, D. E.; Montgomery, M. H.; Hermes, J. J.; Falcon, Ross E.; Winget, K. I. [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, 1 University Station C1400, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Dufour, Patrick [Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7 (Canada); Kepler, S. O. [Departamento de Astronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500 Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS (Brazil); Bolte, Michael [UCO/Lick Observatory, University of California, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Rubin, Kate H. R. [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Liebert, James, E-mail: Kurtis.Williams@tamuc.edu, E-mail: jamesliebert@gmail.com [Emeritus, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

    2013-06-01

    We present the discovery of photometric variability in the DQ white dwarf SDSS J103655.39+652252.2 (SDSS J1036+6522). Time-series photometry reveals a coherent monoperiodic modulation at a period of 1115.64751(67) s with an amplitude 0.442% ± 0.024%; no other periodic modulations are observed with amplitudes ≳ 0.13%. The period, amplitude, and phase of this modulation are constant within errors over 16 months. The spectrum of SDSS J1036+6522 shows magnetic splitting of carbon lines, and we use Paschen-Back formalism to develop a grid of model atmospheres for mixed carbon and helium atmospheres. Our models, while reliant on several simplistic assumptions, nevertheless match the major spectral and photometric properties of the star with a self-consistent set of parameters: T {sub eff} ≈ 15, 500 K, log g ≈ 9, log (C/He) = –1.0, and a mean magnetic field strength of 3.0 ± 0.2 MG. The temperature and abundances strongly suggest that SDSS J1036+6522 is a transition object between the hot, carbon-dominated DQs and the cool, helium-dominated DQs. The variability of SDSS J1036+6522 has characteristics similar to those of the variable hot carbon-atmosphere white dwarfs (DQVs), however, its temperature is significantly cooler. The pulse profile of SDSS J1036+6522 is nearly sinusoidal, in contrast with the significantly asymmetric pulse shapes of the known magnetic DQVs. If the variability in SDSS J1036+6522 is due to the same mechanism as other DQVs, then the pulse shape is not a definitive diagnostic on the absence of a strong magnetic field in DQVs. It remains unclear whether the root cause of the variability in SDSS J1036+6522 and the other hot DQVs is the same.

  13. Photometric variability in a warm, strongly magnetic DQ white dwarf, SDSS J103655.39+652252.2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, Kurtis A.; Winget, D. E.; Montgomery, M. H.; Hermes, J. J.; Falcon, Ross E.; Winget, K. I.; Dufour, Patrick; Kepler, S. O.; Bolte, Michael; Rubin, Kate H. R.; Liebert, James

    2013-01-01

    We present the discovery of photometric variability in the DQ white dwarf SDSS J103655.39+652252.2 (SDSS J1036+6522). Time-series photometry reveals a coherent monoperiodic modulation at a period of 1115.64751(67) s with an amplitude 0.442% ± 0.024%; no other periodic modulations are observed with amplitudes ≳ 0.13%. The period, amplitude, and phase of this modulation are constant within errors over 16 months. The spectrum of SDSS J1036+6522 shows magnetic splitting of carbon lines, and we use Paschen-Back formalism to develop a grid of model atmospheres for mixed carbon and helium atmospheres. Our models, while reliant on several simplistic assumptions, nevertheless match the major spectral and photometric properties of the star with a self-consistent set of parameters: T eff ≈ 15, 500 K, log g ≈ 9, log (C/He) = –1.0, and a mean magnetic field strength of 3.0 ± 0.2 MG. The temperature and abundances strongly suggest that SDSS J1036+6522 is a transition object between the hot, carbon-dominated DQs and the cool, helium-dominated DQs. The variability of SDSS J1036+6522 has characteristics similar to those of the variable hot carbon-atmosphere white dwarfs (DQVs), however, its temperature is significantly cooler. The pulse profile of SDSS J1036+6522 is nearly sinusoidal, in contrast with the significantly asymmetric pulse shapes of the known magnetic DQVs. If the variability in SDSS J1036+6522 is due to the same mechanism as other DQVs, then the pulse shape is not a definitive diagnostic on the absence of a strong magnetic field in DQVs. It remains unclear whether the root cause of the variability in SDSS J1036+6522 and the other hot DQVs is the same.

  14. Pan-Planets: Searching for hot Jupiters around cool dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obermeier, C.; Koppenhoefer, J.; Saglia, R. P.; Henning, Th.; Bender, R.; Kodric, M.; Deacon, N.; Riffeser, A.; Burgett, W.; Chambers, K. C.; Draper, P. W.; Flewelling, H.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Magnier, E. A.; Metcalfe, N.; Price, P. A.; Sweeney, W.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.

    2016-03-01

    The Pan-Planets survey observed an area of 42 sq deg. in the galactic disk for about 165 h. The main scientific goal of the project is the detection of transiting planets around M dwarfs. We establish an efficient procedure for determining the stellar parameters Teff and log g of all sources using a method based on SED fitting, utilizing a three-dimensional dust map and proper motion information. In this way we identify more than 60 000 M dwarfs, which is by far the largest sample of low-mass stars observed in a transit survey to date. We present several planet candidates around M dwarfs and hotter stars that are currently being followed up. Using Monte Carlo simulations we calculate the detection efficiency of the Pan-Planets survey for different stellar and planetary populations. We expect to find 3.0+3.3-1.6 hot Jupiters around F, G, and K dwarfs with periods lower than 10 days based on the planet occurrence rates derived in previous surveys. For M dwarfs, the percentage of stars with a hot Jupiter is under debate. Theoretical models expect a lower occurrence rate than for larger main sequence stars. However, radial velocity surveys find upper limits of about 1% due to their small sample, while the Kepler survey finds a occurrence rate that we estimate to be at least 0.17b(+0.67-0.04) %, making it even higher than the determined fraction from OGLE-III for F, G and K stellar types, 0.14 (+0.15-0.076) %. With the large sample size of Pan-Planets, we are able to determine an occurrence rate of 0.11 (+0.37-0.02) % in case one of our candidates turns out to be a real detection. If, however, none of our candidates turn out to be true planets, we are able to put an upper limit of 0.34% with a 95% confidence on the hot Jupiter occurrence rate of M dwarfs. This limit is a significant improvement over previous estimates where the lowest limit published so far is 1.1% found in the WFCAM Transit Survey. Therefore we cannot yet confirm the theoretical prediction of a lower

  15. A library of IUE white dwarf spectra for stellar population analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bica, E.; Bonatto, C.; Giovannini, O.

    1996-10-01

    We present high Signal to Noise ratio IUE spectra of different classes of white dwarfs, to be used as templates for stellar population analyses in the ultraviolet region. We present average stellar parameters associated to each group. The library contains 6 groups for DA's, 2 for DO's and 5 for DB's. We also present equivalent widths of spectral features, and continuum measurements. We call attention to the spectral characteristics which are promising indicators of the presence of white dwarfs in the spectra of composite stellar populations.

  16. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE CURRENT CENSUS OF NORTHERN WHITE DWARFS WITHIN 40 pc OF THE SUN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Limoges, M.-M.; Bergeron, P.; Lépine, S.

    2015-01-01

    We present a detailed description of the physical properties of our current census of white dwarfs within 40 pc of the Sun, based on an exhaustive spectroscopic survey of northern hemisphere candidates from the SUPERBLINK proper motion database. Our method for selecting white dwarf candidates is based on a combination of theoretical color–magnitude relations and reduced proper motion diagrams. We reported in an earlier publication the discovery of nearly 200 new white dwarfs, and we present here the discovery of an additional 133 new white dwarfs, among which we identify 96 DA, 3 DB, 24 DC, 3 DQ, and 7 DZ stars. We further identify 178 white dwarfs that lie within 40 pc of the Sun, representing a 40% increase of the current census, which now includes 492 objects. We estimate the completeness of our survey at between 66% and 78%, allowing for uncertainties in the distance estimates. We also perform a homogeneous model atmosphere analysis of this 40 pc sample and find a large fraction of massive white dwarfs, indicating that we are successfully recovering the more massive, and less luminous objects often missed in other surveys. We also show that the 40 pc sample is dominated by cool and old white dwarfs, which populate the faint end of the luminosity function, although trigonometric parallaxes will be needed to shape this part of the luminosity function more accurately. Finally, we identify 4 probable members of the 20 pc sample, 4 suspected double degenerate binaries, and we also report the discovery of two new ZZ Ceti pulsators

  17. Asteroseismology of DAV White Dwarf Stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bradley, Paul A.

    1997-12-31

    The author reviews the seismological structural determinations of ZZ Ceti stars done to date, and supplement these with additional preliminary determinations of his own. He compares the constraints on the hydrogen layer mass to see what trends emerge and also determines if the observed hydrogen layer masses are consistent with proposed theories. He then looks ahead to the prospects of further DAV white dwarf seismology.

  18. DISCOVERY OF A BRIGHT, EXTREMELY LOW MASS WHITE DWARF IN A CLOSE DOUBLE DEGENERATE SYSTEM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vennes, S.; Kawka, A.; Nemeth, P.; Thorstensen, J. R.; Skinner, J. N.; Pigulski, A.; Steslicki, M.; Kolaczkowski, Z.; Srodka, P.

    2011-01-01

    We report the discovery of a bright (V ∼ 13.7), extremely low mass white dwarf in a close double degenerate system. We originally selected GALEX J171708.5+675712 for spectroscopic follow-up among a group of white dwarf candidates in an ultraviolet-optical reduced proper-motion diagram. The new white dwarf has a mass of 0.18 M sun and is the primary component of a close double degenerate system (P = 0.246137 days, K 1 = 288 km s -1 ) comprising a fainter white dwarf secondary with M 2 ∼ 0.9 M sun . Light curves phased with the orbital ephemeris show evidence of relativistic beaming and weaker ellipsoidal variations. The light curves also reveal secondary eclipses (depth ∼8 mmag) while the primary eclipses appear partially compensated by the secondary gravitational deflection and are below detection limits. Photospheric abundance measurements show a nearly solar composition of Si, Ca, and Fe (0.1-1 sun), while the normal kinematics suggest a relatively recent formation history. Close binary evolutionary scenarios suggest that extremely low mass white dwarfs form via a common-envelope phase and possible Roche lobe overflow.

  19. Spiral Disk Instability Can Drive Thermonuclear Explosions in Binary White Dwarf Mergers

    OpenAIRE

    Kashyap, Rahul; Fisher, Robert; García-Berro, Enrique; Aznar-Siguán, Gabriela; Ji, Suoqing; Lorén-Aguilar, Pablo

    2015-01-01

    Thermonuclear, or Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), originate from the explosion of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs, and serve as standardizable cosmological candles. However, despite their importance, the nature of the progenitor systems that give rise to SNe Ia has not been hitherto elucidated. Observational evidence favors the double-degenerate channel in which merging white dwarf binaries lead to SNe Ia. Furthermore, significant discrepancies exist between observations and theory, and to date, ther...

  20. An atlas of optical spectra of DZ white dwarfs and related objects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sion, E.M.; Kenyon, S.J.; Aannestad, P.A.

    1990-01-01

    An atlas of optical spectra and equivalent width measurements for DZ stars and several related objects is described. These data should improve abundance measurements for Ca/He, Mg/He, and Fe/He in these stars and provide tests for calculations of accretion, diffusion, and radiative transfer in white-dwarf atmospheres. Also reported is the possible detection of He I (3888-A) in three DZ white dwarfs, 0246 + 735, 1705 + 030, and 2215 + 388. 25 refs

  1. Ultra-high energy cosmic rays from white dwarf pulsars and the Hillas criterion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lobato, Ronaldo V.; Coelho, Jaziel G.; Malheiro, M.

    2017-01-01

    The origins of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays ( E ≳ 10 19 eV) are a mystery and still under debate in astroparticle physics. In recent years some efforts were made to understand their nature. In this contribution we consider the possibility of Some Soft Gamma Repeaters (SGRs) and Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs) beeing white dwarf pulsars, and show that these sources can achieve large electromagnetic potentials on their surface that accelerate particle almost at the speed of light, with energies E ∼ 10 20-21 eV. The sources SGRs/AXPs considered as highly magnetized white dwarfs are well described in the Hillas diagram, lying close to the AR Sorpii and AE Aquarii which are understood as white dwarf pulsars. (paper)

  2. On the Detection and Characterization of Polluted White Dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, Amy; Debes, John H.; Deming, Drake

    2017-06-01

    There is evidence of circumstellar material around main sequence, giant, and white dwarf stars. What happens to this material after the main sequence? With this work, we focus on the characterization of the material around WD 1145+017. The goals are to monitor the white dwarf—which has a transiting, disintegrating planetesimal and determine the composition of the evaporated material for that same white dwarf by looking at high-resolution spectra. We also present preliminary results of follow-up photometric observations of known polluted WDs. If rocky bodies survive red giant branch evolution, then the material raining down on a WD atmosphere is a direct probe of main sequence cosmochemistry. If rocky bodies do not survive the evolution, then this informs the degree of post-main-sequence processing. These case studies will provide the community with further insight about debris disk modeling, the degree of post-main-sequence processing of circumstellar material, and the composition of a disintegrating planetesimal.

  3. The gravitational waveforms of white dwarf collisions in globular clusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loren-Aguilar, P; Garcia-Berro, E; Lobo, J A; Isern, J

    2009-01-01

    In the dense central regions of globular clusters close encounters of two white dwarfs are relatively frequent. The estimated frequency is one or more strong encounters per star in the lifetime of the cluster. Such encounters should be then potential sources of gravitational wave radiation. Thus, it is foreseeable that these collisions could be either individually detected by LISA or they could contribute significantly to the background noise of the detector. We compute the pattern of gravitational wave emission from these encounters for a sufficiently broad range of system parameters, namely the masses, the relative velocities and the distances of the two white dwarfs involved in the encounter.

  4. Stellar laboratories. VI. New Mo iv-vii oscillator strengths and the molybdenum abundance in the hot white dwarfs G191-B2B and RE 0503-289

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, T.; Quinet, P.; Hoyer, D.; Werner, K.; Demleitner, M.; Kruk, J. W.

    2016-03-01

    Context. For the spectral analysis of high-resolution and high signal-to-noise (S/N) spectra of hot stars, state-of-the-art non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres are mandatory. These are strongly dependent on the reliability of the atomic data that is used for their calculation. Aims: To identify molybdenum lines in the ultraviolet (UV) spectra of the DA-type white dwarf G191-B2B and the DO-type white dwarf RE 0503-289 and, to determine their photospheric Mo abundances, reliable Mo iv-vii oscillator strengths are used. Methods: We newly calculated Mo iv-vii oscillator strengths to consider their radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions in detail in our NLTE stellar-atmosphere models for the analysis of Mo lines exhibited in high-resolution and high S/N UV observations of RE 0503-289. Results: We identified 12 Mo v and 9 Mo vi lines in the UV spectrum of RE 0503-289 and measured a photospheric Mo abundance of 1.2-3.0 × 10-4 (mass fraction, 22 500-56 400 times the solar abundance). In addition, from the As v and Sn iv resonance lines, we measured mass fractions of arsenic (0.5-1.3 × 10-5, about 300-1200 times solar) and tin (1.3-3.2 × 10-4, about 14 300-35 200 times solar). For G191-B2B, upper limits were determined for the abundances of Mo (5.3 × 10-7, 100 times solar) and, in addition, for Kr (1.1 × 10-6, 10 times solar) and Xe (1.7 × 10-7, 10 times solar). The arsenic abundance was determined (2.3-5.9 × 10-7, about 21-53 times solar). A new, registered German Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (GAVO) service, TOSS, has been constructed to provide weighted oscillator strengths and transition probabilities. Conclusions: Reliable measurements and calculations of atomic data are a prerequisite for stellar-atmosphere modeling. Observed Mo v-vi line profiles in the UV spectrum of the white dwarf RE 0503-289 were well reproduced with our newly calculated oscillator strengths. For the first time, this allowed the photospheric Mo

  5. THE CORE COMPOSITION OF A WHITE DWARF IN A CLOSE DOUBLE-DEGENERATE SYSTEM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vennes, S.; Kawka, A.

    2012-01-01

    We report the identification of the double-degenerate system NLTT 16249 that comprises a normal, hydrogen-rich (DA) white dwarf and a peculiar, carbon-polluted white dwarf (DQ) showing photospheric traces of nitrogen. We disentangled the observed spectra and constrained the properties of both stellar components. In the evolutionary scenario commonly applied to the sequence of DQ white dwarfs, both carbon and nitrogen would be dredged up from the core. The C/N abundance ratio (≈50) in the atmosphere of this unique DQ white dwarf suggests the presence of unprocessed material ( 14 N) in the core or in the envelope. Helium burning in the DQ progenitor may have terminated early on the red giant branch after a mass-ejection event leaving unprocessed material in the core, although current mass estimates do not favor the presence of a low-mass helium core. Alternatively, some nitrogen in the envelope may have survived an abridged helium-core burning phase prior to climbing the asymptotic giant branch. Based on available data, we estimate a relatively short orbital period (P ∼< 13 hr) and ongoing spectroscopic observations will help determine precise orbital parameters.

  6. AN EMPIRICAL MEASURE OF THE RATE OF WHITE DWARF COOLING IN 47 TUCANAE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goldsbury, R.; Heyl, J.; Richer, H. B.; Woodley, K. A.

    2012-01-01

    We present an empirical determination of the white dwarf cooling sequence in the globular cluster 47 Tucanae. Using spectral models, we determine temperatures for 887 objects from Wide Field Camera 3 data, as well as 292 objects from data taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys. We make the assumption that the rate of white dwarf formation in the cluster is constant. Stellar evolution models are then used to determine the rate at which objects are leaving the main sequence, which must be the same as the rate at which objects are arriving on the white dwarf sequence in our field. The result is an empirically derived relation between temperature (T eff ) and time (t) on the white dwarf cooling sequence. Comparing this result to theoretical cooling models, we find general agreement with the expected slopes between 20,000 K and 30,000 K and between 6000 K and 20,000 K, but the transition to the Mestel cooling rate of T eff ∝t –0.4 is found to occur at hotter temperatures, and more abruptly than is predicted by any of these models.

  7. An upper limit on the contribution of accreting white dwarfs to the type Ia supernova rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilfanov, Marat; Bogdán, Akos

    2010-02-18

    There is wide agreement that type Ia supernovae (used as standard candles for cosmology) are associated with the thermonuclear explosions of white dwarf stars. The nuclear runaway that leads to the explosion could start in a white dwarf gradually accumulating matter from a companion star until it reaches the Chandrasekhar limit, or could be triggered by the merger of two white dwarfs in a compact binary system. The X-ray signatures of these two possible paths are very different. Whereas no strong electromagnetic emission is expected in the merger scenario until shortly before the supernova, the white dwarf accreting material from the normal star becomes a source of copious X-rays for about 10(7) years before the explosion. This offers a means of determining which path dominates. Here we report that the observed X-ray flux from six nearby elliptical galaxies and galaxy bulges is a factor of approximately 30-50 less than predicted in the accretion scenario, based upon an estimate of the supernova rate from their K-band luminosities. We conclude that no more than about five per cent of type Ia supernovae in early-type galaxies can be produced by white dwarfs in accreting binary systems, unless their progenitors are much younger than the bulk of the stellar population in these galaxies, or explosions of sub-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs make a significant contribution to the supernova rate.

  8. DISCOVERY OF A POSSIBLE COOL WHITE DWARF COMPANION FROM THE AllWISE MOTION SURVEY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fajardo-Acosta, Sergio B.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Gelino, Christopher R. [IPAC, Mail Code 100-22, Caltech, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Schneider, Adam C.; Cushing, Michael C. [University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft Street, MS 113, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States); Stern, Daniel [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 169-221, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Bardalez-Gagliuffi, Daniella C. [University of California at San Diego, 9450 Gillman Drive # 40282, La Jolla, CA 92092 (United States); Kellogg, Kendra [Western University, 226-376-3530, 454 Castlegrove Boulevard, London, ON N6G 1K8 (Canada); Wright, Edward L., E-mail: fajardo@ipac.caltech.edu, E-mail: davy@ipac.caltech.edu, E-mail: cgelino@ipac.caltech.edu, E-mail: aschneid10@gmail.com, E-mail: michael.cushing@utoledo.edu, E-mail: daniel.k.stern@jpl.nasa.gov, E-mail: daniella@physics.ucsd.edu, E-mail: kkellog@uwo.ca, E-mail: wright@astro.ucla.edu [University of California at Los Angeles, Department of Physics and Astronomy, P.O. Box 951547, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547 (United States)

    2016-11-20

    We present optical and near-infrared spectroscopy of WISEA J061543.91-124726.8, which we rediscovered as a high motion object in the AllWISE survey. The spectra of this object are unusual; while the red optical ( λ > 7000 Å) and near-infrared spectra exhibit characteristic TiO, VO, and H{sub 2}O bands of a late-M dwarf, the blue portion of its optical spectrum shows a significant excess of emission relative to late-M-type templates. The excess emission is relatively featureless, with the exception of a prominent and very broad Na i D doublet. We find that no single, ordinary star can reproduce these spectral characteristics. The most likely explanation is an unresolved binary system of an M7 dwarf and a cool white dwarf. The flux of a cool white dwarf drops in the optical red and near-infrared, due to collision-induced absorption, thus allowing the flux of a late-M dwarf to show through. This scenario, however, does not explain the Na D feature, which is unlike that of any known white dwarf, but which could perhaps be explained via unusual abundance or pressure conditions.

  9. Freak waves in white dwarfs and magnetars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabry, R.; Moslem, W. M.; Shukla, P. K.

    2012-01-01

    We report properties of ion acoustic freak waves that propagate in a plasma composed of warm ions and ultrarelativistic electrons and positrons. The dynamics of the nonlinear freak waves is governed by the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The possible region for the freak waves to exist is defined precisely for typical parameters of white dwarfs and magnetars corona. It is found that for low wave number, the nonlinear ion-acoustic wave packets are structurally stable in magnetars corona than in white dwarfs. However, for large wave numbers the situation is opposite. The critical wave number threshold (k c ), which indicates where the modulational instability sets in, is defined for both applications. It is seen that near to k c the freak wave amplitude becomes high, but it decreases whenever we stepped away from k c . For the wave numbers close to k c , the increase of the unperturbed density ratio of positrons-to-electrons (β) would lead to increase the freak wave amplitude, but for larger wave numbers the amplitude decreases with the increase of β.

  10. On the Number of Comets Around White Dwarf Stars: Orbit Survival During the Late Stages of Stellar Evolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parriott, J. [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Alcock, C. [Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States)

    1998-07-01

    The accretion of comets onto DA white dwarfs can produce observable metal absorption lines. We show here that comet systems around the progenitor main-sequence star are vulnerable to being lost during asymptotic giant branch mass loss, if the mass loss is sufficiently asymmetric to impart modest linear momentum to the white dwarf. This may have bearing on the frequency of observation of heavy elements in white dwarf stars and on inferences regarding the frequency of comet systems, if the imparted linear velocities of white dwarfs can be estimated. {copyright} {ital {copyright} 1998.} {ital The American Astronomical Society}

  11. An upper limit to the secular variation of the gravitational constant from white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    García-Berro, Enrique; Lorén-Aguilar, Pablo; Torres, Santiago [Departament de Física Aplicada, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, c/Esteve Terrades, 5, 08860 Castelldefels (Spain); Althaus, Leandro G. [Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, (1900) La Plata (Argentina); Isern, Jordi, E-mail: garcia@fa.upc.edu, E-mail: loren@fa.upc.edu, E-mail: santi@fa.upc.edu, E-mail: althaus@fcaglp.fcaglp.unlp.edu.ar, E-mail: isern@ieec.cat [Institut de Ciències de l' Espai (CSIC), Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra (Spain)

    2011-05-01

    A variation of the gravitational constant over cosmological ages modifies the main sequence lifetimes and white dwarf cooling ages. Using an state-of-the-art stellar evolutionary code we compute the effects of a secularly varying G on the main sequence ages and, employing white dwarf cooling ages computed taking into account the effects of a running G, we place constraints on the rate of variation of Newton's constant. This is done using the white dwarf luminosity function and the distance of the well studied open Galactic cluster NGC 6791. We derive an upper bound Ġ/G ∼ −1.8 × 10{sup −12} yr{sup −1}. This upper limit for the secular variation of the gravitational constant compares favorably with those obtained using other stellar evolutionary properties, and can be easily improved if deep images of the cluster allow to obtain an improved white dwarf luminosity function.

  12. Precise atmospheric parameters for the shortest-period binary white dwarfs: gravitational waves, metals, and pulsations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gianninas, A.; Kilic, Mukremin; Dufour, P.; Bergeron, P.; Brown, Warren R.; Hermes, J. J.

    2014-01-01

    We present a detailed spectroscopic analysis of 61 low-mass white dwarfs and provide precise atmospheric parameters, masses, and updated binary system parameters based on our new model atmosphere grids and the most recent evolutionary model calculations. For the first time, we measure systematic abundances of He, Ca, and Mg for metal-rich, extremely low mass white dwarfs and examine the distribution of these abundances as a function of effective temperature and mass. Based on our preliminary results, we discuss the possibility that shell flashes may be responsible for the presence of the observed He and metals. We compare stellar radii derived from our spectroscopic analysis to model-independent measurements and find good agreement except for white dwarfs with T eff ≲ 10,000 K. We also calculate the expected gravitational wave strain for each system and discuss their significance to the eLISA space-borne gravitational wave observatory. Finally, we provide an update on the instability strip of extremely low mass white dwarf pulsators.

  13. Precise atmospheric parameters for the shortest-period binary white dwarfs: gravitational waves, metals, and pulsations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gianninas, A.; Kilic, Mukremin [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 West Brooks Street, Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Dufour, P.; Bergeron, P. [Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7 (Canada); Brown, Warren R. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Hermes, J. J., E-mail: alexg@nhn.ou.edu [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)

    2014-10-10

    We present a detailed spectroscopic analysis of 61 low-mass white dwarfs and provide precise atmospheric parameters, masses, and updated binary system parameters based on our new model atmosphere grids and the most recent evolutionary model calculations. For the first time, we measure systematic abundances of He, Ca, and Mg for metal-rich, extremely low mass white dwarfs and examine the distribution of these abundances as a function of effective temperature and mass. Based on our preliminary results, we discuss the possibility that shell flashes may be responsible for the presence of the observed He and metals. We compare stellar radii derived from our spectroscopic analysis to model-independent measurements and find good agreement except for white dwarfs with T {sub eff} ≲ 10,000 K. We also calculate the expected gravitational wave strain for each system and discuss their significance to the eLISA space-borne gravitational wave observatory. Finally, we provide an update on the instability strip of extremely low mass white dwarf pulsators.

  14. Detection of a white dwarf companion to the Hyades stars HD 27483

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boehm-Vitense, Erika

    1993-01-01

    We observed with IUE a white dwarf (WD) companion to the Hyades F6 V binary stars HD 27483. This system is known to be a close binary of two nearly equal stars with an orbital period of 3.05 days. Our IUE observations revealed the presence of a third star, a white dwarf with an effective temperature of 23,000 +/- 1000 K and a mass of approximately 0.6 solar mass. Its presence in the Hyades cluster with a known age permits me to derive the mass of its progenitor, which must have been about 2.3 solar masses. The presence of the white dwarf in a binary system opens the possibility that some of the envelope material, which was expelled by the WD progenitor, may have been collected by the F6 stars. We may thus be able to study abundance anomalies of the WD progenitor with known mass on the surface of the F6 companions.

  15. WD0837+185: THE FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF AN EXTREME MASS-RATIO WHITE-DWARF-BROWN-DWARF BINARY IN PRAESEPE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casewell, S. L.; Burleigh, M. R.; Wynn, G. A.; Alexander, R. D.; Lawrie, K. A.; Jameson, R. F.; Napiwotzki, R.; Dobbie, P. D.; Hodgkin, S. T.

    2012-01-01

    There is a striking and unexplained dearth of brown dwarf companions in close orbits ( ☉ (B9). The high mass of the white dwarf means the substellar companion must have been engulfed by the B star's envelope while it was on the late asymptotic giant branch (AGB). Hence, the initial separation of the system was ∼2 AU, with common envelope evolution reducing the separation to its current value. The initial and final orbital separations allow us to constrain the combination of the common envelope efficiency (α) and binding energy parameters (λ) for the AGB star to αλ ∼ 3. We examine the various formation scenarios and conclude that the substellar object was most likely captured by the white dwarf progenitor early in the life of the cluster, rather than forming in situ.

  16. RCB stars from double degenerate white dwarf mergers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staff, Jan; Wiggins, Brandon K.; Marcello, Dominic; Motl, Patrick; Clayton, Geoffrey C.

    2018-01-01

    We have conducted grid based and SPH based hydrodynamic simulations of white dwarf mergers, to investigate the role of dredge-up and mixing during the merger. The goal is to test if sufficiently little 16O can be brought up to the surface to explain the observed 16O to 18O ratio of order unity found in RCB stars. In all simulations, the total mass is ~< 1 M⊙. By initializing both the grid based and the SPH simulations with the same setup, we can compare the results from these different methods. In most of the simulations, more than 0.01 M⊙ of 16O is brought up to the surface. Hence a similar mass of 18O must be produced in order to explain the observed oxygen ratio. However,in SPH simulations where the accretor is a hybrid He/CO white dwarf, much less 16O is brought to the surface, making this an excellent candidate for the progenitor of RCB stars.

  17. Stroemgren photometry of ZZ Ceti and other DA white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fontaine, G.; Bergeron, P.; Lacombe, P.; Lamontagne, R.; Talon, A.

    1985-01-01

    Stroemgren colors for a sample of 71 stars classified as DA white dwarfs are presented. Comparison with the recent model atmospheres of the Kiel group indicates that the average gravity of 63 stars of the sample is log g = 7.98 +- 0.31, with no indication of a dependence on the effective temperature. This is consistent with the theoretical expectation that white dwarfs evolve at constant gravity. Correlations between Stroemgren colors and Greenstein multichannel colors are also given, using 52 stars that have been observed in common in the two systems. These correlations are used to compare the data with a second set of model atmospheres computed by Shipman. Contrary to what has been suggested in the past, no fundamental differences are found when confronting the Stroemgren data with the DA model atmospheres of Shipman or those of the Kiel group. Finally, observations of 11 pulsating objects reveal the existence of a narrow instability strip in the range 13 000 K> or approx. =T/sub e/> or approx. =11 000 K in a [(u-b), (b-y)] two-color diagram. The present results add evidence to the contention that all DA white dwarfs evolve to become ZZ Ceti pulsators in the instability strip

  18. Interpretation of eclipsing light curves of dwarf novae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matvienko, A.N.; Cherepashchuk, A.M.; Yagola, A.G.

    1988-01-01

    The method for interpretation of eclipsing light curves of dwarf novae is proposed, taking into account the influence of the hot spot situated in the outer part of the disk-like envelope surrounding a white dwarf. This method is applied to the analysis of the eclipsing light curves of the system Z Cha in the quiet and active stages. It is shown that the optical luminosity of the hot spot in the system Z Cha in the active stage is 3-5 times greater than that in the quiet stage. Radius of the disk-like envelope in the active stage is more than twice greater than that in the quiet stage

  19. White Dwarfs in the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey Data Release 9

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tremblay, P.-E.; Leggett, S. K.; Lodieu, N.; Freytag, B.; Bergeron, P.; Kalirai, J. S.; Ludwig, H.-G.

    2014-06-01

    We have identified 8 to 10 new cool white dwarfs from the Large Area Survey (LAS) Data Release 9 of the United Kingdom InfraRed Telescope (UKIRT) Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS). The data set was paired with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to obtain proper motions and a broad ugrizYJHK wavelength coverage. Optical spectroscopic observations were secured at Gemini Observatory and confirm the degenerate status for eight of our targets. The final sample includes two additional white dwarf candidates with no spectroscopic observations. We rely on improved one-dimensional model atmospheres and new multi-dimensional simulations with CO5BOLD to review the stellar parameters of the published LAS white dwarf sample along with our additional discoveries. Most of the new objects possess very cool atmospheres with effective temperatures below 5000 K, including two pure-hydrogen remnants with a cooling age between 8.5 and 9.0 Gyr, and tangential velocities in the range 40 km s-1 3.0 and 5.0 Gyr. These white dwarfs could be disk remnants with a very high velocity or former halo G stars. We also compare the LAS sample with earlier studies of very cool degenerates and observe a similar deficit of helium-dominated atmospheres in the range 5000 < T eff (K) < 6000. We review the possible explanations for the spectral evolution from helium-dominated toward hydrogen-rich atmospheres at low temperatures.

  20. White dwarfs in the UKIRT infrared deep sky survey data release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tremblay, P.-E.; Kalirai, J. S.; Leggett, S. K.; Lodieu, N.; Freytag, B.; Bergeron, P.; Ludwig, H.-G.

    2014-01-01

    We have identified 8 to 10 new cool white dwarfs from the Large Area Survey (LAS) Data Release 9 of the United Kingdom InfraRed Telescope (UKIRT) Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS). The data set was paired with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to obtain proper motions and a broad ugrizYJHK wavelength coverage. Optical spectroscopic observations were secured at Gemini Observatory and confirm the degenerate status for eight of our targets. The final sample includes two additional white dwarf candidates with no spectroscopic observations. We rely on improved one-dimensional model atmospheres and new multi-dimensional simulations with CO5BOLD to review the stellar parameters of the published LAS white dwarf sample along with our additional discoveries. Most of the new objects possess very cool atmospheres with effective temperatures below 5000 K, including two pure-hydrogen remnants with a cooling age between 8.5 and 9.0 Gyr, and tangential velocities in the range 40 km s –1 ≤v tan ≤ 60 km s –1 . They are likely thick disk 10-11 Gyr old objects. In addition, we find a resolved double degenerate system with v tan ∼ 155 km s –1 and a cooling age between 3.0 and 5.0 Gyr. These white dwarfs could be disk remnants with a very high velocity or former halo G stars. We also compare the LAS sample with earlier studies of very cool degenerates and observe a similar deficit of helium-dominated atmospheres in the range 5000 < T eff (K) < 6000. We review the possible explanations for the spectral evolution from helium-dominated toward hydrogen-rich atmospheres at low temperatures.

  1. Accretion of matter onto white dwarfs as a possible x-ray mechanism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeGregoria, A.J.

    1973-01-01

    Accretion of matter onto white dwarfs is investigated; to see if x-rays are produced; to see what type of radiation spectrum one gets; to see what type of short term time dependent behavior one gets; and, finally, to see how everything varies as the rate of inflow of matter is varied and as the mass and radius of the white dwarf under consideration are varied. The main approximation used is the assumption of spherical symmetry. The motivation behind the investigation is to see how well one can explain the various x-ray sources known

  2. Spectropolarimetric Survey of Hydrogen-rich White Dwarf Stars

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kawka, Adela; Vennes, S.; Schmidt, G. D.; Wickramasinghe, D.T.; Koch, R.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 654, č. 1 (2007), s. 499-520 ISSN 0004-637X R&D Projects: GA ČR GP205/05/P186 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : magnetic fields * white dwarf s Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 6.405, year: 2007

  3. A New Stellar Outburst Associated with the Magnetic Activities of the K-type Dwarf in a White Dwarf Binary

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qian, S.-B.; Han, Z.-T.; Zhang, B.; Zhu, L.-Y.; Zhao, E.-G.; Liao, W.-P.; Tian, X.-M.; Wang, Z.-H. [Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), P.O. Box 110, 650011 Kunming (China); Zejda, M. [Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-611 37 Brno (Czech Republic); Michel, R., E-mail: qsb@ynao.ac.cn [Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ensenada, Baja California, México (Mexico)

    2017-10-20

    1SWASP J162117.36+441254.2 was originally classified as an EW-type binary with a period of 0.20785 days. However, it was detected to have undergone a stellar outburst on 2016 June 3. Although the system was later classified as a cataclysmic variable (CV) and the event was attributed as a dwarf nova outburst, the physical reason is still unknown. This binary has been monitored photometrically since 2016 April 19, and many light curves were obtained before, during, and after the outburst. Those light and color curves observed before the outburst indicate that the system is a special CV. The white dwarf is not accreting material from the secondary and there are no accretion disks surrounding the white dwarf. By comparing the light curves obtained from 2016 April 19 to those from September 14, it was found that magnetic activity of the secondary is associated with the outburst. We show strong evidence that the L {sub 1} region on the secondary was heavily spotted before and after the outburst and thus quench the mass transfer, while the outburst is produced by a sudden mass accretion of the white dwarf. These results suggest that J162117 is a good astrophysical laboratory to study stellar magnetic activity and its influences on CV mass transfer and mass accretion.

  4. A New Stellar Outburst Associated with the Magnetic Activities of the K-type Dwarf in a White Dwarf Binary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, S.-B.; Han, Z.-T.; Zhang, B.; Zejda, M.; Michel, R.; Zhu, L.-Y.; Zhao, E.-G.; Liao, W.-P.; Tian, X.-M.; Wang, Z.-H.

    2017-10-01

    1SWASP J162117.36+441254.2 was originally classified as an EW-type binary with a period of 0.20785 days. However, it was detected to have undergone a stellar outburst on 2016 June 3. Although the system was later classified as a cataclysmic variable (CV) and the event was attributed as a dwarf nova outburst, the physical reason is still unknown. This binary has been monitored photometrically since 2016 April 19, and many light curves were obtained before, during, and after the outburst. Those light and color curves observed before the outburst indicate that the system is a special CV. The white dwarf is not accreting material from the secondary and there are no accretion disks surrounding the white dwarf. By comparing the light curves obtained from 2016 April 19 to those from September 14, it was found that magnetic activity of the secondary is associated with the outburst. We show strong evidence that the L 1 region on the secondary was heavily spotted before and after the outburst and thus quench the mass transfer, while the outburst is produced by a sudden mass accretion of the white dwarf. These results suggest that J162117 is a good astrophysical laboratory to study stellar magnetic activity and its influences on CV mass transfer and mass accretion.

  5. A New Stellar Outburst Associated with the Magnetic Activities of the K-type Dwarf in a White Dwarf Binary

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qian, S.-B.; Han, Z.-T.; Zhang, B.; Zhu, L.-Y.; Zhao, E.-G.; Liao, W.-P.; Tian, X.-M.; Wang, Z.-H.; Zejda, M.; Michel, R.

    2017-01-01

    1SWASP J162117.36+441254.2 was originally classified as an EW-type binary with a period of 0.20785 days. However, it was detected to have undergone a stellar outburst on 2016 June 3. Although the system was later classified as a cataclysmic variable (CV) and the event was attributed as a dwarf nova outburst, the physical reason is still unknown. This binary has been monitored photometrically since 2016 April 19, and many light curves were obtained before, during, and after the outburst. Those light and color curves observed before the outburst indicate that the system is a special CV. The white dwarf is not accreting material from the secondary and there are no accretion disks surrounding the white dwarf. By comparing the light curves obtained from 2016 April 19 to those from September 14, it was found that magnetic activity of the secondary is associated with the outburst. We show strong evidence that the L 1 region on the secondary was heavily spotted before and after the outburst and thus quench the mass transfer, while the outburst is produced by a sudden mass accretion of the white dwarf. These results suggest that J162117 is a good astrophysical laboratory to study stellar magnetic activity and its influences on CV mass transfer and mass accretion.

  6. The gravitational wave emission from white dwarf interactions in globular clusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loren-Aguilar, P; Garcia-Berro, E; Lobo, J A; Isern, J

    2009-01-01

    In the dense central regions of globular clusters close encounters of two white dwarfs are relatively frequent. The estimated frequency is one or more strong encounters per star in the lifetime of the cluster. Such encounters should be then potential sources of gravitational wave radiation. Thus, it is foreseeable that these collisions could be either individually detected by LISA or they could contribute significantly to the background noise of the detector. We compute the pattern of gravitational wave emission from these encounters for a sufficiently broad range of system parameters, namely the masses, the relative velocities and the distances of the two white dwarfs involved in the encounter.

  7. On the occurrence and detectability of Bose-Einstein condensation in helium white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benvenuto, O.G.; Vito, M.A. De

    2011-01-01

    It has been recently proposed that helium white dwarfs may provide promising conditions for the occurrence of the Bose-Einstein condensation. The argument supporting this expectation is that in some conditions attained in the core of these objects, the typical De Broglie wavelength associated with helium nuclei is of the order of the mean distance between neighboring nuclei. In these conditions the system should depart from classical behavior showing quantum effects. As helium nuclei are bosons, they are expected to condense. In order to explore the possibility of detecting the Bose-Einstein condensation in the evolution of helium white dwarfs we have computed a set of models for a variety of stellar masses and values of the condensation temperature. We do not perform a detailed treatment of the condensation process but mimic it by suppressing the nuclei contribution to the equation of state by applying an adequate function. As the cooling of white dwarfs depends on average properties of the whole stellar interior, this procedure should be suitable for exploring the departure of the cooling process from that predicted by the standard treatment. We find that the Bose-Einstein condensation has noticeable, but not dramatic effects on the cooling process only for the most massive white dwarfs compatible with a helium dominated interior ( ≈ 0.50M s un) and very low luminosities (say, Log(L/L s un) < −4.0). These facts lead us to conclude that it seems extremely difficult to find observable signals of the Bose-Einstein condensation. Recently, it has been suggested that the population of helium white dwarfs detected in the globular cluster NGC 6397 is a good candidate for detecting signals of the Bose-Einstein condensation. We find that these stars have masses too low and are too bright to have an already condensed interior

  8. K2 Ultracool Dwarfs Survey. II. The White Light Flare Rate of Young Brown Dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gizis, John E.; Paudel, Rishi R.; Mullan, Dermott; Schmidt, Sarah J.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Williams, Peter K. G.

    2017-08-01

    We use Kepler K2 Campaign 4 short-cadence (one-minute) photometry to measure white light flares in the young, moving group brown dwarfs 2MASS J03350208+2342356 (2M0335+23) and 2MASS J03552337+1133437 (2M0355+11), and report on long-cadence (thirty-minute) photometry of a superflare in the Pleiades M8 brown dwarf CFHT-PL-17. The rotation period (5.24 hr) and projected rotational velocity (45 km s-1) confirm 2M0335+23 is inflated (R≥slant 0.20 {R}⊙ ) as predicted for a 0.06 {M}⊙ , 24 Myr old brown dwarf βPic moving group member. We detect 22 white light flares on 2M0335+23. The flare frequency distribution follows a power-law distribution with slope -α =-1.8+/- 0.2 over the range 1031 to 1033 erg. This slope is similar to that observed in the Sun and warmer flare stars, and is consistent with lower-energy flares in previous work on M6-M8 very-low-mass stars; taking the two data sets together, the flare frequency distribution for ultracool dwarfs is a power law over 4.3 orders of magnitude. The superflare (2.6× {10}34 erg) on CFHT-PL-17 shows higher-energy flares are possible. We detect no flares down to a limit of 2× {10}30 erg in the nearby L5γ AB Dor moving group brown dwarf 2M0355+11, consistent with the view that fast magnetic reconnection is suppressed in cool atmospheres. We discuss two multi-peaked flares observed in 2M0335+23, and argue that these complex flares can be understood as sympathetic flares, in which fast-mode magnetohydrodynamic waves similar to extreme-ultraviolet waves in the Sun trigger magnetic reconnection in different active regions.

  9. Relativistic deflection of background starlight measures the mass of a nearby white dwarf star.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahu, Kailash C; Anderson, Jay; Casertano, Stefano; Bond, Howard E; Bergeron, Pierre; Nelan, Edmund P; Pueyo, Laurent; Brown, Thomas M; Bellini, Andrea; Levay, Zoltan G; Sokol, Joshua; Dominik, Martin; Calamida, Annalisa; Kains, Noé; Livio, Mario

    2017-06-09

    Gravitational deflection of starlight around the Sun during the 1919 total solar eclipse provided measurements that confirmed Einstein's general theory of relativity. We have used the Hubble Space Telescope to measure the analogous process of astrometric microlensing caused by a nearby star, the white dwarf Stein 2051 B. As Stein 2051 B passed closely in front of a background star, the background star's position was deflected. Measurement of this deflection at multiple epochs allowed us to determine the mass of Stein 2051 B-the sixth-nearest white dwarf to the Sun-as 0.675 ± 0.051 solar masses. This mass determination provides confirmation of the physics of degenerate matter and lends support to white dwarf evolutionary theory. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  10. Atmospheric studies of C2 white dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swanson, Steven Roger

    Model atmosphere and line formation calculations for the delta nu = + 1 Swan bands of the C2 molecule are presented for seven white dwarfs and are compared to high resolution optical spectra. Limits on the C-12 to C-13 ratio are computed for highly pressure broadened lines and are used to analyze the observed spectra for any sign of absorption by the (C-12)(C-13) molecule. The metal abundances in cool white dwarf atmospheres and the usefulness of the determination of the C-12 to C-13 ratio are discussed. The line center shift and the pressure broadening are used to determine a value for the van der Waals interaction constant, C6. This is done using a detailed line modelling program which explicitly includes approximately 2000 rotational transition lines within the vibrational bands, in conjunction with atmospheric models calculated by the LUCIFER atmosphere modelling program. The isotopic shift of the vibrational and rotational lines is also included in the model to compare the detectability of various C-12 to C-13 ratios. The line models fit the observed spectra with varying degrees of accuracy. One star, WD0548-001, shows an unusually small pressure shift and broadening for the high pressures that the atmospheric model predicts. The results show that only in the hottest stars with the least pressure broadened lines in this study can the isotopic effect be seen. With the data available, the best limit on the C-12 to C-13 ratio is a minimum of 40 for WD0856 + 331. The models show that even for very high signal to noise data, the isotopic shift in the Swan bands in very cool white dwarfs would be difficult to separate from the pressure broadening effects. It is shown that the isotopic ratio is high enough to rule out the possibility that the carbon is a relic from previous CNO burning.

  11. Atmospheric studies of C2 white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Swanson, S.R.

    1989-01-01

    Model atmosphere and line formation calculations for the delta nu = + 1 Swan bands of the C2 molecule are presented for seven white dwarfs and are compared to high resolution optical spectra. Limits on the C-12 to C-13 ratio are computed for highly pressure broadened lines and are used to analyze the observed spectra for any sign of absorption by the (C-12)(C-13) molecule. The metal abundances in cool white dwarf atmospheres and the usefulness of the determination of the C-12 to C-13 ratio are discussed. The line center shift and the pressure broadening are used to determine a value for the van der Waals interaction constant, C6. This is done using a detailed line modelling program which explicitly includes approximately 2000 rotational transition lines within the vibrational bands, in conjunction with atmospheric models calculated by the LUCIFER atmosphere modelling program. The isotopic shift of the vibrational and rotational lines is also included in the model to compare the detectability of various C-12 to C-13 ratios. The line models fit the observed spectra with varying degrees of accuracy. One star, WD0548-001, shows an unusually small pressure shift and broadening for the high pressures that the atmospheric model predicts. The results show that only in the hottest stars with the least pressure broadened lines in this study can the isotopic effect be seen. With the data available, the best limit on the C-12 to C-13 ratio is a minimum of 40 for WD0856 + 331. The models show that even for very high signal to noise data, the isotopic shift in the Swan bands in very cool white dwarfs would be difficult to separate from the pressure broadening effects. It is shown that the isotopic ratio is high enough to rule out the possibility that the carbon is a relic from previous CNO burning

  12. AN IMPROVED SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF DA WHITE DWARFS FROM THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY DATA RELEASE 4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tremblay, P.-E.; Bergeron, P.; Gianninas, A.

    2011-01-01

    We present an improved spectroscopic and photometric analysis of hydrogen-line DA white dwarfs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 4 (SDSS DR4) based on model atmospheres that include improved Stark broadening profiles with non-ideal gas effects. We also perform a careful visual inspection of all spectroscopic fits with high signal-to-noise ratios (S/Ns > 12) and present improved atmospheric parameters (T eff and log g) for each white dwarf. Through a comparison of spectroscopic and photometric temperatures, we report the discovery of 35 DA+DB/DC double degenerate candidates and two helium-rich DA stars. We also determine that a cutoff at S/N = 15 optimizes the size and quality of the sample for computing the mean mass of DA white dwarfs, for which we report a value of 0.613 M sun . We compare our results to previous analyses of the SDSS DR4 and find a good agreement if we account for the shift produced by the improved Stark profiles. Finally, the properties of DA white dwarfs in the SDSS are weighed against those of the Villanova White Dwarf Catalog sample of Gianninas et al. We find systematically lower masses (by about 3% on average), a difference that we trace back to the data reduction procedure of the SDSS. We conclude that a better understanding of these differences will be important to determine the absolute temperature scale and mean mass of DA white dwarfs.

  13. ROCKY EXTRASOLAR PLANETARY COMPOSITIONS DERIVED FROM EXTERNALLY POLLUTED WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klein, B.; Jura, M.; Zuckerman, B.; Koester, D.

    2011-01-01

    We report Keck High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer data and model atmosphere analysis of two helium-dominated white dwarfs, PG1225–079 and HS2253+8023, whose heavy pollutions most likely derive from the accretion of terrestrial-type planet(esimal)s. For each system, the minimum accreted mass is ∼10 22 g, that of a large asteroid. In PG1225–079, Mg, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ni have abundance ratios similar to bulk Earth values, while we measure four refractory elements, Ca, Sc, Ti, and V, all at a factor of ∼2-3 higher abundance than in the bulk Earth. For HS2253+8023 the swallowed material was compositionally similar to bulk Earth in being more than 85% by mass in the major element species, O, Mg, Si, and Fe, and with abundances in the distinctive proportions of mineral oxides—compelling evidence for an origin in a rocky parent body. Including previous studies we now know of four heavily polluted white dwarfs where the measured oxygen and hydrogen are consistent with the view that the parents' bodies formed with little ice, interior to any snow line in their nebular environments. The growing handful of polluted white dwarf systems with comprehensive abundance measurements form a baseline for characterizing rocky exoplanet compositions that can be compared with bulk Earth.

  14. Stars of type MS with evidence of white dwarf companions. [IUE, Main Sequence (MS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peery, Benjamin F., Jr.

    1986-01-01

    A search for white dwarf companions of MS-type stars was conducted, using IUE. The overendowments of these stars in typical S-process nuclides suggest that they, like the Ba II stars, may owe their peculiar compositions to earlier mass transfer. Short-wavelength IUE spectra show striking emission line variability in HD35155, HD61913, and 4 Ori; HD35155 and 4 Ori show evidence of white dwarf companions.

  15. EVOLUTION OF WHITE DWARF STARS WITH HIGH-METALLICITY PROGENITORS: THE ROLE OF 22Ne DIFFUSION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Althaus, L. G.; Corsico, A. H.; GarcIa-Berro, E.; Renedo, I.; Isern, J.; Rohrmann, R. D.

    2010-01-01

    Motivated by the strong discrepancy between the main-sequence turnoff age and the white dwarf cooling age in the metal-rich open cluster NGC 6791, we compute a grid of white dwarf evolutionary sequences that incorporates for the first time the energy released by the processes of 22 Ne sedimentation and of carbon/oxygen phase separation upon crystallization. The grid covers the mass range from 0.52 to 1.0 M sun , and is appropriate for the study of white dwarfs in metal-rich clusters. The evolutionary calculations are based on a detailed and self-consistent treatment of the energy released from these two processes, as well as on the employment of realistic carbon/oxygen profiles, of relevance for an accurate evaluation of the energy released by carbon/oxygen phase separation. We find that 22 Ne sedimentation strongly delays the cooling rate of white dwarfs stemming from progenitors with high metallicities at moderate luminosities, while carbon/oxygen phase separation adds considerable delays at low luminosities. Cooling times are sensitive to possible uncertainties in the actual value of the diffusion coefficient of 22 Ne. Changing the diffusion coefficient by a factor of 2 leads to maximum age differences of ∼8%-20% depending on the stellar mass. We find that the magnitude of the delays resulting from chemical changes in the core is consistent with the slowdown in the white dwarf cooling rate that is required to solve the age discrepancy in NGC 6791.

  16. SPONTANEOUS INITIATION OF DETONATIONS IN WHITE DWARF ENVIRONMENTS: DETERMINATION OF CRITICAL SIZES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seitenzahl, Ivo R.; Meakin, Casey A.; Townsley, Dean M.; Truran, James W.; Lamb, Don Q.

    2009-01-01

    Some explosion models for Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), such as the gravitationally confined detonation (GCD) or the double detonation sub-Chandrasekhar (DDSC) models, rely on the spontaneous initiation of a detonation in the degenerate 12 C/ 16 O material of a white dwarf (WD). The length scales pertinent to the initiation of the detonation are notoriously unresolved in multidimensional stellar simulations, prompting the use of results of one-dimensional simulations at higher resolution, such as those performed for this work, as guidelines for deciding whether or not conditions reached in the higher dimensional full star simulations successfully would lead to the onset of a detonation. Spontaneous initiation relies on the existence of a suitable gradient in self-ignition (induction) times of the fuel, which we set up with a spatially localized nonuniformity of temperature-a hot spot. We determine the critical (smallest) sizes of such hot spots that still marginally result in a detonation in WD matter by integrating the reactive Euler equations with the hydrodynamics code FLASH. We quantify the dependences of the critical sizes of such hot spots on composition, background temperature, peak temperature, geometry, and functional form of the temperature disturbance, many of which were hitherto largely unexplored in the literature. We discuss the implications of our results in the context of modeling of SNe Ia.

  17. EXOSAT observations of V471 Tauri - a 9.25 minute white dwarf pulsation and orbital phase dependent X-ray dips

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jensen, K.A.; Swank, J.H.; Petre, P.; Guinan, E.F.; Sion, E.M.; Navy, E. O. Hulburt Center for Space Research, Washington, DC; Villanova Univ., PA)

    1986-01-01

    New results obtained from a 28 hr continuous observation of V471 Tauri with the EXOSAT satellite are reported. The detection of soft X-ray fluxes from both the white dwarf and the K dwarf, the discovery of a 9.25 minute pulsation from the white dwarf, and the discovery of orbital phase-related soft X-ray dips are discussed. The dips may be correlated with the triangular Lagrangian points of the binary orbit. The X-ray flux from the white dwarf is consistent with thermal models for a white dwarf photosphere with T(eff) of about 35,000 K, log g = 8.0-8.5, and log N(H) = 18.65 + or - 0.2. 25 references

  18. Hydrodynamic Simulations of Classical Novae: Accretion onto CO White Dwarfs as SN Ia Progenitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Starrfield, Sumner; Bose, Maitrayee; Iliadis, Christian; Hix, William R.; José, Jordi; Hernanz, Margarita

    2017-06-01

    We have continued our studies of accretion onto white dwarfs by following the evolution of thermonuclear runaways on Carbon Oxygen (CO) white dwarfs. We have varied the mass of the white dwarf and the composition of the accreted material but chosen to keep the mass accretion rate at 2 x 10^{-10} solar masses per year to obtain the largest amount of accreted material possible with rates near to those observed. We assume either 25% core material or 50% core material has been mixed into the accreting material prior to the explosion. We use our 1D, lagrangian, hydrodynamic code: NOVA. We will report on the results of these simulations and compare the ejecta abundances to those measured in pre-solar grains that are thought to arise from classical nova explosions. These results will also be compared to recent results with SHIVA (Jose and Hernanz). We find that in all cases and for all white dwarf masses that less mass is ejected than accreted and, therefore, the white dwarf is growing in mass as a result of the accretion and resulting explosion.This work was supported in part by NASA under the Astrophysics Theory Program grant 14-ATP14-0007 and the U.S. DOE under Contract No. DE-FG02- 97ER41041. SS acknowledges partial support from NASA, NSF, and HST grants to ASU and WRH is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Physics. The results reported herein benefitted from collaborations and/or information exchange within NASA’s Nexus for Exoplanet System Science (NExSS) research coordination network sponsored by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

  19. Chemical composition and effective temperatures of metallic line white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hammond, G.L.

    1974-01-01

    Model atmosphere techniques have been employed to determine the composition, effective temperatures, radii, masses and surface gravities of white dwarfs Ross 640 and van Maanen 2. The non-gray, LTE, convective, constant flux models employed collisional damping constants for the Ca II H and K lines that were measured in a laboratory device that simulated white dwarf atmospheric conditions. Ross 640 was found to have an extremely helium-rich composition and T/sub eff/ = 8500K, while the observed properties of van Maanen 2 were fitted best by a model with 91 percent helium, 9 percent hydrogen and T/sub eff/ = 6100K. The laboratory measurements of pressure shifts for the Ca II lines casts some doubt on the interpretation of recent radial velocity determinations for van Maanen 2. (U.S.)

  20. GD1212: Probing deep into the interior of a pulsating white dwarf star

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giammichele N.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We present the first self-consistent seismic analysis of a white dwarf star, GD 1212, in the Kepler2 field. We precisely establish the fundamental parameters of the star using the forward method based on physically sound models. We unravel the internal structure as well as the rotation profile of GD1212 deeper than in any other ZZCeti stars studied so far. This opens up interesting prospects for future analyses of the white dwarf pulsators monitored in the Kepler and Kepler2 fields.

  1. Nucleus-acoustic shock waves in white dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jannat, S.; Mamun, A. A.

    2018-04-01

    The nucleus-acoustic shock waves (NASWs) propagating in a white dwarf plasma system, which contain non-relativistically or ultrarelativistically degenerate electrons, non-relativistically degenerate, viscous fluid of light nuclei, and immobile nuclei of heavy elements, have been theoretically investigated. We have used the reductive perturbation method, which is valid for small but finite-amplitude NASWs to derive the Burgers equation. The NASWs are, in fact, associated with the nucleus-acoustic (NA) waves in which the inertia is provided by the light nuclei, and restoring force is provided by the degenerate pressure of electrons. On the other hand, the stationary heavy nuclei participate only in maintaining the background charge neutrality condition at equilibrium. It is found that the viscous force acting in the fluid of light nuclei is a source of dissipation, and is responsible for the formation of NASWs. It is also observed that the basic features (polarity, amplitude, width, etc.) of the NASWs are significantly modified by the presence of heavy nuclei, and that NASWs are formed with either positive or negative potential depending on the values of the charge density of the heavy nuclei. The basic properties are also found to be significantly modified by the effects of ultrarelativistically degenerate electrons. The implications of our results in white dwarfs are briefly discussed.

  2. On the Spectral Evolution of Helium-atmosphere White Dwarfs Showing Traces of Hydrogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rolland, B.; Bergeron, P.; Fontaine, G.

    2018-04-01

    We present a detailed spectroscopic analysis of 115 helium-line (DB) and 28 cool, He-rich hydrogen-line (DA) white dwarfs based on atmosphere fits to optical spectroscopy and photometry. We find that 63% of our DB population show hydrogen lines, making them DBA stars. We also demonstrate the persistence of pure DB white dwarfs with no detectable hydrogen feature at low effective temperatures. Using state-of-the art envelope models, we next compute the total quantity of hydrogen, M H, that is contained in the outer convection zone as a function of effective temperature and atmospheric H/He ratio. We find that some (T eff, M H) pairs cannot physically exist as a homogeneously mixed structure; such a combination can only occur as stratified objects of the DA spectral type. On that basis, we show that the values of M H inferred for the bulk of the DBA stars are too large and incompatible with the convective dilution scenario. We also present evidence that the hydrogen abundances measured in DBA and cool, helium-rich white dwarfs cannot be globally accounted for by any kind of accretion mechanism onto a pure DB star. We suggest that cool, He-rich DA white dwarfs are most likely created by the convective mixing of a DA star with a thin hydrogen envelope; they are not cooled down DBAs. We finally explore several scenarios that could account for the presence of hydrogen in DBA stars.

  3. Habitable planets around white and brown dwarfs: the perils of a cooling primary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnes, Rory; Heller, René

    2013-03-01

    White and brown dwarfs are astrophysical objects that are bright enough to support an insolation habitable zone (IHZ). Unlike hydrogen-burning stars, they cool and become less luminous with time; hence their IHZ moves in with time. The inner edge of the IHZ is defined as the orbital radius at which a planet may enter a moist or runaway greenhouse, phenomena that can remove a planet's surface water forever. Thus, as the IHZ moves in, planets that enter it may no longer have any water and are still uninhabitable. Additionally, the close proximity of the IHZ to the primary leads to concern that tidal heating may also be strong enough to trigger a runaway greenhouse, even for orbital eccentricities as small as 10(-6). Water loss occurs due to photolyzation by UV photons in the planetary stratosphere, followed by hydrogen escape. Young white dwarfs emit a large amount of these photons, as their surface temperatures are over 10(4) K. The situation is less clear for brown dwarfs, as observational data do not constrain their early activity and UV emission very well. Nonetheless, both types of planets are at risk of never achieving habitable conditions, but planets orbiting white dwarfs may be less likely to sustain life than those orbiting brown dwarfs. We consider the future habitability of the planet candidates KOI 55.01 and 55.02 in these terms and find they are unlikely to become habitable.

  4. Interstellar medium and the highly ionized species observed in the spectrum of the nearby white dwarf G191-B2B

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruhweiler, F.C.; Kondo, Y.

    1981-01-01

    High-resolution spectra of the neargy (48 pc) white dwarf G191-B2B obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) reveal sharp resonance lines of N V, C IV, and Si IV. The origin of these features is most likely linked to the white dwarf, possibly being formed in an expanding halo around the star. Interstellar lines of C II, N I, Mg II, Si II, Fe II are also seen in the spectrum. Analysis of these features indicates an average neutral hydrogen number density, n/sub Htsi/ = 6.4 x 10 -3 , for this line of sight. In combination with the recent EUV and soft X-ray results, we interpret this to mean that the interstellar medium in the most immediate solar vicinity is of the ''normal'' density (nroughly-equal0.1 cm -3 ) of lower ionization, while just beyond it, at least in some directions, is a hot, lower density plasma. These results are apparently in conflict with the model of the interstellar medium by McKee and Ostriker in its present form

  5. On type Ia supernovae and the formation of single low-mass white dwarfs

    OpenAIRE

    Justham, Stephen; Wolf, Christian; Podsiadlowski, Philipp; Han, Zhanwen

    2008-01-01

    There is still considerable debate over the progenitors of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). Likewise, it is not agreed how single white dwarfs with masses less than ~0.5 Msun can be formed in the field, even though they are known to exist. We consider whether single low-mass white dwarfs (LMWDs) could have been formed in binary systems where their companions have exploded as a SN Ia. In this model, the observed single LMWDs are the remnants of giant-branch donor stars whose envelopes have been st...

  6. Lessons for Asteroseismology from White Dwarf Stars

    OpenAIRE

    Metcalfe, Travis S.

    2005-01-01

    The interpretation of pulsation data for Sun-like stars is currently facing challenges quite similar to those faced by white dwarf modelers ten years ago. The observational requirements for uninterrupted long-term monitoring are beginning to be satisfied by successful multi-site campaigns and dedicated satellite missions. But exploration of the most important physical parameters in theoretical models has been fairly limited, making it difficult to establish a detailed best-fit model for a par...

  7. Head-on collisions of binary white dwarf-neutron stars: Simulations in full general relativity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paschalidis, Vasileios; Etienne, Zachariah; Liu, Yuk Tung; Shapiro, Stuart L.

    2011-01-01

    We simulate head-on collisions from rest at large separation of binary white dwarf-neutron stars (WDNSs) in full general relativity. Our study serves as a prelude to our analysis of the circular binary WDNS problem. We focus on compact binaries whose total mass exceeds the maximum mass that a cold-degenerate star can support, and our goal is to determine the fate of such systems. A fully general relativistic hydrodynamic computation of a realistic WDNS head-on collision is prohibitive due to the large range of dynamical time scales and length scales involved. For this reason, we construct an equation of state (EOS) which captures the main physical features of neutron stars (NSs) while, at the same time, scales down the size of white dwarfs (WDs). We call these scaled-down WD models 'pseudo-WDs (pWDs)'. Using pWDs, we can study these systems via a sequence of simulations where the size of the pWD gradually increases toward the realistic case. We perform two sets of simulations; One set studies the effects of the NS mass on the final outcome, when the pWD is kept fixed. The other set studies the effect of the pWD compaction on the final outcome, when the pWD mass and the NS are kept fixed. All simulations show that after the collision, 14%-18% of the initial total rest mass escapes to infinity. All remnant masses still exceed the maximum rest mass that our cold EOS can support (1.92M · ), but no case leads to prompt collapse to a black hole. This outcome arises because the final configurations are hot. All cases settle into spherical, quasiequilibrium configurations consisting of a cold NS core surrounded by a hot mantle, resembling Thorne-Zytkow objects. Extrapolating our results to realistic WD compactions, we predict that the likely outcome of a head-on collision of a realistic, massive WDNS system will be the formation of a quasiequilibrium Thorne-Zytkow-like object.

  8. A reevaluation of the proposed spin-down of the white dwarf pulsar in AR Scorpii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potter, Stephen B.; Buckley, David A. H.

    2018-05-01

    We present high-speed optical photometric observations, spanning ˜2 years, of the recently-discovered white dwarf pulsar AR Scorpii. The amplitudes of the orbital, spin and beat modulations appear to be remarkably stable and repeatable over the time span of our observations. It has been suggested that the polarized and non-polarized emission from AR Scorpii is powered by the spin-down of the white dwarf. However, we find that our new data is inconsistent with the published spin-down ephemeris. Whilst our data is consistent with a constant spin period further observations over an extended time-base are required in order to ascertain the true spin-evolution of the white dwarf. This may have implications for the various models put forward to explain the energetics and evolution of AR Scorpii.

  9. Star's death and rebirth. White dwarfs, supernovae, pulsars, black holes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Otzen Petersen, J [Copenhagen Univ. (Denmark)

    1975-01-01

    The evolution of a star from a main sequence star of approximately solar mass, first to a red giant, thereafter to a white dwarf is described in detail. The evolution of more massive stars to supernovae, neutron stars and pulsars is then discussed with special reference to the Crab Nebula. Black holes and X-ray sources are also discussed, in this case with reference to the Cygnus X-1 system. In conclusion, it is pointed out that after their active phase white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes may exist as dead bodies in space, and only be observeable through their gravitational fields. It is possible that a great number of such bodies may exist, and contribute to the stability of galaxies, also possibly facilitating the explanation of the galaxies' red shifts by means of simple universe models.

  10. Measurements of Physical Parameters of White Dwarfs: A Test of the Mass–Radius Relation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bédard, A.; Bergeron, P.; Fontaine, G., E-mail: bedard@astro.umontreal.ca, E-mail: bergeron@astro.umontreal.ca, E-mail: fontaine@astro.umontreal.ca [Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7 (Canada)

    2017-10-10

    We present a detailed spectroscopic and photometric analysis of 219 DA and DB white dwarfs for which trigonometric parallax measurements are available. Our aim is to compare the physical parameters derived from the spectroscopic and photometric techniques, and then to test the theoretical mass–radius relation for white dwarfs using these results. The agreement between spectroscopic and photometric parameters is found to be excellent, especially for effective temperatures, showing that our model atmospheres and fitting procedures provide an accurate, internally consistent analysis. The values of surface gravity and solid angle obtained, respectively, from spectroscopy and photometry, are combined with parallax measurements in various ways to study the validity of the mass–radius relation from an empirical point of view. After a thorough examination of our results, we find that 73% and 92% of the white dwarfs are consistent within 1 σ and 2 σ confidence levels, respectively, with the predictions of the mass–radius relation, thus providing strong support to the theory of stellar degeneracy. Our analysis also allows us to identify 15 stars that are better interpreted in terms of unresolved double degenerate binaries. Atmospheric parameters for both components in these binary systems are obtained using a novel approach. We further identify a few white dwarfs that are possibly composed of an iron core rather than a carbon/oxygen core, since they are consistent with Fe-core evolutionary models.

  11. Surface Inhomogeneities of the White Dwarf in the Binary EUVE J2013+400

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vennes, Stephane

    We propose to study the white dwarf in the binary EUVE J2013+400. The object is paired with a dMe star and new extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations will offer critical insights into the properties of the white dwarf. The binary behaves, in every other aspects, like its siblings EUVE J0720-317 and EUVE J1016-053 and new EUV observations will help establish their class properties; in particular, EUV photometric variations in 0720-317 and 1016-053 over a period of 11 hours and 57 minutes, respectively, are indicative of surface abundance inhomogeneities coupled with the white dwarfs rotation period. These variations and their large photospheric helium abundance are best explained by a diffusion-accretion model in which time-variable accretion and possible coupling to magnetic poles contribute to abundance variations across the surface and possibly as a function of depth. EUV spectroscopy will also enable a study of the helium abundance as a function of depth and a detailed comparison with theoretical diffusion profile.

  12. Habitable Planets Around White and Brown Dwarfs: The Perils of a Cooling Primary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heller, René

    2013-01-01

    Abstract White and brown dwarfs are astrophysical objects that are bright enough to support an insolation habitable zone (IHZ). Unlike hydrogen-burning stars, they cool and become less luminous with time; hence their IHZ moves in with time. The inner edge of the IHZ is defined as the orbital radius at which a planet may enter a moist or runaway greenhouse, phenomena that can remove a planet's surface water forever. Thus, as the IHZ moves in, planets that enter it may no longer have any water and are still uninhabitable. Additionally, the close proximity of the IHZ to the primary leads to concern that tidal heating may also be strong enough to trigger a runaway greenhouse, even for orbital eccentricities as small as 10−6. Water loss occurs due to photolyzation by UV photons in the planetary stratosphere, followed by hydrogen escape. Young white dwarfs emit a large amount of these photons, as their surface temperatures are over 104 K. The situation is less clear for brown dwarfs, as observational data do not constrain their early activity and UV emission very well. Nonetheless, both types of planets are at risk of never achieving habitable conditions, but planets orbiting white dwarfs may be less likely to sustain life than those orbiting brown dwarfs. We consider the future habitability of the planet candidates KOI 55.01 and 55.02 in these terms and find they are unlikely to become habitable. Key Words: Extrasolar terrestrial planets—Habitability—Habitable zone—Tides—Exoplanets. Astrobiology 13, 279–291. PMID:23537137

  13. Orbital motion of the secondary in three AM Her systems: evidence for low-mass white dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mukai, K; Charles, P A

    1987-05-01

    In an earlier paper the spectroscopic detection was reported of the secondaries in the three AM Her type systems, CW1103+254, PG1550+191 and E2003+225. In this paper, high-resolution spectrophotometry of these stars is presented in the wavelength region lambda lambda 7550-8850. In all three cases, the radial velocity variation of the second star has been detected using the Na I doublet at lambda lambda 8183-94. Combined with values for each system's inclination estimated from polarimetry, constraints on the white dwarf masses are derived. The average of our best estimates for the white dwarf masses in these systems and AM Her itself is approx.0.6 solar masses, essentially coincident with the masses of isolated white dwarfs.

  14. MagAO IMAGING OF LONG-PERIOD OBJECTS (MILO). II. A PUZZLING WHITE DWARF AROUND THE SUN-LIKE STAR HD 11112

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodigas, Timothy J.; Arriagada, Pamela; Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Weinberger, Alycia; Butler, R. Paul; Bergeron, P.; Simon, Amélie; Anglada-Escudé, Guillem; Mamajek, Eric E.; Males, Jared R.; Morzinski, Katie; Close, Laird M.; Hinz, Philip M.; Bailey, Jeremy; Tinney, C. G.; Wittenmyer, Rob; Carter, Brad; Jenkins, James S.; Jones, Hugh; O’Toole, Simon

    2016-01-01

    HD 11112 is an old, Sun-like star that has a long-term radial velocity (RV) trend indicative of a massive companion on a wide orbit. Here we present direct images of the source responsible for the trend using the Magellan Adaptive Optics system. We detect the object (HD 11112B) at a separation of 2.″2 (100 au) at multiple wavelengths spanning 0.6–4 μ m and show that it is most likely a gravitationally bound cool white dwarf. Modeling its spectral energy distribution suggests that its mass is 0.9–1.1 M ⊙ , which corresponds to very high eccentricity, near edge-on orbits from a Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis of the RV and imaging data together. The total age of the white dwarf is >2 σ , which is discrepant with that of the primary star under most assumptions. The problem can be resolved if the white dwarf progenitor was initially a double white dwarf binary that then merged into the observed high-mass white dwarf. HD 11112B is a unique and intriguing benchmark object that can be used to calibrate atmospheric and evolutionary models of cool white dwarfs and should thus continue to be monitored by RV and direct imaging over the coming years.

  15. MagAO IMAGING OF LONG-PERIOD OBJECTS (MILO). II. A PUZZLING WHITE DWARF AROUND THE SUN-LIKE STAR HD 11112

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodigas, Timothy J.; Arriagada, Pamela; Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Weinberger, Alycia; Butler, R. Paul [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5241 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, DC 20015 (United States); Bergeron, P.; Simon, Amélie [Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7 (Canada); Anglada-Escudé, Guillem [School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary, University of London, 327 Mile End Road, London (United Kingdom); Mamajek, Eric E. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627-0171 (United States); Males, Jared R.; Morzinski, Katie; Close, Laird M.; Hinz, Philip M. [Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Bailey, Jeremy; Tinney, C. G.; Wittenmyer, Rob [Exoplanetary Science at UNSW, School of Physics, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Carter, Brad [Computational Engineering and Science Research Centre, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield, QLD 4300 (Australia); Jenkins, James S. [Departamento de Astronomia, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 36-D, Las Condes, Santiago (Chile); Jones, Hugh [Centre for Astrophysics Research, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AB (United Kingdom); O’Toole, Simon, E-mail: trodigas@carnegiescience.edu [Australian Astronomical Observatory, P.O. Box 915, North Ryde, NSW 1670 (Australia); and others

    2016-11-10

    HD 11112 is an old, Sun-like star that has a long-term radial velocity (RV) trend indicative of a massive companion on a wide orbit. Here we present direct images of the source responsible for the trend using the Magellan Adaptive Optics system. We detect the object (HD 11112B) at a separation of 2.″2 (100 au) at multiple wavelengths spanning 0.6–4 μ m and show that it is most likely a gravitationally bound cool white dwarf. Modeling its spectral energy distribution suggests that its mass is 0.9–1.1 M {sub ⊙}, which corresponds to very high eccentricity, near edge-on orbits from a Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis of the RV and imaging data together. The total age of the white dwarf is >2 σ , which is discrepant with that of the primary star under most assumptions. The problem can be resolved if the white dwarf progenitor was initially a double white dwarf binary that then merged into the observed high-mass white dwarf. HD 11112B is a unique and intriguing benchmark object that can be used to calibrate atmospheric and evolutionary models of cool white dwarfs and should thus continue to be monitored by RV and direct imaging over the coming years.

  16. Lessons for Asteroseismology from White Dwarf Stars Travis S ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    are evenly spaced, but chemical stratification and variations in other relevant physical ... In white dwarf models, the mean period spacing is related to the total stellar mass, .... estimate the mean density of the star (see Kjeldsen et al. 1995 ... in any stellar population (the Galactic disk and halo, open and globular clusters) to.

  17. Hot spot in eclipsing dwarf nova IY Ursae Majoris during quiescence and normal outburst

    OpenAIRE

    Bakowska, K.; Olech, A.

    2016-01-01

    We present the analysis of hot spot brightness in light curves of the eclipsing dwarf nova IY Ursae Majoris during its normal outburst in March 2013 and in quiescence in April 2012 and in October 2015. Examination of four reconstructed light curves of the hot spot eclipses showed directly that the brightness of the hot spot changed significantly only during the outburst. The brightness of the hot spot, before and after the outburst, was on the same level. Hereby, based on the behaviour of the...

  18. Rapid Evolution of the Gaseous Exoplanetary Debris Around the White Dwarf Star HE 1349--2305

    OpenAIRE

    Dennihy, E.; Clemens, J. C.; Dunlap, B. H.; Fanale, S. M.; Fuchs, J. T.; Hermes, J. J.

    2018-01-01

    Observations of heavy metal pollution in white dwarf stars indicate that metal-rich planetesimals are frequently scattered into star-grazing orbits, tidally disrupted, and accreted onto the white dwarf surface, offering direct insight into the dynamical evolution of post-main-sequence exoplanetary systems. Emission lines from the gaseous debris in the accretion disks of some of these systems show variations on timescales of decades, and have been interpreted as the general relativistic preces...

  19. The interstellar medium and the highly ionized species observed in the spectrum of the nearby white dwarf G191-B2B

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruhweiler, F. C.; Kondo, Y.

    1981-01-01

    High-resolution spectra of the nearby (48 pc) white dwarf G191-B2B, obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer, reveal sharp resonance lines of N V, C IV, and Si IV. The origin of these features is most likely linked to the white dwarf, possibly being formed in an expanding halo around the star. Interstellar lines of C II, N I, Mg II, Si II, and Fe II are also seen in the spectrum. Analysis of these features indicates an average neutral hydrogen number density of 0.064 for this line of sight. In combination with the recent EUV and soft X-ray results, this is interpreted to mean that the interstellar medium in the most immediate solar vicinity is of the normal density n approximately equal to 0.1/cu cm of lower ionization, while just beyond it, at least in some directions, is a hot lower density plasma. These results are apparently in conflict with the model of the interstellar medium by McKee and Ostriker (1977) in its present form.

  20. Radio pulsar death lines to SGRs/AXPs and white dwarfs pulsars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lobato, Ronaldo V.; Malheiro, M. [Departamento de Física, Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica, ITA - DCTA, Vila das Acácias, São José dos Campos, 12228-900 SP (Brazil); Coelho, J. G. [INPE - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Divisão de Astrofísica, Av. dos Astronautas 1758, São José dos Campos, 12227-010 SP (Brazil)

    2015-12-17

    Recently, an alternative model based on white dwarfs pulsars has been proposed to explain a class of pulsars known as Soft Gamma Repeaters (SGR) and Anomalus X-Ray Pulsars (AXP) [1], usually named as magnetars. In this model, the magnetized white dwarfs can have surface magnetic field B ∼ 10{sup 7} − 10{sup 10} G and rotate very fast with angular frequencies Ω ∼ 1 rad/s, allowing them to produce large electromagnetic (EM) potentials and generate electron-positron pairs. These EM potentials are comparable with the ones of neutron star pulsars with strong magnetic fields and even larger. In this study we consider two possible processes associated with the particle acceleration, both of them are common used to explain radio emission in neutron star pulsars: in the first process the pair production happens near to the star polar caps, i.e. inside of the light cylinder where magnetic field lines are closed; in the second one the creation of pair happens in the outer magnetosphere, i.e. far away of the star surface where magnetic field lines are open [2]. The analysis of the possibility of radio emission were done for 23 SGRs/AXPs of the McGill Online Magnetar Catalog [3] that contains the current information available on these sources. The results of this work show that the model where the particles production occur in the outer magnetosphere emission “o2” is the process compatible with the astronomical observations of absence of radio emission for almost all SGRs/AXPs when these sources are understood as white dwarf pulsars. Our work is a first attempted to find an explanation for the puzzle why for almost all the SGRs/AXPs was expected radio emission, but it was observed in only four of them. These four sources, as it was suggested recently [4], seem to belong to an high magnetic field neutron star pulsar category, different from all the others SGRs/AXPs that our work indicate to belong to a new class of white dwarf pulsars, very fast and magnetized.

  1. Stellar laboratories. IV. New Ga iv, Ga v, and Ga vi oscillator strengths and the gallium abundance in the hot white dwarfs G191-B2B and RE 0503-289

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, T.; Werner, K.; Quinet, P.; Kruk, J. W.

    2015-05-01

    Context. For the spectral analysis of high-resolution and high-signal-to-noise (S/N) spectra of hot stars, advanced non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres are mandatory. These atmospheres are strongly dependent on the reliability of the atomic data that are used to calculate them. Aims: Reliable Ga iv-vi oscillator strengths are used to identify Ga lines in the spectra of the DA-type white dwarf G191-B2B and the DO-type white dwarf RE 0503-289 and to determine their photospheric Ga abundances. Methods: We newly calculated Ga iv-vi oscillator strengths to consider their radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions in detail in our NLTE stellar-atmosphere models for analyzing of Ga lines exhibited in high-resolution and high-S/N UV observations of G191-B2B and RE 0503-289. Results: We unambiguously detected 20 isolated and 6 blended (with lines of other species) Ga v lines in the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spectrum of RE 0503-289. The identification of Ga iv and Ga vi lines is uncertain because they are weak and partly blended by other lines. The determined Ga abundance is 3.5 ± 0.5 × 10-5 (mass fraction, about 625 times the solar value). The Ga iv/Ga v ionization equilibrium, which is a very sensitive indicator for the effective temperature, is well reproduced in RE 0503-289. We identified the strongest Ga iv lines (at 1258.801, 1338.129 Å) in the HST/STIS spectrum of G191-B2B and measured a Ga abundance of 2.0 ± 0.5 × 10-6 (about 22 times solar). Conclusions: Reliable measurements and calculations of atomic data are a prerequisite for stellar-atmosphere modeling. The observed Ga iv-v line profiles in two white dwarf (G191-B2B and RE 0503-289) ultraviolet spectra were well reproduced with our newly calculated oscillator strengths. For the first time, this allowed us to determine the photospheric Ga abundance in white dwarfs. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space

  2. Throwing Icebergs at White Dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stephan, Alexander P.; Naoz, Smadar; Zuckerman, B., E-mail: alexpstephan@astro.ucla.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States)

    2017-08-01

    White dwarfs (WDs) have atmospheres that are expected to consist nearly entirely of hydrogen and helium, since heavier elements will sink out of sight on short timescales. However, observations have revealed atmospheric pollution by heavier elements in about a quarter to a half of all WDs. While most of the pollution can be accounted for with asteroidal or dwarf planetary material, recent observations indicate that larger planetary bodies, as well as icy and volatile material from Kuiper belt analog objects, are also viable sources of pollution. The commonly accepted pollution mechanisms, namely scattering interactions between planetary bodies orbiting the WDs, can hardly account for pollution by objects with large masses or long-period orbits. Here we report on a mechanism that naturally leads to the emergence of massive body and icy and volatile material pollution. This mechanism occurs in wide binary stellar systems, where the mass loss of the planets’ host stars during post main sequence stellar evolution can trigger the Eccentric Kozai–Lidov mechanism. This mechanism leads to large eccentricity excitations, which can bring massive and long-period objects close enough to the WDs to be accreted. We find that this mechanism readily explains and is consistent with observations.

  3. Pulsations of white dwarf stars with thick hydrogen or helium surface layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cox, A.N.; Starrfield, S.G.; Kidman, R.B.; Pesnell, W.D.

    1986-07-01

    In order to see if there could be agreement between results of stellar evolution theory and those of nonradial pulsation theory, calculations of white dwarf models have been made for hydrogen surface masses of 10/sup -4/ solar masses. Earlier results indicated that surface masses greater than 10/sup -8/ solar masses would not allow nonradial pulsations, even though all the driving and damping is in surface layers only 10/sup -12/ of the mass thick. It is shown that the surface mass of hydrogen in the pulsating white dwarfs (ZZ Ceti variables) can be any value as long as it is thick enough to contain the surface convection zone. 10 refs., 6 figs.

  4. TOWARD HIGH-PRECISION SEISMIC STUDIES OF WHITE DWARF STARS: PARAMETRIZATION OF THE CORE AND TESTS OF ACCURACY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giammichele, N.; Fontaine, G.; Brassard, P. [Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7 (Canada); Charpinet, S. [Université de Toulouse, UPS-OMP, IRAP, Toulouse F-31400 (France)

    2017-01-10

    We present a prescription for parametrizing the chemical profile in the core of white dwarfs in light of the recent discovery that pulsation modes may sometimes be deeply confined in some cool pulsating white dwarfs. Such modes may be used as unique probes of the complicated chemical stratification that results from several processes that occurred in previous evolutionary phases of intermediate-mass stars. This effort is part of our ongoing quest for more credible and realistic seismic models of white dwarfs using static, parametrized equilibrium structures. Inspired by successful techniques developed in design optimization fields (such as aerodynamics), we exploit Akima splines for the tracing of the chemical profile of oxygen (carbon) in the core of a white dwarf model. A series of tests are then presented to better seize the precision and significance of the results that can be obtained in an asteroseismological context. We also show that the new parametrization passes an essential basic test, as it successfully reproduces the chemical stratification of a full evolutionary model.

  5. TOWARD HIGH-PRECISION SEISMIC STUDIES OF WHITE DWARF STARS: PARAMETRIZATION OF THE CORE AND TESTS OF ACCURACY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giammichele, N.; Fontaine, G.; Brassard, P.; Charpinet, S.

    2017-01-01

    We present a prescription for parametrizing the chemical profile in the core of white dwarfs in light of the recent discovery that pulsation modes may sometimes be deeply confined in some cool pulsating white dwarfs. Such modes may be used as unique probes of the complicated chemical stratification that results from several processes that occurred in previous evolutionary phases of intermediate-mass stars. This effort is part of our ongoing quest for more credible and realistic seismic models of white dwarfs using static, parametrized equilibrium structures. Inspired by successful techniques developed in design optimization fields (such as aerodynamics), we exploit Akima splines for the tracing of the chemical profile of oxygen (carbon) in the core of a white dwarf model. A series of tests are then presented to better seize the precision and significance of the results that can be obtained in an asteroseismological context. We also show that the new parametrization passes an essential basic test, as it successfully reproduces the chemical stratification of a full evolutionary model.

  6. Accreting white dwarf models for type I supernovae. I. Presupernova evolution and triggering mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomoto, K.

    1982-01-01

    The evolution of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs accreting helium in binary systems has been investigated from the onset of accretion up to the point at which a thermonuclear explosion occurs as a plausible explosion model for a Type I supernova. Although the accreted material has been assumed to be helium, our results should also be applicable to the more general case of accretion of hydrogen-rich material, since hydrogen shell burning leads to the development of a helium zone. Several cases with different accretion rates of helium and different initial masses of the white dwarf have been studied. The relationship between the conditions in the binary system and the triggering mechanism for the supernova explosion is discussed, especially for the cases with relatively slow accretion rate. It is found that the growth of a helium zone on the carbon-oxygen core leads to a supernova explosion which is triggered either by the off-center helium detonation for slow and intermediate accretion rates, or by the carbon deflagration for slow and rapid accretion rates. Both helium detonation and carbon deflagration are possible for the case for the slow accretion since, in this case, the initial mass of the white dwarf is an important parameter for determining the mode of ignition. Finally, various modes of building up the helium zone on the white dwarf, namely, direct transfer of helium from the companion star and the various types and strength of the hydrogen shell flashes are discussed in some detail

  7. Supernova SN 2011fe from an exploding carbon-oxygen white dwarf star.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nugent, Peter E; Sullivan, Mark; Cenko, S Bradley; Thomas, Rollin C; Kasen, Daniel; Howell, D Andrew; Bersier, David; Bloom, Joshua S; Kulkarni, S R; Kandrashoff, Michael T; Filippenko, Alexei V; Silverman, Jeffrey M; Marcy, Geoffrey W; Howard, Andrew W; Isaacson, Howard T; Maguire, Kate; Suzuki, Nao; Tarlton, James E; Pan, Yen-Chen; Bildsten, Lars; Fulton, Benjamin J; Parrent, Jerod T; Sand, David; Podsiadlowski, Philipp; Bianco, Federica B; Dilday, Benjamin; Graham, Melissa L; Lyman, Joe; James, Phil; Kasliwal, Mansi M; Law, Nicholas M; Quimby, Robert M; Hook, Isobel M; Walker, Emma S; Mazzali, Paolo; Pian, Elena; Ofek, Eran O; Gal-Yam, Avishay; Poznanski, Dovi

    2011-12-14

    Type Ia supernovae have been used empirically as 'standard candles' to demonstrate the acceleration of the expansion of the Universe even though fundamental details, such as the nature of their progenitor systems and how the stars explode, remain a mystery. There is consensus that a white dwarf star explodes after accreting matter in a binary system, but the secondary body could be anything from a main-sequence star to a red giant, or even another white dwarf. This uncertainty stems from the fact that no recent type Ia supernova has been discovered close enough to Earth to detect the stars before explosion. Here we report early observations of supernova SN 2011fe in the galaxy M101 at a distance from Earth of 6.4 megaparsecs. We find that the exploding star was probably a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, and from the lack of an early shock we conclude that the companion was probably a main-sequence star. Early spectroscopy shows high-velocity oxygen that slows rapidly, on a timescale of hours, and extensive mixing of newly synthesized intermediate-mass elements in the outermost layers of the supernova. A companion paper uses pre-explosion images to rule out luminous red giants and most helium stars as companions to the progenitor.

  8. Properties of high-density binary mixtures and the age of the Universe from white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia-Berro, E.; Hernanz, M.; Isern, J.; Mochkovitch, R.

    1988-06-16

    The luminosity of white dwarf stars can be attributed to the cooling process of their degenerate cores. The simple relationship existing between their luminosity and their age, together with the lack of white dwarfs fainter than log (L/L solar mass) approx -4.5, provides a method of measuring the age of the disk and consequently that of the Universe. Values of the age of the galactic disk and Universe depend on the assumption that completely ionized carbon and oxygen are miscible in solid phase. It is possible, however, that completely ionized carbon and oxygen separate during the process of crystallization. Here, we attempt to show that a galactic disk age of 15 Gyr cannot be excluded by the white dwarf observations if carbon and oxygen are immiscible in solid phase.

  9. Evolution of double white dwarf binaries undergoing direct-impact accretion: Implications for gravitational wave astronomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kremer, Kyle; Breivik, Katelyn; Larson, Shane L.; Kalogera, Vassiliki

    2017-01-01

    For close double white dwarf binaries, the mass-transfer phenomenon known as direct-impact accretion (when the mass transfer stream impacts the accretor directly rather than forming a disc) may play a pivotal role in the long-term evolution of the systems. In this analysis, we explore the long-term evolution of white dwarf binaries accreting through direct-impact and explore implications of such systems to gravitational wave astronomy. We cover a broad range of parameter space which includes initial component masses and the strength of tidal coupling, and show that these systems, which lie firmly within the LISA frequency range, show strong negative chirps which can last as long as several million years. Detections of double white dwarf systems in the direct-impact phase by detectors such as LISA would provide astronomers with unique ways of probing the physics governing close compact object binaries.

  10. Bose-Einstein condensation in helium white dwarf stars. I

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mosquera, M.E. [Faculty of Astronomy and Geophysics, University of La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s.n., La Plata (Argentina); Department of Physics, University of La Plata, c.c. 67 1900, La Plata (Argentina); Civitarese, O., E-mail: osvaldo.civitarese@fisica.unlp.edu.a [Department of Physics, University of La Plata, c.c. 67 1900, La Plata (Argentina); Benvenuto, O.G.; De Vito, M.A. [Faculty of Astronomy and Geophysics, University of La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s.n., La Plata (Argentina); Instituto de Astrofisica La Plata, CCT (Argentina)

    2010-01-18

    The formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the interior of helium white dwarfs stars is discussed. Following the proposal made by Gabadadze and Rosen, we have explored the consequences of such a mechanism by calculating the cooling time of the stars. We have found that it is shorter than the value predicted by the standard model.

  11. White dwarf stars as strange quark matter detectors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Benvenuto, O G [Departamento de AstronomIa y AstroFisica, Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Vicuna Mackenna 4860, Casilla 306, Santiago (Chile); Facultad de Ciencias Astronomicas y GeoFisicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque S/N, B1900FWA, La Plata (Argentina)

    2005-11-01

    We show that the presence of a strange matter core inside a white dwarf (WD) star produces a drastic change in the spectrum of non-radial oscillations in the range of periods corresponding to gravity modes. The distinctive, observable signal for such a core is a very short period spacing between consecutive modes, far shorter than in the case of pulsating WDs without any compact core. (letter to the editor)

  12. The cool magnetic DAZ white dwarf NLTT 10480

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kawka, Adela; Vennes, Stephane

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 532, August (2011), A7/1-A7/8 ISSN 0004-6361 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA300030908; GA AV ČR IAA301630901; GA ČR GAP209/10/0967; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06014 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : white dwarfs * individual star NLTT 10480 Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 4.587, year: 2011

  13. Exoplanet recycling in massive white-dwarf debris discs

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Lieshout, R.; Kral, Q.; Charnoz, S.; Wyatt, M. C.; Shannon, A.

    2018-05-01

    Several tens of white dwarfs are known to host circumstellar discs of dusty debris, thought to arise from the tidal disruption of rocky bodies originating in the star's remnant planetary system. This paper investigates the evolution of such discs if they are very massive, as may be the case if their progenitor was a terrestrial planet, moon, or dwarf planet. Assuming the discs are physically thin and flat, like Saturn's rings, their evolution is governed by Poynting-Robertson drag or viscous spreading, where the disc's effective viscosity is due to self-gravity wakes. For discs with masses ≳ 1026 g, located in the outer parts of the tidal disruption zone, viscous spreading dominates the evolution, and mass is transported both in- and outwards. When outwards-spreading material flows beyond the Roche limit, it coagulates into new (minor) planets in a process analogous to the ongoing formation of moonlets at the outer edge of Saturn's rings. The newly formed bodies migrate outwards by exchanging angular momentum with the disc and coalesce into larger objects through mutual collisions. Eventually, the disc's Roche-limit overflow recycles tens of percent of the original disc mass; most ends up in a single large body near 2:1 mean-motion resonance with the disc's outer edge. Hence, the recycling of a tidally disrupted super-Earth, for example, could yield an Earth-mass planet on a ˜10-h orbit, located in the habitable zone for 2-to-10-Gyr-old white dwarfs. The recycling process also creates a population of smaller bodies just outside the Roche limit, which may explain the minor planets recently postulated to orbit WD 1145+017.

  14. The occurrence of planets and other substellar bodies around white dwarfs using K2

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Sluijs, L.; Van Eylen, V.

    2018-03-01

    The majority of stars both host planetary systems and evolve into a white dwarf (WD). To understand their post-main-sequence planetary system evolution, we present a search for transiting/eclipsing planets and other substellar bodies (SBs) around WDs using a sample of 1148 WDs observed by K2. Using transit injections, we estimate the completeness of our search. We place constraints on the occurrence of planets and SBs around WDs as a function of planet radius and orbital period. For short-period (P sized to 1.5 R⊕, these are the strongest constraints known to date. We further constrain the occurrence of hot Jupiters ( Earth-sized planets ( < 28 per cent), and disintegrating short-period planets ( ˜ 12 per cent). We blindly recovered all previously known eclipsing objects, providing confidence in our analysis, and make all light curves publicly available.

  15. Bound on the flux of magnetic monopoles from catalysis of nucleon decay in white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freese, K.; Krasteva, E.

    1999-01-01

    Catalysis of nucleon decay in white dwarfs is used to constrain the abundance of magnetic monopoles arising from grand unified theories. Recent discoveries of the dimmest white dwarf ever observed, WD 1136-286 with L=10 -4.94 L circle-dot , place limits on the monopole flux that are two orders of magnitude stronger than previous bounds from white dwarfs. An abundance of monopoles greater than the new bound would heat this star to a luminosity higher than what is observed. The new bound is (F/cm -2 s -1 sr -1 ) (συ/10 -28 cm 2 ) -20 (υ M /10 -3 c) 2 , where υ M is the monopole velocity in the Galaxy. The limit is improved by including the monopoles captured by the main-sequence progenitor of the white dwarf: (F/cm -2 s -1 sr -1 ) (συ/10 -28 cm 2 ) -21 for 10 17 (10 16 ) GeV monopoles. We also note that the dependence on monopole mass of flux bounds due to catalysis in neutron stars with main sequence accretion has previously been calculated incorrectly [previously the bound has been stated as F(συ/10 -28 cm 2 ) -28 cm -2 s -1 sr -1 ]. We show that the correct bounds are somewhat weaker for monopole mass other than 10 17 GeV. copyright 1999 The American Physical Society

  16. Polarimetric Evidence of the First White Dwarf Pulsar: The Binary System AR Scorpii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David A.H. Buckley

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The binary star AR Scorpii was recently discovered to exhibit high amplitude coherent variability across the electromagnetic spectrum (ultraviolet to radio at two closely spaced ∼2 min periods, attributed to the spin period of a white dwarf and the beat period. There is strong evidence (low X-ray luminosity, lack of flickering and absense of broad emission lines that AR Sco is a detached non-accreting system whose luminosity is dominated by the spin-down power of a white dwarf, due to magnetohydrodynamical (MHD interactions with its M5 companion. Optical polarimetry has revealed highly pulsed linear polarization on the same periods, reaching a maximum of 40%, consistent with a pulsar-like dipole, with the Stokes Q and U variations reminiscent of the Crab pulsar. These observations, coupled with the spectral energy distribution (SED which is dominated by non-thermal emission, characteristic of synchrotron emission, support the notion that a strongly magnetic (∼200 MG white dwarf is behaving like a pulsar, whose magnetic field interacts with the secondary star’s photosphere and magnetosphere. Radio synchrotron emission is produced from the pumping action of the white dwarf’s magnetic field on coronal loops from the M-star companion, while emission at high frequencies (UV/optical/X-ray comes from the particle wind, driven by large electric potential, again reminiscent of processes seen in neutron star pulsars.

  17. An Extremely Massive White Dwarf of the Symbiotic Classical Nova V407 Cyg as Suggested by the RS Oph and U SCO Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hachisu I.

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available We have analyzed the optical light curve of the symbiotic star V407 Cyg that underwent a classical nova outburst in 2010 March. Being guided by a supersoft X-ray phase observed during days 20-40 after the nova outburst, we are able to reproduce the light curve during a very early phase of the nova outburst. Our model consists of an outbursting white dwarf and an extended equatorial disk. An extremely massive white dwarf of 1.35-1.37 M⊙ is suggested. the optical light curve is also consistent with a sharp drop 47 days after the outburst, which is the end of hydrogen shell-burning on the white dwarf. Although the extremely massive white dwarf is favourable to the interpretation that V407 Cyg is a recurrent nova, enrichment of heavy elements in the ejecta suggests that the white dwarf is eroded and, as a result, its mass is not increasing. Therefore, V407 Cyg may not explode as a Type Ia supernova even if it is a carbon-oxygen white dwarf.

  18. Spectroscopic Observations of High Proper Motion DA White Dwarfs

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Arazimová, Eva; Kawka, Adela; Vennes, Stephane

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 86, - (2009), s. 297-300 ISSN 0373-3742. [National conference of astronomers of Serbia /15./. Beograd, 02.10.2008-05.10.2008] R&D Projects: GA ČR GD205/08/H005; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06014 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : white dwarf s * spectroscopy Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

  19. White noise excitation in a hot plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ito, Masataka

    1977-01-01

    In a low frequency range, a property of white noise in a hot plasma is studied experimentally. A frequency component of white noise is observed to propagate with a phase velocity which is equal to the ion accoustic wave velocity. The white noise, which is launched in a plasma, is considered as the sum of ion acoustic waves. (auth.)

  20. Spectroscopic Identification of Cool White Dwarfs in the Solar Neighborhood

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kawka, Adela; Vennes, S.

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 643, č. 1 (2006), s. 402-415 ISSN 0004-637X R&D Projects: GA ČR GP205/05/P186 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : white dwarfs * solar neighborhood * atmospheres Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 6.119, year: 2006

  1. Rejuvenation of the Innocent Bystander: Testing Spin-Up in Dwarf Carbon Stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Paul

    2013-09-01

    Carbon stars (C>O) were long assumed to all be giants, because only AGB stars dredge up significant carbon into their atmospheres. We now know that dwarf carbon (dC) stars are actually far more common than C giants. These dCs are hypothesized to have accreted C-rich envelope material from an AGB companion, in systems that have likely undergone a planetary nebula phase, eventually yielding a white dwarf and a dC that has gained both significant mass and angular momentum. To test whether the X-ray emission strength and spectral properties are consistent with a rejuvenated dynamo, we propose a Chandra pilot study of dCs selected from the SDSS; some have hot white dwarf companions (indicating more recent mass transfer), and all show Balmer emission lines (a sign of activity).

  2. White Dwarfs in Star Clusters: The Initial-Final Mass Relation for Stars from 0.85 to 8 M$_\\odot$

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cummings, Jeffrey; Kalirai, Jason; Tremblay, P.-E.; Ramírez-Ruiz, Enrico

    2018-01-01

    The spectroscopic study of white dwarfs provides both their mass, cooling age, and intrinsic photometric properties. For white dwarfs in the field of well-studied star clusters, this intrinsic photometry can be used to determine if they are members of that star cluster. Comparison of a member white dwarf's cooling age to its total cluster's age provides the evolutionary timescale of its progenitor star, and hence the mass. This is the initial-final mass relation (IFMR) for stars, which gives critical information on how a progenitor star evolves and loses mass throughout its lifetime, and how this changes with progenitor mass. Our work, for the first time, presents a uniform analysis of 85 white dwarf cluster members spanning from progenitor masses of 0.85 to 8 M$_\\odot$. Comparison of our work to theoretical IFMRs shows remarkable consistency in their shape but differences remain. We will discuss possible explanations for these differences, including the effects of stellar rotation.

  3. Pulsational instability of high-luminosity H-rich pre-white dwarf star

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Calcaferro Leila M.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We present a pulsational stability analysis on high-luminosity H-rich (DA white dwarf models evolved from low-metallicity progenitors. We found that the ε mechanism due to H-shell burning is able to excite low-order g modes.

  4. A New Analysis of Stark and Zeeman Effects on Hydrogen Lines in Magnetized DA White Dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ny Kieu

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available White dwarfs with magnetic field strengths larger than 10 T are understood to represent more than 10% of the total population of white dwarfs. The presence of such strong magnetic fields is clearly indicated by the Zeeman triplet structure visible on absorption lines. In this work, we discuss the line broadening mechanisms and focus on the sensitivity of hydrogen lines on the magnetic field. We perform new calculations in conditions relevant to magnetized DA stellar atmospheres using models inspired from magnetic fusion plasma spectroscopy. A white dwarf spectrum from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS database is analyzed. An effective temperature is provided by an adjustment of the background radiation with a Planck function, and the magnetic field is inferred from absorption lines presenting a Zeeman triplet structure. An order-of-magnitude estimate for the electron density is also performed from Stark broadening analysis.

  5. Theoretical and observational review of results on nova explosions occurring on ONeMg white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Starrfield, S.

    1986-01-01

    The nova outburst is the second most violent explosion that occurs in a galaxy. This review presents the recent observational and theoretical studies that have demonstrated that there exist two classes of nova outburst. One type of nova occurs on a CO white dwarf and the other type of nova occurs on an ONeMg white dwarf. The second class of outbursts are much more violent and occur much more frequently then the first class of outbursts. Hydrodynamic simulations of both kinds of outbursts are in excellent agreement with the observations. 51 refs

  6. GD 154: White dwarf with multi- and monoperiodic pulsation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bognár Zs.

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available We present the white dwarf GD 154 as an example where either monoperiodic or multiperiodic pulsation were found at different epochs. The mono-multi-monoperiodic stage seems to alternate. Many questions have been raised. Is this behaviour connected to the evolution of DAV stars? How often does it happen? Is there any regularity in this change of the pulsational behaviour or is it irregular?

  7. A 1.05 M☉ companion to PSR J2222–0137: The coolest known white dwarf?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaplan, David L.; Boyles, Jason; McLaughlin, Maura A.; Lorimer, Duncan R.; Dunlap, Bart H.; Tendulkar, Shriharsh P.; Deller, Adam T.; Ransom, Scott M.; Stairs, Ingrid H.

    2014-01-01

    The recycled pulsar PSR J2222–0137 is one of the closest known neutron stars (NSs) with a parallax distance of 267 −0.9 +1.2 pc and an edge-on orbit. We measure the Shapiro delay in the system through pulsar timing with the Green Bank Telescope, deriving a low pulsar mass (1.20 ± 0.14 M ☉ ) and a high companion mass (1.05 ± 0.06 M ☉ ) consistent with either a low-mass NS or a high-mass white dwarf. We can largely reject the NS hypothesis on the basis of the system's extremely low eccentricity (3 × 10 –4 )—too low to have been the product of two supernovae under normal circumstances. However, despite deep optical and near-infrared searches with Southern Astrophysical Research and the Keck telescopes we have not discovered the optical counterpart of the system. This is consistent with the white dwarf hypothesis only if the effective temperature is <3000 K, a limit that is robust to distance, mass, and atmosphere uncertainties. This would make the companion to PSR J2222–0137 one of the coolest white dwarfs ever observed. For the implied age to be consistent with the age of the Milky Way requires the white dwarf to have already crystallized and entered the faster Debye-cooling regime.

  8. Dwarf mistletoe in red and white firs in California–23 to 28 years after inoculation

    Science.gov (United States)

    John R. Parmeter Jr.; Robert F. Scharpf

    1989-01-01

    Spread and buildup of dwarf mistletoe, Arceuthobium abietinum, was studied on inoculated white fir, Abies concolor, and red fir, A. magnifica, in northern California for 23 to 28 years. At the end of these studies (1986), and in the absence of overstory infection, 13 of 23 trees had dwarf mistletoe populations...

  9. Double white dwarfs as progenitors of R coronae borealis stars and type I supernovae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Webbink, R.F.

    1984-01-01

    Close double white dwarfs should arise from the second phase of mass exchagne in close binaries which first encountered mass exchange while the more massive star was crossing the Hertzprung gap. Tidal mass transfer in these double degenerate systems is explored. The sequence of double white dwarf divides naturally into three segments. (1) Low-mass helium/helium pairs are unstable to dynamical time-scale mass transfer and probably coalesce to form helium-burning sdO stars. (2) In helium/carbon-oxygen pairs, mass transfer occurs on the time scale for gravitational radiation losses (approx.10 -4 M/sub sun/ yr -1 ); the accreted helium is quickly ignited, and the accretor expands to dimensions characteristic of R CrB stars, engulfing its companion star. (3) Carbon-oxygen/carbon-oxygen pairs are again unstable to dynamical time-scale mass transfer and, since their total masses exceed the Chandrasekhar limit, are destined to become supernovae. Inactive lifetimes in these latter systems between creation and interaction can exceed 10 10 years. Birthrates of R CrB stars and Type I supernovae by evolution of double white dwarfs are in reasonable agreement with observational estimates

  10. Two Massive White Dwarfs from NGC 2323 and the Initial-Final Mass Relation for Progenitors of 4 to 6.5 M

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cummings, Jeffrey D.; Kalirai, Jason S.; Tremblay, P.-E.; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico

    2016-02-01

    We observed a sample of 10 white dwarf candidates in the rich open cluster NGC 2323 (M50) with the Keck Low-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer. The spectroscopy shows eight to be DA white dwarfs, with six of these having high signal-to-noise ratio appropriate for our analysis. Two of these white dwarfs are consistent with singly evolved cluster membership, and both are high mass ˜1.07 M⊙, and give equivalent progenitor masses of 4.69 M⊙. To supplement these new high-mass white dwarfs and analyze the initial-final mass relation (IFMR), we also looked at 30 white dwarfs from publicly available data that are mostly all high-mass (≳ 0.9 M⊙). These original published data exhibited significant scatter, and to test if this scatter is true or simply the result of systematics, we have uniformly analyzed the white dwarf spectra and have adopted thorough photometric techniques to derive uniform cluster parameters for their parent clusters. The resulting IFMR scatter is significantly reduced, arguing that mass-loss rates are not stochastic in nature and that within the ranges of metallicity and mass analyzed in this work mass loss is not highly sensitive to variations in metallicity. Lastly, when adopting cluster ages based on Y2 isochrones, the slope of the high-mass IFMR remains steep and consistent with that found from intermediate-mass white dwarfs, giving a linear IFMR from progenitor masses between 3 and 6.5 M⊙. In contrast, when adopting the slightly younger cluster ages based on PARSEC isochrones, the high-mass IFMR has a moderate turnover near an initial mass of 4 M⊙. Based on observations with the W.M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and NASA, was made possible by the generous financial support of the W.M. Keck Foundation.

  11. Testing the stationarity of white dwarf light-curves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molnar, L; Kollath, Z; Plachy, E; Paparo, M

    2009-01-01

    Long period white dwarfs show changes in their frequency spectra from one observing season to another, i.e. their light-curves cannot be considered as stationary multiperiodic variations on long timescales. However, due to the complex frequency spectra of these stars and the narrow frequency spacing, it is still unknown, what the shortest time scale is, where real physical modulation exists. We present tests on artificial data, resembling the observations, using time-frequency distributions (TFDs), Fourier-analysis and the analytical signal method.

  12. Compact Objects in Astrophysics White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars and Black Holes

    CERN Document Server

    Camenzind, Max

    2007-01-01

    Compact objects are an important class of astronomical objects in current research. Supermassive black holes play an important role in the understanding of the formation of galaxies in the early Universe. Old white dwarfs are nowadays used to calibrate the age of the Universe. Mergers of neutron stars and black holes are the sources of intense gravitational waves which will be measured in the next ten years by gravitational wave detectors. Camenzind's Compact Objects in Astrophysics gives a comprehensive introduction and up-to-date overview about the physical processes behind these objects, covering the field from the beginning to most recent results, including all relevant observations. After a presentation of the taxonomy of compact objects, the basic principles of general relativity are given. The author then discusses in detail the physics and observations of white dwarfs and neutron stars (including the most recent equations of state for neutron star matter), the gravitational field of rapidly rotating c...

  13. NO NEUTRON STAR COMPANION TO THE LOWEST MASS SDSS WHITE DWARF

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agueeros, Marcel A.; Camilo, Fernando; Heinke, Craig; Kilic, Mukremin; Anderson, Scott F.; Silvestri, Nicole M.; Freire, Paulo; Kleinman, Scot J.; Liebert, James W.

    2009-01-01

    SDSS J091709.55+463821.8 (hereafter J0917+4638) is the lowest surface gravity white dwarf (WD) currently known, with log g = 5.55 ± 0.05 (M ∼ 0.17 M sun ). Such low-mass white dwarfs (LMWDs) are believed to originate in binaries that evolve into WD/WD or WD/neutron star (NS) systems. An optical search for J0917+4638's companion showed that it must be a compact object with a mass ≥0.28 M sun . Here we report on Green Bank Telescope 820 MHz and XMM-Newton X-ray observations of J0917+4638 intended to uncover a potential NS companion to the LMWD. No convincing pulsar signal is detected in our radio data. Our X-ray observation also failed to detect X-ray emission from J0917+4638's companion, while we would have detected any of the millisecond radio pulsars in 47 Tuc. We conclude that the companion is almost certainly another WD.

  14. Outcome of mass transfer in a carbon-oxygen white dwarf binary system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khokhlov, A.M.

    1985-01-01

    The hydrostatic evolution of a carbon-oxygen white dwarf (COWD) experiencing accretion of matter from its companion, a second COWD, is calculated for accretion rates ranging from 10 to the -8th to 10 to the -5th solar masses per year. It is shown that, for accretion rates less than (3.3 + or - 1.5) x 10 to the -6th M/yr, the accretion of a C+O mixture by a COWD will ultimately lead to ignition of carbon at the center of the star, producing a thermonuclear explosion. For accretion rates greater than that value, the C-12 can be ignited near the white dwarf surface, followed by propagation of the thermonuclear burning front toward the center. It is concluded that a COWD accreting a C+O mixture is a highly plausible candidate for a type I presupernova. 18 references

  15. Consequence of total lepton number violation in strongly magnetized iron white dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Belyaev, V.B. [Bogolyubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna 141980 (Russian Federation); Ricci, P. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Firenze, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze) (Italy); Šimkovic, F. [Department of Nuclear Physics and Biophysics, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina F1, SK-842 15, Bratislava (Slovakia); Bogolyubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna 141980 (Russian Federation); Adam, J.; Tater, M. [Institute of Nuclear Physics ASCR, CZ-250 68 Řež (Czech Republic); Truhlík, E., E-mail: truhlik@ujf.cas.cz [Institute of Nuclear Physics ASCR, CZ-250 68 Řež (Czech Republic)

    2015-05-15

    The influence of a neutrinoless electron to positron conversion on a cooling of strongly magnetized iron white dwarfs is studied. It is shown that they can be good candidates for soft gamma-ray repeaters and anomalous X-ray pulsars.

  16. Accretion onto Carbon-Oxygen White Dwarfs as a possible mechanism for growth to the Chandrasekhar Limit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Starrfield, Sumner; Bose, Maitrayee; Iliadis, Christian; Hix, William R.; José, Jordi; Hernanz, Margarita

    2017-08-01

    We have continued our studies of accretion onto white dwarfs by following the evolution of thermonuclear runaways (TNRs) on Carbon Oxygen (CO) white dwarfs. We have varied the mass of the white dwarf and the composition of the accreted material. We use the results of the multi-dimensional studies of TNRs in white dwarfs, accreting only Solar matter, which show that sufficient core material is dredged-up by the TNR and then ejected by the explosion to agree with the observations of the ejecta abundances. We have also found that the initial 12C abundance is inversely proportional to the amount of material accreted prior to the TNR. Therefore, we first accrete Solar material and follow the evolution until a TNR occurs. Because the 12C abundance is significantly smaller then if we had initially mixed the accreting gas with the carbon-oxygen core, more matter takes part in the explosion than if we had begun the evolution with the mixed composition. We then instantaneously switch the composition to a mixture with either 25% core material or 50% core material (plus accreted material) and follow the resulting evolution of the TNR. We use our 1D, Lagrangian, hydrodynamic code: NOVA. We report on the results of these new simulations and compare the ejecta abundances to those measured in pre-solar grains that are thought to arise from classical nova explosions. These results will also be compared to recent results with SHIVA (Josè and Hernanz). We find that there are some white dwarf masses where significantly less mass is ejected than accreted during the Classical Nova event and, therefore, the white dwarf is growing in mass as a result of the accretion and in spite of the resulting explosion.This work was supported in part by NASA under the Astrophysics Theory Program grant 14-ATP14-0007 and the U.S. DOE under Contract No. DE-FG02- 97ER41041. SS acknowledges partial support from NASA, NSF, and HST grants to ASU and WRH is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office

  17. Maximum mass ratio of AM CVn-type binary systems and maximum white dwarf mass in ultra-compact X-ray binaries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arbutina Bojan

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available AM CVn-type stars and ultra-compact X-ray binaries are extremely interesting semi-detached close binary systems in which the Roche lobe filling component is a white dwarf transferring mass to another white dwarf, neutron star or a black hole. Earlier theoretical considerations show that there is a maximum mass ratio of AM CVn-type binary systems (qmax ≈ 2/3 below which the mass transfer is stable. In this paper we derive slightly different value for qmax and more interestingly, by applying the same procedure, we find the maximum expected white dwarf mass in ultra-compact X-ray binaries.

  18. Stellar laboratories. II. New Zn iv and Zn v oscillator strengths and their validation in the hot white dwarfs G191-B2B and RE 0503-289

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, T.; Werner, K.; Quinet, P.; Kruk, J. W.

    2014-04-01

    Context. For the spectral analysis of high-resolution and high-signal-to-noise (S/N) spectra of hot stars, state-of-the-art non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres are mandatory. These are strongly dependent on the reliability of the atomic data that is used for their calculation. In a recent analysis of the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of the DA-type white dwarf G191-B2B, 21 Zn iv lines were newly identified. Because of the lack of Zn iv data, transition probabilities of the isoelectronic Ge vi were adapted for a first, coarse determination of the photospheric Zn abundance. Aims: Reliable Zn iv and Zn v oscillator strengths are used to improve the Zn abundance determination and to identify more Zn lines in the spectra of G191-B2B and the DO-type white dwarf RE 0503-289. Methods: We performed new calculations of Zn iv and Zn v oscillator strengths to consider their radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions in detail in our NLTE stellar-atmosphere models for the analysis of the Zn iv - v spectrum exhibited in high-resolution and high-S/N UV observations of G191-B2B and RE 0503-289. Results: In the UV spectrum of G191-B2B, we identify 31 Zn iv and 16 Zn v lines. Most of these are identified for the first time in any star. We can reproduce well almost all of them at log Zn = -5.52 ± 0.2 (mass fraction, about 1.7 times solar). In particular, the Zn iv / Zn v ionization equilibrium, which is a very sensitive Teff indicator, is well reproduced with the previously determined and log g = 7.60 ± 0.05. In the spectrum of RE 0503-289, we identified 128 Zn v lines for the first time and determined log Zn = -3.57 ± 0.2 (155 times solar). Conclusions: Reliable measurements and calculations of atomic data are a pre-requisite for stellar-atmosphere modeling. Observed Zn iv and Zn v line profiles in two white dwarf (G191-B2B and RE 0503-289) ultraviolet spectra were well reproduced with our newly calculated oscillator strengths. This allowed us to

  19. Results on (UNPublished Wet Runs on Pulsating DB White Dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Handler G.

    2003-03-01

    Full Text Available I have collected all the WET archival data on the pulsating DB white dwarf stars (DBVs and re-reduced them. In addition, the WET has recently observed three DBVs. Preliminary results on PG 1115+158, PG 1351+489, KUV 05134+2605, PG 1654+160 and PG 1456+103 are presented, and the future use of the data is outlined.

  20. CONSTRAINING THE SPIN-DOWN TIMESCALE OF THE WHITE DWARF PROGENITORS OF TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meng, Xiangcun; Podsiadlowski, Philipp

    2013-01-01

    Justham and Di Stefano et al. proposed that the white dwarf progenitor of a Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) may have to spin down before it can explode. As the white dwarf spin-down timescale is not well known theoretically, here we try to constrain it empirically (within the framework of this spin-down model) for progenitor systems that contain a giant donor and for which circumbinary material has been detected after the explosion: we obtain an upper limit of a few 10 7 yr. Based on the study of Di Stefano and Kilic, this means that it is too early to rule out the existence of a surviving companion in SNR 0509–67.5

  1. Gravitational wave emission from the coalescence of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia-Berro, E; Loren-Aguilar, P; Isern, J; Pedemonte, A G; Guerrero, J; Lobo, J A

    2005-01-01

    We have computed the gravitational wave emission arising from the coalescence of several close white dwarf binary systems. In order to do so, we have followed the evolution of such systems using a smoothed particle hydrodynamics code. Here we present some of the results obtained so far, paying special attention to the detectability of the emitted gravitational waves. Within this context, we show which could be the impact of individual merging episodes for LISA

  2. Two new pulsating low-mass pre-white dwarfs or SX Phoenicis stars?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corti, M. A.; Kanaan, A.; Córsico, A. H.; Kepler, S. O.; Althaus, L. G.; Koester, D.; Sánchez Arias, J. P.

    2016-03-01

    Context. The discovery of pulsations in low-mass stars opens an opportunity to probe their interiors and determine their evolution by employing the tools of asteroseismology. Aims: We aim to analyse high-speed photometry of SDSS J145847.02+070754.46 and SDSS J173001.94+070600.25 and discover brightness variabilities. In order to locate these stars in the Teff - log g diagram, we fit optical spectra (SDSS) with synthetic non-magnetic spectra derived from model atmospheres. Methods: To carry out this study, we used the photometric data we obtained for these stars with the 2.15 m telescope at CASLEO, Argentina. We analysed their light curves and applied the discrete Fourier transform (FT) to determine the pulsation frequencies. Finally, we compare both stars in the Teff - log g diagram, with two known pre-white dwarfs and seven pulsating pre-ELM white dwarf stars, δ Scuti, and SX Phe stars Results: We report the discovery of pulsations in SDSS J145847.02+070754.46 and SDSS J173001.94+070600.25. We determine their effective temperature and surface gravity to be Teff = 7972 ± 200 K, log g = 4.25 ± 0.5 and Teff = 7925 ± 200 K, log g = 4.25 ± 0.5, respectively. With these parameters, these new pulsating low-mass stars can be identified with either ELM white dwarfs (with ~0.17 M⊙) or more massive SX Phe stars. We identified pulsation periods of 3278.7 and 1633.9 s for SDSS J145847.02+070754.46 and a pulsation period of 3367.1 s for SDSS J173001.94+070600.25. These two new objects, together with those of Maxted et al. (2013, 2014), indicate the possible existence of a new instability domain towards the late stages of evolution of low-mass white dwarf stars, although their identification with SX Phe stars cannot be discarded. Visiting Astronomer, Complejo Astronómico El Leoncito operated under agreement between the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de la República Argentina and the National Universities of La Plata, Córdoba, and San Juan.

  3. Numerical Simulations of Gaseous Disks Generated from Collisional Cascades at the Roche Limits of White Dwarf Stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenyon, Scott J.; Bromley, Benjamin C.

    2017-11-01

    We consider the long-term evolution of gaseous disks fed by the vaporization of small particles produced in a collisional cascade inside the Roche limit of a 0.6 {M}⊙ white dwarf. Adding solids with radius {r}0 at a constant rate {\\dot{M}}0 into a narrow annulus leads to two distinct types of evolution. When {\\dot{M}}0≳ {\\dot{M}}0,{crit}≈ 3× {10}4 {({r}0/1{km})}3.92 {{g}} {{{s}}}-1, the cascade generates a fairly steady accretion disk where the mass transfer rate of gas onto the white dwarf is roughly {\\dot{M}}0 and the mass in gas is {M}g≈ 2.3× {10}22 ({\\dot{M}}0/{10}10 {{g}} {{{s}}}-1) (1500 {{K}}/{T}0) ({10}-3/α ) g, where T 0 is the temperature of the gas near the Roche limit and α is the dimensionless viscosity parameter. If {\\dot{M}}0≲ {\\dot{M}}0,{crit}, the system alternates between high states with large mass transfer rates and low states with negligible accretion. Although either mode of evolution adds significant amounts of metals to the white dwarf photosphere, none of our calculations yield a vertically thin ensemble of solids inside the Roche limit. X-ray observations can place limits on the mass transfer rate and test this model for metallic line white dwarfs.

  4. Convective mixing in helium white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vauclair, G.; Fontaine, G.

    1979-01-01

    The conditions under which convective mixing episodes take place between the helium envelopes and the underlying carbon layers in helium-rich white dwarfs are investigated. It is found that, for essentially any value of the initial helium content less than the maximum mass a helium convection zone can have, mixing does occur, and leads, in the vast majority of cases, to an almost pure carbon superficial composition. Mixing products that show only traces of carbon while retaining helium-dominated envelopes are possible only if the initial helium content is quite close to the maximum possible mass of the helium convection zone. In the presence of turbulence, this restriction could be relaxed, however, and the helium-rich lambda4670 stars may possibly be explained in this fashion

  5. A search for planetary eclipses of white dwarfs in the Pan-STARRS1 medium-deep fields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fulton, B. J.; Tonry, J. L.; Flewelling, H.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Hodapp, K. W.; Huber, M. E.; Kaiser, N.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

    2014-12-01

    We present a search for eclipses of ∼1700 white dwarfs (WDs) in the Pan-STARRS1 medium-deep fields. Candidate eclipse events are selected by identifying low outliers in over 4.3 million light curve measurements. We find no short-duration eclipses consistent with being caused by a planetary size companion. This large data set enables us to place strong constraints on the close-in planet occurrence rates around WDs for planets as small as 2 R {sub ⊕}. Our results indicate that gas giant planets orbiting just outside the Roche limit are rare, occurring around less than 0.5% of WDs. Habitable-zone super-Earths and hot super-Earths are less abundant than similar classes of planets around main-sequence stars. These constraints provide important insight into the ultimate fate of the large population of exoplanets orbiting main-sequence stars.

  6. A Multi-Survey Approach to White Dwarf Discovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-01

    LSPM-North), the Two Micron All Sky Survey ( 2MASS ), and the USNO-B1.0 catalog, we use a succession of methods to isolate white dwarf (WD) candidates...including SDSS, the Two Micron All Sky Survey ( 2MASS ; Skrutskie et al. 2006), USNO-B1.0 (Monet et al. 2003), and the proper motion survey of Lépine & Shara...Shara Proper Motion North Catalog (LSPM-North), the Two Micron All Sky Survey ( 2MASS ), and the USNO-B1.0 catalog, we use a succession of methods to

  7. Search for Higgs shifts in white dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Onofrio, Roberto [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia " Galileo Galilei," Università di Padova, Via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Wegner, Gary A., E-mail: onofrior@gmail.com, E-mail: gary.a.wegner@dartmouth.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, 6127 Wilder Laboratory, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States)

    2014-08-20

    We report on a search for differential shifts between electronic and vibronic transitions in carbon-rich white dwarfs BPM 27606 and Procyon B. The absence of differential shifts within the spectral resolution and taking into account systematic effects such as space motion and pressure shifts allows us to set the first upper bound of astrophysical origin on the coupling between the Higgs field and the Kreschmann curvature invariant. Our analysis provides the basis for a more general methodology to derive bounds to the coupling of long-range scalar fields to curvature invariants in an astrophysical setting complementary to the ones available from high-energy physics or table-top experiments.

  8. The historical record for Sirius - Evidence for a white-dwarf thermonuclear runaway?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruhweiler, Frederick C.; Kondo, Yoji; Sion, Edward M.

    1986-01-01

    Evidence was recently presented that in medieval times Sirius was a bright red star, rather than the present bluish-white star. Here, the results of attempts to detect possible planetary nebula ejecta toward Sirius using data obtained by the IUE are presented. Based on these results and in the light of recent advances in understanding white-dwarf evolution, it is proposed that Sirius B underwent a recent thermonuclear runaway event triggered by a diffusion-induced CN reaction.

  9. The white dwarf in dwarf nova SDSS J080434.20+510349.2: Entering the instability strip?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pavlenko, E, E-mail: pavlenko@crao.crimea.u [Crimean astrophysical observatory, Crimea 98409 (Ukraine)

    2009-06-01

    SDSS J080434.20+510349.2 is a WZ Sge type binary that displayed a rare outburst in 2006 (Pavlenko et al. 2007). During the long-lasting tail of the late stage of the outburst, the binary showed a two-humped or four-humped profile of the orbital light modulation. The amplitude of the orbital light curve decreased while the mean brightness decreased; moreover, that occurred approx 10 times faster during the fast outburst decline with respect to the late quiet state of slow outburst fading. There were no white dwarf pulsations detected in this system, neither 1 - 1.5 months prior to the outburst, nor in 1.5 - 2 months after the 2006 outburst. However, strong non-radial pulsations with period 12.6 minutes and a mean amplitude of 0.05m were first detected in the V band with the 2.6-m Shajn mirror telescope of the Crimean astrophysical observatory, approx 8 months after the outburst. The evolution of pulsations over two years, in 2006 - 2008, is considered. It is supposed that pulsations first appeared when the cooling white dwarf (after the outburst) entered the instability strip, although the possibility of temporary lack of pulsations at some occasions could not be excluded.

  10. Spectrophotometry of white dwarfs as observed at high signal-to-noise ratio. II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenstein, J.L.; Liebert, J.W.

    1990-01-01

    CCD spectrophotometry is presented of 140 white dwarfs at high SNR and is analyzed in detail. Energy distributions at 14,000 A are given at bandpasses from 3571 to 8300 A, and equivalent widths of lines of H, He I, metals, and atomic and molecular carbon are given as functions of color for DB, DQ, DZ, and DA stars. New forbidden H I transitions at 6068 A and 6632 A are found in at least the two hottest DB stars, new metallic features are found in cooler DZ stars, and the presence of Ca I in vMa 2 is confirmed. The spectrum of the hot DQAB star G227 - 5 and the pressure-shifted carbon bands seen in 0038-226 are discussed in detail. Comparison of the optical energy distribution of the latter with published IR fluxes shows that the 1-2 micron region is strongly depressed, with extensive blanketing. Equivalent widths, central depths, and width parameters are presented for H-alpha in 73 DA stars in the sample, and their dependences on color are studied. 64 refs

  11. Search for brown dwarfs and late M dwarfs in the Hyades and the Pleiades

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuckerman, B.; Becklin, E.E.; Hawaii Univ., Honolulu)

    1987-01-01

    The J and K colors of 14 white dwarfs that are believed to be single stars and members of either the Hyades or Pleiades clusters or the Hyades supercluster were measured, and no indication of any excess 2.2 micron (K) emission above that expected from the white dwarf was found. Based on recently published theoretical cooling curves for brown dwarfs, the existence of any cool companion stars, with masses greater than approximately 0.03 solar mass within a radius of 6 arcsec of eight white dwarfs in the Hyades cluster and greater than approximately 0.015 solar mass toward the single white dwarf in the Pleiades, is ruled out. This latter limit, only 15 Jupiter masses, is probably the lowest that has yet been established for any star by purely infrared techniques. 21 references

  12. Characterizing Accreting Double White Dwarf Binaries with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna and Gaia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breivik, Katelyn; Kremer, Kyle; Bueno, Michael; Larson, Shane L.; Coughlin, Scott; Kalogera, Vassiliki

    2018-02-01

    We demonstrate a method to fully characterize mass-transferring double white dwarf (DWD) systems with a helium-rich (He) white dwarf (WD) donor based on the mass–radius (M–R) relationship for He WDs. Using a simulated Galactic population of DWDs, we show that donor and accretor masses can be inferred for up to ∼60 systems observed by both Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and Gaia. Half of these systems will have mass constraints {{Δ }} {M}{{D}} ≲ 0.2 {M}ȯ and {{Δ }} {M}{{A}} ≲ 2.3 {M}ȯ . We also show how the orbital frequency evolution due to astrophysical processes and gravitational radiation can be decoupled from the total orbital frequency evolution for up to ∼50 of these systems.

  13. Detection of Double White Dwarf Binaries with Gaia, LSST and eLISA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korol, V.; Rossi, E. M.; Groot, P. J.

    2017-03-01

    According to simulations around 108 double degenerate white dwarf binaries are expected to be present in the Milky Way. Due to their intrinsic faintness, the detection of these systems is a challenge, and the total number of detected sources so far amounts only to a few tens. This will change in the next two decades with the advent of Gaia, the LSST and eLISA. We present an estimation of how many compact DWDs with orbital periods less than a few hours we will be able to detect 1) through electromagnetic radiation with Gaia and LSST and 2) through gravitational wave radiation with eLISA. We find that the sample of simultaneous electromagnetic and gravitational waves detections is expected to be substantial, and will provide us a powerful tool for probing the white dwarf astrophysics and the structure of the Milky Way, letting us into the era of multi-messenger astronomy for these sources.

  14. Rejuvenation of the Innocent Bystander: Testing Spin-Up in a Dwarf Carbon Star Sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Paul

    2014-09-01

    Carbon stars (C>O) were long assumed to all be giants, because only AGB stars dredge up significant carbon into their atmospheres. We now know that dwarf carbon (dC) stars are actually far more common than C giants. These dC stars are hypothesized to have accreted C-rich envelope material from an AGB companion, in systems that have likely undergone a planetary nebula phase, eventually yielding a white dwarf and a dC star that has gained both significant mass and angular momentum. To test whether the X-ray emission strength and spectral properties are consistent with a rejuvenated dynamo, we propose a Chandra pilot study of dCs selected from the SDSS; some have hot white dwarf companions (indicating more recent mass transfer), and all show Balmer emission lines (a sign of activity).

  15. THE FREQUENCY OF DEBRIS DISKS AT WHITE DWARFS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barber, Sara D.; Patterson, Adam J.; Kilic, Mukremin [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 W. Brooks St., Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Leggett, S. K. [Gemini Observatory, 670 N. A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Dufour, P. [Departement de Physique, Universite de Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7 (Canada); Bloom, J. S.; Starr, D. L., E-mail: barber@nhn.ou.edu [Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

    2012-11-20

    We present near- and mid-infrared photometry and spectroscopy from PAIRITEL, IRTF, and Spitzer of a metallicity-unbiased sample of 117 cool, hydrogen-atmosphere white dwarfs (WDs) from the Palomar-Green survey and find five with excess radiation in the infrared, translating to a 4.3{sup +2.7} {sub -1.2}% frequency of debris disks. This is slightly higher than, but consistent with the results of previous surveys. Using an initial-final mass relation, we apply this result to the progenitor stars of our sample and conclude that 1-7 M {sub Sun} stars have at least a 4.3% chance of hosting planets; an indirect probe of the intermediate-mass regime eluding conventional exoplanetary detection methods. Alternatively, we interpret this result as a limit on accretion timescales as a fraction of WD cooling ages; WDs accrete debris from several generations of disks for {approx}10 Myr. The average total mass accreted by these stars ranges from that of 200 km asteroids to Ceres-sized objects, indicating that WDs accrete moons and dwarf planets as well as solar system asteroid analogs.

  16. THE FREQUENCY OF DEBRIS DISKS AT WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barber, Sara D.; Patterson, Adam J.; Kilic, Mukremin; Leggett, S. K.; Dufour, P.; Bloom, J. S.; Starr, D. L.

    2012-01-01

    We present near- and mid-infrared photometry and spectroscopy from PAIRITEL, IRTF, and Spitzer of a metallicity-unbiased sample of 117 cool, hydrogen-atmosphere white dwarfs (WDs) from the Palomar-Green survey and find five with excess radiation in the infrared, translating to a 4.3 +2.7 –1.2 % frequency of debris disks. This is slightly higher than, but consistent with the results of previous surveys. Using an initial-final mass relation, we apply this result to the progenitor stars of our sample and conclude that 1-7 M ☉ stars have at least a 4.3% chance of hosting planets; an indirect probe of the intermediate-mass regime eluding conventional exoplanetary detection methods. Alternatively, we interpret this result as a limit on accretion timescales as a fraction of WD cooling ages; WDs accrete debris from several generations of disks for ∼10 Myr. The average total mass accreted by these stars ranges from that of 200 km asteroids to Ceres-sized objects, indicating that WDs accrete moons and dwarf planets as well as solar system asteroid analogs.

  17. Naming Disney's Dwarfs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidwell, Robert T.

    1980-01-01

    Discusses Disney's version of the folkloric dwarfs in his production of "Snow White" and weighs the Disney rendition of the dwarf figure against the corpus of traits and behaviors pertaining to dwarfs in traditional folklore. Concludes that Disney's dwarfs are "anthropologically true." (HOD)

  18. From strange stars to strange dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glendenning, N.K.; Kettner, C.; Weber, F.

    1995-01-01

    We determine all possible equilibrium sequences of compact strange-matter stars with nuclear crusts, which range from massive strange stars to strange white dwarf endash like objects (strange dwarfs). The properties of such stars are compared with those of their nonstrange counterparts emdash neutron stars and ordinary white dwarfs. The main emphasis of this paper is on strange dwarfs, which we divide into two distinct categories. The first one consists of a core of strange matter enveloped within ordinary white dwarf matter. Such stars are hydrostatically stable with or without the strange core and are therefore referred to as open-quote open-quote trivial close-quote close-quote strange dwarfs. This is different for the second category which forms an entirely new class of dwarf stars that contain nuclear material up to 4x10 4 times denser than in ordinary white dwarfs of average mass, M∼0.6 M circle-dot , and still about 400 times denser than in the densest white dwarfs. The entire family of such dwarfs, denoted dense strange dwarfs, owes its hydrostatic stability to the strange core. A striking features of strange dwarfs is that the entire sequence from the maximum-mass strange star to the maximum-mass strange dwarf is stable to radial oscillations. The minimum-mass star is only conditionally stable, and the sequences on both sides are stable. Such a stable, continuous connection does not exist between ordinary white dwarfs and neutron stars, which are known to be separated by a broad range of unstable stars. We find an expansive range of very low mass (planetary-like) strange-matter stars (masses even below 10 -4 M circle-dot are possible) that arise as natural dark-matter candidates, which if abundant enough in our Galaxy, should be seen in the gravitational microlensing searches that are presently being performed. copyright 1995 The American Astronomical Society

  19. A progress report on the carbon dominated atmosphere white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dufour, P; Liebert, J; Swift, B; Sukhbold, T; Fontaine, G

    2009-01-01

    Recently, Dufour et al. (2007) reported the unexpected discovery that a few white dwarfs found in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey had an atmosphere dominated by carbon with little or no trace of hydrogen and helium. Here we present a progress report on these new objects based on new high signal-to-noise follow-up spectroscopic observations obtained at the 6.5m MMT telescope on Mount Hopkins, Arizona.

  20. A 1.05 M{sub ☉} companion to PSR J2222–0137: The coolest known white dwarf?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaplan, David L. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1900 East Kenwood Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States); Boyles, Jason; McLaughlin, Maura A.; Lorimer, Duncan R. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, White Hall, Box 6315, Morgantown, WV 26506-6315 (United States); Dunlap, Bart H. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255 (United States); Tendulkar, Shriharsh P. [Space Radiation Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Deller, Adam T. [ASTRON, P.O. Box 2, 7990 AA Dwingeloo (Netherlands); Ransom, Scott M. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2475 (United States); Stairs, Ingrid H., E-mail: kaplan@uwm.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1 (Canada)

    2014-07-10

    The recycled pulsar PSR J2222–0137 is one of the closest known neutron stars (NSs) with a parallax distance of 267{sub −0.9}{sup +1.2} pc and an edge-on orbit. We measure the Shapiro delay in the system through pulsar timing with the Green Bank Telescope, deriving a low pulsar mass (1.20 ± 0.14 M{sub ☉}) and a high companion mass (1.05 ± 0.06 M{sub ☉}) consistent with either a low-mass NS or a high-mass white dwarf. We can largely reject the NS hypothesis on the basis of the system's extremely low eccentricity (3 × 10{sup –4})—too low to have been the product of two supernovae under normal circumstances. However, despite deep optical and near-infrared searches with Southern Astrophysical Research and the Keck telescopes we have not discovered the optical counterpart of the system. This is consistent with the white dwarf hypothesis only if the effective temperature is <3000 K, a limit that is robust to distance, mass, and atmosphere uncertainties. This would make the companion to PSR J2222–0137 one of the coolest white dwarfs ever observed. For the implied age to be consistent with the age of the Milky Way requires the white dwarf to have already crystallized and entered the faster Debye-cooling regime.

  1. THE BINARY FRACTION OF LOW-MASS WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, Justin M.; Kilic, Mukremin; Brown, Warren R.; Kenyon, Scott J.

    2011-01-01

    We describe spectroscopic observations of 21 low-mass (≤0.45 M sun ) white dwarfs (WDs) from the Palomar-Green survey obtained over four years. We use both radial velocities and infrared photometry to identify binary systems, and find that the fraction of single, low-mass WDs is ≤30%. We discuss the potential formation channels for these single stars including binary mergers of lower-mass objects. However, binary mergers are not likely to explain the observed number of single low-mass WDs. Thus, additional formation channels, such as enhanced mass loss due to winds or interactions with substellar companions, are likely.

  2. Recurrent novae as a consequence of the accretion of solar material onto a 1.38 M/sub sun/ white dwarf

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Starrfield, S.; Sparks, W.M.; Truran, J.W.; and Theoretical Division,Los Alamos National Laboratory)

    1985-01-01

    We have computed three evolutionary sequences which treat the accretion of hydrogen-rich material onto 1.38 M/sub sun/ white dwarfs. In each of these sequences the accreting matter had only a solar composition of the CNO nuclei (Z = 0.015). In the first sequence we utilized an accretion rate of 1.7 x 10/sup hyphen8/ M/sub sun/ yr/sup hyphen1/ onto a white dwarf with an initial luminosity of 0.1 L/sub sun/ . It took this sequence '33 yr to reach the peak of the thermonuclear runaway which resulted in an outburst that ejected 3x10/sup hyphen8/ M/sub sun/ . of material moving at speeds up to 2900 kn s/sup hyphen1/. The light curve, the time to outburst, and the amount of mass ejected during the evolution are in excellent agreement with the observed outburst of Nova U Sco 1979. However, only 6% of the accreted envelope was ejected during the outburst. The remaining material quickly burned to helium ('2 yr) and settled back onto the white dwarf. The second study involved an accretion rate of 1.7x10/sup hyphen9/ M/sub sun/ yr/sup hyphen1/ onto a white dwarf with an initial luminosity of 10/sup hyphen2/ L/sub sun/ . It took nearly 1600 yr to reach the burst phase of the evolution, and by this time the dwarf had accreted '3x10/sup hyphen6/ M/sub sun/ . Peak temperature in the shell source reached 3.5x10 8 K, about 1.3x10 8 K higher than was found for model 1. This sequence ejected 3x10/sup hyphen7/ M/sub sun/, only 13% of the accreted envelope, moving at low velocities. For both of these evolutionary sequences, we find that as a result of the accretion of matter onto a massive white dwarf, the mass of the white dwarf grows toward the Chandrasekhar limit. If our study is a realistic representation of the evolution of U Sco, then this star is well on its way to becoming an SN I

  3. Collapse of accreting carbon-oxygen white dwarfs induced by carbon deflagration at high density

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomoto, K.

    1986-01-01

    A critical condition is obtained for which carbon deflagration induces collapse of an accreting C + O white dwarf, not explosion. If the carbon deflagration is initiated at central density as high as 10 10 g cm -3 and if the propagation of the deflagration wave is slower than ∼ 0.15 υ/sub s/ (υ/sub s/ is the sound speed), electron capture behind the burning front induces collapse to form a neutron star. This is the case for both conductive and convective deflagrations. Such a high central density can be reached if the white dwarf is sufficiently massive and cold at the onset of accretion and if the accretion rate is in the appropriate range. Models for Type Ia and Ib supernovae are also discussed. 66 refs., 8 figs

  4. Three-body crystallization diagrams and the cooling of white dwarfs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Segretain, L.

    1996-06-01

    The 3-body crystallization diagrams of C/O/Ne ionic mixtures characteristic of white dwarf interiors are examined within the framework of the density-functional theory of freezing. The crystallization process is described more accurately than in former calculations where the three-component system was treated as an effective two-component mixture (Segretain et al. 1994). The distillation process due to neon-crystallization is found to occur only for the late stages of crystallization. At the beginning, the presence of neon plays only a minor role and the phase diagram resembles a pure carbon-oxygen diagram. The final phase diagram is found to exhibit an azeotropic point with a neon concentration x_Ne_=0.22, a carbon concentration x_C_=0.78 and an oxygen concentration x_O_=0, so that during the distillation process, the fluid crystallizes into a pure neon-carbon solid. The critical temperature is T_A_=0.85T_C_, where T_C_ is the pure carbon crystallization temperature. We use this accurate phase diagram to calculate the total gravitational energy released during white dwarf crystallization and the related time delay. The final result yields {DELTA}τ=~2.6Gyr, among which about 20% are due to the neon-distillation process.

  5. ON THE NATURE OF THE HOT COMPONENT IN THE SYMBIOTIC, SUPERSOFT X-RAY BINARY AG DRACONIS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sion, Edward M.; Moreno, Jackeline; Godon, Patrick [Astronomy and Astrophysics, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085 (United States); Sabra, Bassem [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Notre Dame University-Louaize, Zouk Mosbeh (Lebanon); Mikolajewska, Joanna, E-mail: edward.sion@villanova.edu, E-mail: jackeline.moreno@villanova.edu, E-mail: patrick.godon@villanova.edu, E-mail: bsabra@ndu.edu.lb, E-mail: mikolaj@camk.edu.pl [Copernicus Astronomical Center, Warsaw (Poland)

    2012-12-01

    AG Dra is a symbiotic variable consisting of a metal-poor, yellow giant mass donor underfilling its Roche lobe and a hot accreting white dwarf, possibly surrounded by an optically thick, bright accretion disk (which could be present from wind accretion). We constructed NLTE synthetic spectral models for white dwarf spectra and optically thick accretion disk spectra to model a FUSE spectrum of AG Dra, obtained when the hot component is viewed in front of the yellow giant. The spectrum has been dereddened (E(B - V) = 0.05) and the model fitting carried out, with the distance regarded as a free parameter but required to be larger than the Hipparcos lower limit of 1 kpc. We find that the best-fitting model is a bare accreting white dwarf with M{sub wd} = 0.4 M{sub Sun }, T{sub eff} = 80,000 K, and a model-derived distance of 1543 pc. Higher temperatures are ruled out due to excess flux at the shortest wavelengths while a lower temperature decreases the distance below 1 kpc. Any accretion disk that might be present is only a minor contributor to the far-UV flux. This raises the possibility that the soft X-rays originate from a very hot boundary layer between a putative accretion disk and the accreting star.

  6. LP 400-22, a Very Low Mass and High-Velocity White Dwarf

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kawka, Adela; Vennes, S.; Oswalt, T.D.; Smith, J.A.; Silvestri, N.M.

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 643, č. 2 (2006), L123-L126 ISSN 0004-637X R&D Projects: GA ČR GP205/05/P186 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : white dwarf s * individual stars Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 6.119, year: 2006

  7. The Fall and the Rise of X-Rays from Dwarf Novae in Outburst: RXTE Observations of VW Hydri and WW Ceti

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fertig, D.; Mukai, K.; Nelson, T.; Cannizzo, J. K.

    2011-01-01

    In a dwarf nova, the accretion disk around the white dwarf is a source of ultraviolet, optical, and infrared photons, but is never hot enough to emit X-rays. Observed X-rays instead originate from the boundary layer between the disk and the white dwarf. As the disk switches between quiescence and outburst states, the 2-10 keV X-ray flux is usually seen to be anti-correlated with the optical brightness. Here we present RXTE monitoring observations of two dwarf novae, VW Hyi and WW Cet, confirming the optical/X-ray anti-correlation in these two systems. However, we do not detect any episodes of increased hard X-ray flux on the rise (out of two possible chances for WW Cet) or the decline (two for WW Cet and one for VW Hyi) from outburst, attributes that are clearly established in SS Cyg. The addition of these data to the existing literature establishes the fact that the behavior of SS Cyg is the exception, rather than the archetype as is often assumed. We speculate that only dwarf novae with a massive white dwarf may show these hard X-ray spikes.

  8. The polluted atmospheres of cool white dwarfs and the magnetic field connection

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kawka, Adela; Vennes, Stephane

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 439, č. 1 (2014), L90-L94 ISSN 0035-8711 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP209/12/0217; GA ČR GA13-14581S Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : white dwarfs * stars: abundances * stars: atmospheres Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy , Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 5.107, year: 2014

  9. Black holes, white dwarfs and neutron stars: The physics of compact objects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shapiro, S.L.; Teukolsky, S.A.

    1983-01-01

    The contents include: Star deaths and the formation of compact objects; White dwarfs; Rotation and magnetic fields; Cold equation of state above neutron drip; Pulsars; Accretion onto black holes; Supermassive stars and black holes; Appendices; and Indexes. This book discusses one aspect, compact objects, of astronomy and provides information of astrophysics or general relativity

  10. A new extremely low-mass white dwarf in the NLTT catalogue

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kawka, Adela; Vennes, Stephane

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 506, č. 2 (2009), L25-L28 ISSN 0004-6361 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA300030908; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06014 Grant - others:GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA301630901 Program:IA Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : white dwarfs Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 4.179, year: 2009

  11. White dwarf stars: cosmic chronometers and dark matter probes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salaris, Maurizio; Cassisi, Santi

    2018-04-01

    White dwarfs (WD) are the endpoint of the evolution of the large majority of stars formed in our galaxy. In the last two decades observations and theory have improved to a level that makes it possible to employ WD for determining ages of the stellar populations in the disk of the Milky Way and in the nearest star clusters, and constrain the existence and properties of dark matter (DM) candidates. This review is centred on WD models, age-dating, and DM identification methods, recent results and future developments of the field.

  12. Theory of hydrogen shell flashes on accreting white dwarfs. II. The stable shell burning and the recurrence period of shell flashes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujimoto, M.Y.

    1982-01-01

    By means of analytical solutions of the envelope, thermal properties of hydrogen shell burning on accreting white dwarfs are studied and a general picture for their progress is presented which is described by two parameters, the accretion rate and the mass of the white dwarf. On a white dwarf, the thermal behavior of gas in the burning shell depends on the configuration of the envelope, which gives birth to two distinct types of stable configurations in thermal equilibrium, a high and a low state. In the high state, the nuclear shell burning makes up for the energy loss from the surface. There exists the lower limit to the envelope mass for this state. The nuclear burning rate lies in a narrow range of about a factor of 2.5, irrespective of the mass of the white dwarf, while the range itself varies greatly with the latter. In the low state, the nuclear burning is extinct, and yet the compressional heating by accreted gas balances with the cooling through the diffusion of heat. Therefore, the structure depends on the accretion rate. Thermal instability of nuclear burning sets the upper limit to the envelope mass of this state

  13. Evolution Models of Helium White Dwarf–Main-sequence Star Merger Remnants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Xianfei; Bi, Shaolan; Hall, Philip D.; Jeffery, C. Simon

    2017-01-01

    It is predicted that orbital decay by gravitational-wave radiation and tidal interaction will cause some close binary stars to merge within a Hubble time. The merger of a helium-core white dwarf with a main-sequence (MS) star can produce a red giant branch star that has a low-mass hydrogen envelope when helium is ignited and thus become a hot subdwarf. Because detailed calculations have not been made, we compute post-merger models with a stellar evolution code. We find the evolutionary paths available to merger remnants and find the pre-merger conditions that lead to the formation of hot subdwarfs. We find that some such mergers result in the formation of stars with intermediate helium-rich surfaces. These stars later develop helium-poor surfaces owing to diffusion. Combining our results with a model population and comparing to observed stars, we find that some observed intermediate helium-rich hot subdwarfs can be explained as the remnants of the mergers of helium-core white dwarfs with low-mass MS stars.

  14. Evolution Models of Helium White Dwarf–Main-sequence Star Merger Remnants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Xianfei; Bi, Shaolan [Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875 (China); Hall, Philip D.; Jeffery, C. Simon, E-mail: zxf@bnu.edu.cn [Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh BT61 9DG (United Kingdom)

    2017-02-01

    It is predicted that orbital decay by gravitational-wave radiation and tidal interaction will cause some close binary stars to merge within a Hubble time. The merger of a helium-core white dwarf with a main-sequence (MS) star can produce a red giant branch star that has a low-mass hydrogen envelope when helium is ignited and thus become a hot subdwarf. Because detailed calculations have not been made, we compute post-merger models with a stellar evolution code. We find the evolutionary paths available to merger remnants and find the pre-merger conditions that lead to the formation of hot subdwarfs. We find that some such mergers result in the formation of stars with intermediate helium-rich surfaces. These stars later develop helium-poor surfaces owing to diffusion. Combining our results with a model population and comparing to observed stars, we find that some observed intermediate helium-rich hot subdwarfs can be explained as the remnants of the mergers of helium-core white dwarfs with low-mass MS stars.

  15. Special and general relativity with applications to white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes

    CERN Document Server

    Glendenning, Norman K

    2007-01-01

    Special and General Relativity are concisely developed together with essential aspects of nuclear and particle physics. Problem sets are provided for many chapters, making the book ideal for a course on the physics of white dwarf and neutron star interiors.

  16. The fastest evolving white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D'antona, F.; Mazzitelli, I.

    1989-01-01

    The evolution of white dwarfs (WDs) at their lowest luminosities is investigated by computing a reference track with solar metal and helium abundances down to the beginning of WD evolution. The main characteristics of the cooling tracks are described, including the onset of crystallization and its completion, and the differentiation in the relation T(c) - T(eff) is shown for the tracks. It is shown why the evolutionary times do not shorten abruptly at a given luminosity as a result of Debye cooling. The structure of the coolest models is shown to consist of dense atmospheres, with photospheres lying at the boundary of pressure ionization. A study of the resulting luminosity functions (LFs) shows that fast cooling never occurs, and that the LF in the crucial region log L/L(solar) between -4 and -6 is either flat or slowly decreasing. Comparisons with the observed LFs explains well the peak or flattening of the LF at log L/L(solar) = -3 or less but fails to reproduce the drop at log L/L(solar) = -4.5. 48 refs

  17. Rapid Evolution of the Gaseous Exoplanetary Debris around the White Dwarf Star HE 1349–2305

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dennihy, E.; Clemens, J. C.; Dunlap, B. H.; Fanale, S. M.; Fuchs, J. T.; Hermes, J. J.

    2018-02-01

    Observations of heavy metal pollution in white dwarf stars indicate that metal-rich planetesimals are frequently scattered into star-grazing orbits, tidally disrupted, and accreted onto the white dwarf surface, offering direct insight into the dynamical evolution of post-main-sequence exoplanetary systems. Emission lines from the gaseous debris in the accretion disks of some of these systems show variations on timescales of decades, and have been interpreted as the general relativistic precession of a recently formed, elliptical disk. Here we present a comprehensive spectroscopic monitoring campaign of the calcium infrared triplet emission in one system, HE 1349–2305, which shows morphological emission profile variations suggestive of a precessing, asymmetric intensity pattern. The emission profiles are shown to vary on a timescale of one to two years, which is an order of magnitude shorter than what has been observed in other similar systems. We demonstrate that this timescale is likely incompatible with general relativistic precession, and consider alternative explanations for the rapid evolution, including the propagation of density waves within the gaseous debris. We conclude with recommendations for follow-up observations, and discuss how the rapid evolution of the gaseous debris in HE 1349–2305 could be leveraged to test theories of exoplanetary debris disk evolution around white dwarf stars.

  18. Multiwavelength monitoring of the dwarf nova VW Hydri

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woerd, H. van der; Heise, J.

    1987-01-01

    This paper presents the X-ray observations made as part of the multiwavelength study of the dwarf nova VW Hyi. The X-ray monitoring covered 2 months in 1984. Three normal outbursts, a superoutburst and the quiescent intervals between those outbursts were observed. During quiescence the X-ray flux decreases by a factor of 1.2 to 1.6, which implies that the accretion rate on to the white dwarf decreases by approximately the same factor. The observations during quiescence are consistent with emission from an optically thin, hot (T approx.= 10 8 K) corona. During outburst the X-ray flux increases by two orders of magnitude. The spectrum is characterized as extremely soft, with dominant emission at wavelength above 170 A. (author)

  19. K2 Ultracool Dwarfs Survey. III. White Light Flares Are Ubiquitous in M6-L0 Dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paudel, Rishi R.; Gizis, John E.; Mullan, D. J.; Schmidt, Sarah J.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Williams, Peter K. G.; Berger, Edo

    2018-05-01

    We report the white light flare rates for 10 ultracool dwarfs using Kepler K2 short-cadence data. Among our sample stars, two have spectral type M6, three are M7, three are M8, and two are L0. Most of our targets are old low-mass stars. We identify a total of 283 flares in all of the stars in our sample, with Kepler energies in the range log E Kp ∼ (29–33.5) erg. Using the maximum-likelihood method of line fitting, we find that the flare frequency distribution (FFD) for each star in our sample follows a power law with slope ‑α in the range ‑(1.3–2.0). We find that cooler objects tend to have shallower slopes. For some of our targets, the FFD follows either a broken power law, or a power law with an exponential cutoff. For the L0 dwarf 2MASS J12321827-0951502, we find a very shallow slope (‑α = ‑1.3) in the Kepler energy range (0.82–130) × 1030 erg: this L0 dwarf has flare rates which are comparable to those of high-energy flares in stars of earlier spectral types. In addition, we report photometry of two superflares: one on the L0 dwarf 2MASS J12321827-0951502 and another on the M7 dwarf 2MASS J08352366+1029318. In the case of 2MASS J12321827-0951502, we report a flare brightening by a factor of ∼144 relative to the quiescent photospheric level. Likewise, for 2MASS J08352366+1029318, we report a flare brightening by a factor of ∼60 relative to the quiescent photospheric level. These two superflares have bolometric (ultraviolet/optical/infrared) energies 3.6 × 1033 erg and 8.9 × 1033 erg respectively, while the full width half maximum timescales are very short, ∼2 min. We find that the M8 star TRAPPIST-1 is more active than the M8.5 dwarf 2M03264453+1919309, but less active than another M8 dwarf (2M12215066-0843197).

  20. Axisymmetric general relativistic simulations of the accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdikamalov, E. B.; Ott, C. D.; Rezzolla, L.; Dessart, L.; Dimmelmeier, H.; Marek, A.; Janka, H.-T.

    2010-01-01

    The accretion-induced collapse (AIC) of a white dwarf may lead to the formation of a protoneutron star and a collapse-driven supernova explosion. This process represents a path alternative to thermonuclear disruption of accreting white dwarfs in type Ia supernovae. In the AIC scenario, the supernova explosion energy is expected to be small and the resulting transient short-lived, making it hard to detect by electromagnetic means alone. Neutrino and gravitational-wave (GW) observations may provide crucial information necessary to reveal a potential AIC. Motivated by the need for systematic predictions of the GW signature of AIC, we present results from an extensive set of general-relativistic AIC simulations using a microphysical finite-temperature equation of state and an approximate treatment of deleptonization during collapse. Investigating a set of 114 progenitor models in axisymmetric rotational equilibrium, with a wide range of rotational configurations, temperatures and central densities, and resulting white dwarf masses, we extend previous Newtonian studies and find that the GW signal has a generic shape akin to what is known as a 'type III' signal in the literature. Despite this reduction to a single type of waveform, we show that the emitted GWs carry information that can be used to constrain the progenitor and the postbounce rotation. We discuss the detectability of the emitted GWs, showing that the signal-to-noise ratio for current or next-generation interferometer detectors could be high enough to detect such events in our Galaxy. Furthermore, we contrast the GW signals of AIC and rotating massive star iron core collapse and find that they can be distinguished, but only if the distance to the source is known and a detailed reconstruction of the GW time series from detector data is possible. Some of our AIC models form massive quasi-Keplerian accretion disks after bounce. The disk mass is very sensitive to progenitor mass and angular momentum

  1. Quasi-periodic oscillations in accreting magnetic white dwarfs. II. The asset of numerical modelling for interpreting observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Busschaert, C.; Falize, É.; Michaut, C.; Bonnet-Bidaud, J.-M.; Mouchet, M.

    2015-07-01

    Context. Magnetic cataclysmic variables are close binary systems containing a strongly magnetized white dwarf that accretes matter coming from an M-dwarf companion. The high magnetic field strength leads to the formation of an accretion column instead of an accretion disk. High-energy radiation coming from those objects is emitted from the column close to the white dwarf photosphere at the impact region. Its properties depend on the characteristics of the white dwarf and an accurate accretion column model allows the properties of the binary system to be inferred, such as the white dwarf mass, its magnetic field, and the accretion rate. Aims: We study the temporal and spectral behaviour of the accretion region and use the tools we developed to accurately connect the simulation results to the X-ray and optical astronomical observations. Methods: The radiation hydrodynamics code Hades was adapted to simulate this specific accretion phenomena. Classical approaches were used to model the radiative losses of the two main radiative processes: bremsstrahlung and cyclotron. Synthetic light curves and X-ray spectra were extracted from numerical simulations. A fast Fourier analysis was performed on the simulated light curves. The oscillation frequencies and amplitudes in the X-ray and optical domains are studied to compare those numerical results to observational ones. Different dimensional formulae were developed to complete the numerical evaluations. Results: The complete characterization of the emitting region is described for the two main radiative regimes: when only the bremsstrahlung losses and when both cyclotron and bremsstrahlung losses are considered. The effect of the non-linear cooling instability regime on the accretion column behaviour is analysed. Variation in luminosity on short timescales (~1 s quasi-periodic oscillations) is an expected consequence of this specific dynamic. The importance of secondary shock instability on the quasi-periodic oscillation

  2. Deposition of steeply infalling debris around white dwarf stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, John C.; Veras, Dimitri; Gänsicke, Boris T.

    2017-06-01

    High-metallicity pollution is common in white dwarf (WD) stars hosting remnant planetary systems. However, they rarely have detectable debris accretion discs, possibly because much of the influx is fast steeply infalling debris in star-grazing orbits, producing a more tenuous signature than a slowly accreting disc. Processes governing such deposition between the Roche radius and photosphere have so far received little attention and we model them here analytically by extending recent work on sun-grazing comets to WD systems. We find that the evolution of cm-to-km size (a0) infallers most strongly depends on two combinations of parameters, which effectively measure sublimation rate and binding strength. We then provide an algorithm to determine the fate of infallers for any WD, and apply the algorithm to four limiting combinations of hot versus cool (young/old) WDs with snowy (weak, volatile) versus rocky (strong, refractory) infallers. We find: (I) Total sublimation above the photosphere befalls all small infallers across the entire WD temperature (TWD) range, the threshold size rising with TWD and 100× larger for rock than snow. (II) All very large objects fragment tidally regardless of TWD: for rock, a0 ≽ 105 cm; for snow, a0 ≽ 103-3 × 104 cm across all WD cooling ages. (III) A considerable range of a0 avoids fragmentation and total sublimation, yielding impacts or grazes with cold WDs. This range rapidly narrows with increasing TWD, especially for snowy bodies. Finally, we briefly discuss how the various forms of deposited debris may finally reach the photosphere surface itself.

  3. THE DISCOVERY OF THE MOST METAL-RICH WHITE DWARF: COMPOSITION OF A TIDALLY DISRUPTED EXTRASOLAR DWARF PLANET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dufour, P.; Fontaine, G.; Bergeron, P.; Lachapelle, F.-R.; Kilic, M.; Kleinman, S. J.; Leggett, S. K.

    2010-01-01

    Cool white dwarf stars are usually found to have an outer atmosphere that is practically pure in hydrogen or helium. However, a small fraction have traces of heavy elements that must originate from the accretion of extrinsic material, most probably circumstellar matter. Upon examining thousands of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectra, we discovered that the helium-atmosphere white dwarf SDSS J073842.56+183509.6 shows the most severe metal pollution ever seen in the outermost layers of such stars. We present here a quantitative analysis of this exciting star by combining high signal-to-noise ratio follow-up spectroscopic and photometric observations with model atmospheres and evolutionary models. We determine the global structural properties of our target star, as well as the abundances of the most significant pollutants in its atmosphere, i.e., H, O, Na, Mg, Si, Ca, and Fe. The relative abundances of these elements imply that the source of the accreted material has a composition similar to that of Bulk Earth. We also report the signature of a circumstellar disk revealed through a large infrared excess in JHK photometry. Combined with our inferred estimate of the mass of the accreted material, this strongly suggests that we are witnessing the remains of a tidally disrupted extrasolar body that was as large as Ceres.

  4. A VERY BRIGHT, VERY HOT, AND VERY LONG FLARING EVENT FROM THE M DWARF BINARY SYSTEM DG CVn

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Osten, Rachel A. [Space Telescope Science Institute (United States); Kowalski, Adam [U. Md/GSFC (United States); Drake, Stephen A. [USRA/CRESST and NASA/GSFC (United States); Krimm, Hans [USRA/CRESST (United States); Page, Kim [X-ray and Observational Astronomy Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH (United Kingdom); Gazeas, Kosmas [Department of Astrophysics, Astronomy and Mechanics, University of Athens, GR-15784 Zografos, Athens (Greece); Kennea, Jamie [Penn State (United States); Oates, Samantha [Instituto de Astrofsica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC), Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, E-18008, Granada (Spain); Page, Mathew [Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking RH5 6NT (United Kingdom); De Miguel, Enrique [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, E-21071 Huelva (Spain); Novák, Rudolf [Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 3, 625 00 Brno (Czech Republic); Apeltauer, Tomas [Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Veveri 331/95, 602 00 Brno (Czech Republic); Gehrels, Neil, E-mail: osten@stsci.edu [NASA/GSFC (United States)

    2016-12-01

    On 2014 April 23, the Swift satellite responded to a hard X-ray transient detected by its Burst Alert Telescope, which turned out to be a stellar flare from a nearby, young M dwarf binary DG CVn. We utilize observations at X-ray, UV, optical, and radio wavelengths to infer the properties of two large flares. The X-ray spectrum of the primary outburst can be described over the 0.3–100 keV bandpass by either a single very high-temperature plasma or a nonthermal thick-target bremsstrahlung model, and we rule out the nonthermal model based on energetic grounds. The temperatures were the highest seen spectroscopically in a stellar flare, at T{sub X} of 290 MK. The first event was followed by a comparably energetic event almost a day later. We constrain the photospheric area involved in each of the two flares to be >10{sup 20} cm{sup 2}, and find evidence from flux ratios in the second event of contributions to the white light flare emission in addition to the usual hot, T  ∼ 10{sup 4} K blackbody emission seen in the impulsive phase of flares. The radiated energy in X-rays and white light reveal these events to be the two most energetic X-ray flares observed from an M dwarf, with X-ray radiated energies in the 0.3–10 keV bandpass of 4 × 10{sup 35} and 9 × 10{sup 35} erg, and optical flare energies at E{sub V} of 2.8 × 10{sup 34} and 5.2 × 10{sup 34} erg, respectively. The results presented here should be integrated into updated modeling of the astrophysical impact of large stellar flares on close-in exoplanetary atmospheres.

  5. A Very Bright, Very Hot, and Very Long Flaring Event from the M Dwarf Binary System DG CVn

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osten, Rachel A.; Kowalski, Adam; Drake, Stephen; Krimm, Hans; Page, Kim; Gazeas, Kosmas; Page, Mathew; Miguel, Enrique De; Novak, Rudolf; Gehrels, Cornelis

    2016-01-01

    On 2014 April 23, the Swift satellite responded to a hard X-ray transient detected by its Burst Alert Telescope, which turned out to be a stellar flare from a nearby, young M dwarf binary DG CVn. We utilize observations at X-ray, UV, optical, and radio wavelengths to infer the properties of two large flares. The X-ray spectrum of the primary outburst can be described over the 0.3100 kiloelectron volts bandpass by either a single very high-temperature plasma or a nonthermal thick-target bremsstrahlung model, and we rule out the nonthermal model based on energetic grounds. The temperatures were the highest seen spectroscopically in a stellar flare, at T(sub x) of 290 megakelvin. The first event was followed by a comparably energetic event almost a day later. We constrain the photospheric area involved in each of the two flares to be greater than 10(exp 20) sq cm, and find evidence from flux ratios in the second event of contributions to the white light flare emission in addition to the usual hot, T approximately 10(exp 4) K blackbody emission seen in the impulsive phase of flares. The radiated energy in X-rays and white light reveal these events to be the two most energetic X-ray flares observed from an M dwarf, with X-ray radiated energies in the 0.3-10 kiloelectron volts bandpass of 4 x 10(exp 35) and 9 x 10(exp 35) erg, and optical flare energies at E(sub V) of 2.8 x 10(exp 34) and 5.2 x 10(exp 34) erg, respectively. The results presented here should be integrated into updated modeling of the astrophysical impact of large stellar flares on close-in exoplanetary atmospheres.

  6. Thomson scattering in magnetic fields. [of white dwarf stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitney, Barbara

    1989-01-01

    The equation of transfer in Thomson scattering atmospheres with magnetic fields is solved using Monte Carlo methods. Two cases, a plane parallel atmosphere with a magnetic field perpendicular to the atmosphere, and a dipole star, are investigated. The wavelength dependence of polarization from plane-parallel atmosphere is qualitatively similar to that observed in the magnetic white dwarf Grw+70 deg 8247, and the field strength determined by the calculation, 320 MG, is quantitatively similar to that determined from the line spectrum. The dipole model does not resemble the data as well as the single plane-parallel atmosphere.

  7. Stellar Laboratories: New GeV and Ge VI Oscillator Strengths and their Validation in the Hot White Dwarf RE0503-289

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, T.; Werner, K.; Biemont, E.; Quinet, P.; Kruk, J. W.

    2013-01-01

    prerequisite for stellar-atmosphere modeling. Our oscillator-strength calculations have allowed, for the first time, Ge V and Ge VI lines to be successfully reproduced in a white dwarf s (RE 0503-289) spectrum and to determine its photospheric Ge abundance.

  8. Formation of luminous contact binaries by rapid accretion onto white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomoto, K.; Nariai, K.; Sugimoto, D.

    1980-01-01

    During the evolution of a close binary system, there is a phase of mass exchange between its component stars. The authors investigate what happens in the case of extremely rapid accretion onto a white dwarf. They have computed the whole processes of mass accretion starting from its onset through the shell flash and further mass accumulation. Throughout the computation the effect of gravitational energy release has been correctly taken into account. (Auth.)

  9. LONG-TERM EVOLUTION OF DOUBLE WHITE DWARF BINARIES ACCRETING THROUGH DIRECT IMPACT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kremer, Kyle; Kalogera, Vassiliki; Sepinsky, Jeremy

    2015-01-01

    We calculate the long-term evolution of angular momentum in double white dwarf binaries undergoing direct impact accretion over a broad range of parameter space. We allow the rotation rate of both components to vary and account for the exchange of angular momentum between the spins of the white dwarfs and the orbit, while conserving the total angular momentum. We include gravitational, tidal, and mass transfer effects in the orbital evolution, and allow the Roche radius of the donor star to vary with both the stellar mass and the rotation rate. We examine the long-term stability of these systems, focusing in particular on those systems that may be progenitors of AM CVn or SNe Ia. We find that our analysis yields an increase in the predicted number of stable systems compared to that in previous studies. Additionally, we find that by properly accounting for the effects of asynchronism between the donor and the orbit on the Roche-lobe size, we eliminate oscillations in the orbital parameters, which were found in previous studies. Removing these oscillations can reduce the peak mass transfer rate in some systems, keeping them from entering an unstable mass transfer phase

  10. Energy Levels and Spectral Lines of Li Atoms in White Dwarf Strength Magnetic Fields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, L. B.

    2018-04-01

    A theoretical approach based on B-splines has been developed to calculate atomic structures and discrete spectra of Li atoms in a strong magnetic field typical of magnetic white dwarf stars. Energy levels are presented for 20 electronic states with the symmetries 20+, 20‑, 2(‑1)+, 2(‑1)‑, and 2(‑2)+. The magnetic field strengths involved range from 0 to 2350 MG. The wavelengths and oscillator strengths for the electric dipole transitions relevant to these magnetized atomic states are reported. The current results are compared to the limited theoretical data in the literature. A good agreement has been found for the lower energy levels, but a significant discrepancy is clearly visible for the higher energy levels. The existing discrepancies of the wavelengths and oscillator strengths are also discussed. Our investigation shows that the spectrum data of magnetized Li atoms previously published are obviously far from meeting requirements of analyzing discrete atomic spectra of magnetic white dwarfs with lithium atmospheres.

  11. Neutrino burst of white dwarf being absorbed by a primordial black hole

    CERN Document Server

    Tikhomirov, V V

    2003-01-01

    Primordial black holes (PBHS) of masses M>=5x10 sup 4 g are able to absorb white dwarfs (WD), giving rise to formation of black holes of WD masses. The WD absorption is accomplained by up to 10 sup 5 sup 2 erg neutrino bursts which can be readily detected by modern neutrino detectors. We calculate time characteristics of such a burst in this paper. (authors)

  12. Surprising Rapid Collapse of Sirius B from Red Giant to White Dwarf Through Mass Transfer to Sirius a

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousef, Shahinaz; Ali, Ola

    2013-03-01

    Sirius was observed in antiquity as a red star. In his famous astronomy textbook the Almagest written 140 AD, Ptolemy described the star Sirius as fiery red. He curiously depicted it as one of six red-colored stars. The other five are class M and K stars, such as Arcturus and Betelgeuse. Apparent confirmation in ancient Greek and Roman sources are found and Sirius was also reported red in Europe about 1400 years ago. Sirius must have changed to a white dwarf in the night of Ascension. The star chapter in the Quran started with "by the star as it collapsed (1) your companion have not gone astray nor being misled (2), and in verse 49 which is the rotation period of the companion Sirius B around Sirius A, it is said" He is the Lord of Sirius (49). If Sirius actually was red what could have caused it to change into the brilliant bluish-white star we see today? What the naked eye perceives as a single star is actually a binary star system, consisting of a white main sequence star of spectral type A1V, termed Sirius A, and a faint white dwarf companion of spectral type DA2, termed Sirius B. The red color indicates that the star seen then was a red giant. It looks that what they have seen in antiquity was Sirius B which was then a red giant and it collapsed to form a white dwarf. Since there is no evidence of a planetary nebula, then the red Sirius paradox can be solved in terms of stellar evolution with mass transfer. Sirius B was the most massive star which evolved to a red giant and filled the Roche lobe. Mass transfer to Sirius A occurred through the Lagrangian point. Sirius A then became more massive while Sirius B lost mass and shrank. Sirius B then collapsed abruptly into a white dwarf. In the case of Algol, Ptolmy observed it as white star but it was red at the time of El sufi. At present it is white. The rate of mass transfer from Sirius B to Sirius A, and from Algol B to A is estimated from observational data of colour change from red to bullish white to be 0

  13. Menopausal Hot Flashes and White Matter Hyperintensities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurston, Rebecca C.; Aizenstein, Howard J.; Derby, Carol A.; Sejdić, Ervin; Maki, Pauline M.

    2015-01-01

    Objective Hot flashes are the classic menopausal symptom. Emerging data links hot flashes to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, yet how hot flashes are related to brain health is poorly understood. We examined the relationship between hot flashes - measured via physiologic monitor and self-report - and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) among midlife women. Methods Twenty midlife women ages 40-60 without clinical CVD, with their uterus and both ovaries, and not taking hormone therapy were recruited. Women underwent 24 hours of ambulatory physiologic and diary hot flash monitoring to quantify hot flashes; magnetic resonance imaging to assess WMH burden; 72 hours of actigraphy and questionnaires to quantify sleep; and a blood draw, questionnaires, and physical measures to quantify demographics and CVD risk factors. Test of a priori hypotheses regarding relations between physiologically-monitored and self-reported wake and sleep hot flashes and WMH were conducted in linear regression models. Results More physiologically-monitored hot flashes during sleep were associated with greater WMH, controlling for age, race, and body mass index [beta(standard error)=.0002 (.0001), p=.03]. Findings persisted controlling for sleep characteristics and additional CVD risk factors. No relations were observed for self-reported hot flashes. Conclusions More physiologically-monitored hot flashes during sleep were associated with greater WMH burden among midlife women free of clinical CVD. Results suggest that relations between hot flashes and CVD risk observed in the periphery may extend to the brain. Future work should consider the unique role of sleep hot flashes in brain health. PMID:26057822

  14. Final stages of evolution of cold, mass-accreting white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hernanz, M.; Isern, J.; Canal, R.; Labay, J.; Mochkovitch, R.

    1988-01-01

    The evolution of solid C + O white dwarf models upon mass accretion is calculated up to the point of either explosive thermonuclear ignition or gravitational collapse. It is shown that both explosions and quiet collapses to a neutron star are possible for each of two different phase diagrams for high-density C + O mixtures. The ranges of initial masses and temperatures and of accretion rates leading to the different outcomes are determined. Problems concerning the chemical composition of the accreted matter and the effects of tidal dissipation are discussed. 68 references

  15. Stark Broadening of Cr III Spectral Lines: DO White Dwarfs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milan S. Dimitrijević

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Using the modified semiempirical method of Dimitrijević and Konjević, Stark widths have been calculated for six Cr III transitions, for an electron density of 10 17 cm ‒ 3 and for temperatures from 5000–80,000 K. Results have been used for the investigation of the influence of Stark broadening on spectral lines in cool DO white dwarf atmospheres. Calculated Stark widths will be implemented in the STARK-B database, which is also a part of the Virtual Atomic and Molecular Data Center (VAMDC.

  16. The movie about the magnetism in isolated white dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sliwinski, M. S.; Krzyczkowska, L. I.

    2004-10-01

    We present the movie about magnetism in the isolated white dwarfs. We tried to create a brand new form of presentation of astronomical knowledge. This one was made to show it to the scientists, so we assumed some level of knowledge that was needed to understand the movie. However it still can be a way to arouse interest of non-astronomers (even children) in astronomical research. This could also be the best way to teach young people or help them to understand astronomy and astrophysics that they have to learn at school. Below we report the plot of the movie adding, in some parts, comments that will follow.

  17. VLT/X-shooter observations and the chemical composition of cool white dwarfs

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kawka, Adela; Vennes, Stephane

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 538, February (2012), A13/1-A13/11 ISSN 0004-6361 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA300030908; GA AV ČR IAA301630901; GA ČR GAP209/10/0967; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06014 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1003909 Keywords : white dwarfs * atmospheres * abundance Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 5.084, year: 2012

  18. WIRED for EC: New White Dwarfs with WISE Infrared Excesses and New Classification Schemes from the Edinburgh–Cape Blue Object Survey

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dennihy, E.; Clemens, J. C.; Dunlap, B. H.; O’Brien, P. C.; Fuchs, J. T. [Physics and Astronomy Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 (United States); Debes, John H. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Kilkenny, D. [Department of Physics, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535 (South Africa)

    2017-11-10

    We present a simple method for identifying candidate white dwarf systems with dusty exoplanetary debris based on a single temperature blackbody model fit to the infrared excess. We apply this technique to a sample of Southern Hemisphere white dwarfs from the recently completed Edinburgh–Cape Blue Object Survey and identify four new promising dusty debris disk candidates. We demonstrate the efficacy of our selection method by recovering three of the four Spitzer confirmed dusty debris disk systems in our sample. Further investigation using archival high-resolution imaging shows that Spitzer data of the unrecovered fourth object is likely contaminated by a line-of-sight object that either led to a misclassification as a dusty disk in the literature or is confounding our method. Finally, in our diagnostic plot, we show that dusty white dwarfs, which also host gaseous debris, lie along a boundary of our dusty debris disk region, providing clues to the origin and evolution of these especially interesting systems.

  19. New Observational Evidence of Flash Mixing on the White Dwarf Cooling Curve

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, T. M.; Lanz, T.; Sweigart, A. V.; Cracraft, Misty; Hubeny, Ivan; Landsman, W. B.

    2011-01-01

    Blue hook stars are a class of subluminous extreme horizontal branch stars that were discovered in UV images of the massive globular clusters w Cen and NGC 2808. These stars occupy a region of the HR diagram that is unexplained by canonical stellar evolution theory. Using new theoretical evolutionary and atmospheric models, we have shown that the blue hook stars are very likely the progeny of stars that undergo extensive internal mixing during a late helium-core flash on the white dwarf cooling curve. This "flash mixing" produces hotter-than-normal EHB stars with atmospheres significantly enhanced in helium and carbon. The larger bolometric correction, combined with the decrease in hydrogen opacity, makes these stars appear sub luminous in the optical and UV. Flash mixing is more likely to occur in stars born with a high helium abundance, due to their lower mass at the main sequence turnoff. For this reason, the phenomenon is more common in those massive globular clusters that show evidence for secondary populations enhanced in helium. However, a high helium abundance does not, by itself, explain the presence of blue hook stars in massive globular clusters. Here, we present new observational evidence for flash mixing, using recent HST observations. These include UV color-magnitude diagrams of six massive globular clusters and far-UV spectroscopy of hot subdwarfs in one of these clusters (NGC 2808).

  20. Orbital circularisation of white dwarfs and the formation of gravitational radiation sources in star clusters containing an intermediate mass black hole

    OpenAIRE

    Ivanov, P. B.; Papaloizou, J. C. B.

    2007-01-01

    (abbreviated) We consider how tight binaries consisting of a super-massive black hole of mass $M=10^{3}-10^{4}M_{\\odot}$ and a white dwarf can be formed in a globular cluster. We point out that a major fraction of white dwarfs tidally captured by the black hole may be destroyed by tidal inflation during ongoing circularisation, and the formation of tight binaries is inhibited. However, some stars may survive being spun up to high rotation rates. Then the energy loss through gravitational wave...

  1. DOES A DIFFERENTIATED, CARBONATE-RICH, ROCKY OBJECT POLLUTE THE WHITE DWARF SDSS J104341.53+085558.2?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Melis, Carl [Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093-0424 (United States); Dufour, P., E-mail: cmelis@ucsd.edu [Institut de Recherche sur les Exoplanètes (iREx), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7 (Canada)

    2017-01-01

    We present spectroscopic observations of the dust- and gas-enshrouded, polluted, single white dwarf star SDSS J104341.53+085558.2 (hereafter SDSS J1043+0855). Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Origins Spectrograph far-ultraviolet spectra combined with deep Keck HIRES optical spectroscopy reveal the elements C, O, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Ca, Fe, and Ni and enable useful limits for Sc, Ti, V, Cr, and Mn in the photosphere of SDSS J1043+0855. From this suite of elements we determine that the parent body being accreted by SDSS J1043+0855 is similar to the silicate Moon or the outer layers of Earth in that it is rocky and iron-poor. Combining this with comparison to other heavily polluted white dwarf stars, we are able to identify the material being accreted by SDSS J1043+0855 as likely to have come from the outermost layers of a differentiated object. Furthermore, we present evidence that some polluted white dwarfs (including SDSS J1043+0855) allow us to examine the structure of differentiated extrasolar rocky bodies. Enhanced levels of carbon in the body polluting SDSS J1043+0855 relative to the Earth–Moon system can be explained with a model where a significant amount of the accreted rocky minerals took the form of carbonates; specifically, through this model the accreted material could be up to 9% calcium-carbonate by mass.

  2. Flash Mixing of the White Dwarf Cooling Curve Spectroscopic Confirmation in NGC 2808

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Thomas M.; Lanz, Thierry; Sweigart, Allen V.; Cracraft, Misty; Hubeny, Ivan; Landsman, Wayne B.

    2009-01-01

    We present new HST far-UV spectroscopy of two dozen hot evolved stars in NGC 2808, a massive globular cluster with a large population of "blue-hook" stars. The blue-hook stars are found in ultraviolet color-magnitude diagrams of the most massive globular clusters, where they fall at luminosities immediately below the hot end of the horizontal branch (HB), in a region of the HR diagram unexplained by canonical stellar evolution theory. Using new theoretical evolutionary and atmospheric models, we have shown that these subluminous HB stars are very likely the progeny of stars that undergo extensive internal mixing during a late He-core flash on the white dwarf cooling curve. This flash mixing leads to hotter temperatures and an enormous enhancement of the surface He and C abundances; the hotter temperatures and associated decrease in the hydrogen opacity shortward of the Lyman limit makes the stars brighter in the extreme UV but appear sub luminous in the UV and optical. Our far-UV spectroscopy demonstrates that, relative to normal HB stars at the same color, the blue-hook stars of NGC 2808 are hotter and greatly enhanced in He and C, thus providing unambiguous evidence of flash mixing in the subluminous population. Although the C abundance in the blue-hook stars is orders of magnitude larger than that in the normal HB stars, the atmospheric C abundance in both the blue-hook and normal HB stars appears to be affected by gravitational settling. The abundance variations seen in C, Si, and the Fe-peak elements indicate that atmospheric diffusion is at play in our sample, with all of our hot subdwarfs at 25,000 K to 50,000 K exhibiting large enhancements of the iron-peak elements. The hottest subdwarfs in our blue-hook sample may be pulsators, given that they fall in the temperature range of newly-discovered pulsating subdwarfs in omega Cen.

  3. Ultraviolet spectra of DA white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelan, E.P.

    1985-01-01

    Using the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite, observations of cool to moderately warm DA white dwarfs showed the presence of broad absorption features at lambda 1400 and 1600. The lambda 1600 feature is prominent for T/sub eff/ 0 K and the lambda 1400 feature is visible up to about T/sub eff/ = 18,000 0 K. Proposed mechanisms for absorption at lambda 1400 have included a Si V doublet, H 2 Lyman bands, and the Call ionization edge at lambda 1420. It was recently suggested that the lambda 1600 feature is due to the photoionization edge of Mg I at lambda 1625. None of these has been able to explain all of the observations without invoking some quite unconventional circumstances. On the basis of computer models, this thesis proposes that the absorption in both cases is due to perturbations of the energy level structure of neutral hydrogen atoms undergoing collisions. The lambda 1600 feature is due to absorption by the hydrogen quasi-molecule while that at lambda 1400 arises from a ground state transition of the hydrogen quasi-molecule ion

  4. Numerical Simulations of Collisional Cascades at the Roche Limits of White Dwarf Stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenyon, Scott J.; Bromley, Benjamin C.

    2017-08-01

    We consider the long-term collisional and dynamical evolution of solid material orbiting in a narrow annulus near the Roche limit of a white dwarf. With orbital velocities of 300 {km} {{{s}}}-1, systems of solids with initial eccentricity e≳ {10}-3 generate a collisional cascade where objects with radii r ≲ 100{--}300 {km} are ground to dust. This process converts 1-100 km asteroids into 1 μm particles in 102-106 yr. Throughout this evolution, the swarm maintains an initially large vertical scale height H. Adding solids at a rate \\dot{M} enables the system to find an equilibrium where the mass in solids is roughly constant. This equilibrium depends on \\dot{M} and {r}0, the radius of the largest solid added to the swarm. When {r}0 ≲ 10 km, this equilibrium is stable. For larger {r}0, the mass oscillates between high and low states; the fraction of time spent in high states ranges from 100% for large \\dot{M} to much less than 1% for small \\dot{M}. During high states, the stellar luminosity reprocessed by the solids is comparable to the excess infrared emission observed in many metallic line white dwarfs.

  5. ESO 439-162/163 - a common proper motion binary formed by a magnetic DQ and a DC type white dwarf

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruiz, M.T.; Maza, J.

    1988-01-01

    In the course of a search for faint large proper motion stars, a common proper motion pair was identified having a mu = 0.38 + or - 0.03 arcsec/yr in the direction theta = 233 deg. The stars are separated by 23 arcsec and have apparent visual magnitudes 18.77 and 19.84, respectively. Spectrophotometry of the stars established that the fainter component is a cold DC white dwarf, while the brighter one is a magnetic white dwarf with strong Swan bands of C2 shifted and broadened by an about 10 to the 8th G magnetic field. 6 references

  6. Inner edges of compact debris disks around metal-rich white dwarfs

    OpenAIRE

    Rafikov, Roman R.; Garmilla, Jose A.

    2012-01-01

    A number of metal-rich white dwarfs (WDs) are known to host compact, dense particle disks, which are thought to be responsible for metal pollution of these stars. In many such systems the inner radii of disks inferred from their spectra are so close to the WD that particles directly exposed to starlight must be heated above 1500 K and are expected to be unstable against sublimation. To reconcile this expectation with observations we explore particle sublimation in H-poor debris disks around W...

  7. Accreting Double White Dwarf Binaries: Implications for LISA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kremer, Kyle; Breivik, Katelyn; Larson, Shane L.; Kalogera, Vassiliki

    2017-01-01

    We explore the long-term evolution of mass-transferring white dwarf (WD) binaries undergoing both direct-impact and disk accretion and explore implications of such systems to gravitational-wave (GW) astronomy. We cover a broad range of initial component masses and show that these systems, the majority of which lie within the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna ( LISA ) sensitivity range, exhibit prominent negative orbital frequency evolution (chirp) for a significant fraction of their lifetimes. Using a galactic population synthesis, we predict ∼2700 of these systems will be observable with a negative chirp of 0.1 yr −2 by a space-based GW detector like LISA . We also show that detections of mass-transferring double WD systems by LISA may provide astronomers with unique ways of probing the physics governing close compact object binaries.

  8. Accreting Double White Dwarf Binaries: Implications for LISA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kremer, Kyle; Breivik, Katelyn; Larson, Shane L.; Kalogera, Vassiliki, E-mail: kremer@u.northwestern.edu, E-mail: katelyn.breivik@northwestern.edu, E-mail: vicky@northwestern.edu, E-mail: s.larson@northwestern.edu [Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60201 (United States)

    2017-09-10

    We explore the long-term evolution of mass-transferring white dwarf (WD) binaries undergoing both direct-impact and disk accretion and explore implications of such systems to gravitational-wave (GW) astronomy. We cover a broad range of initial component masses and show that these systems, the majority of which lie within the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna ( LISA ) sensitivity range, exhibit prominent negative orbital frequency evolution (chirp) for a significant fraction of their lifetimes. Using a galactic population synthesis, we predict ∼2700 of these systems will be observable with a negative chirp of 0.1 yr{sup −2} by a space-based GW detector like LISA . We also show that detections of mass-transferring double WD systems by LISA may provide astronomers with unique ways of probing the physics governing close compact object binaries.

  9. Accreting Double White Dwarf Binaries: Implications for LISA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kremer, Kyle; Breivik, Katelyn; Larson, Shane L.; Kalogera, Vassiliki

    2017-09-01

    We explore the long-term evolution of mass-transferring white dwarf (WD) binaries undergoing both direct-impact and disk accretion and explore implications of such systems to gravitational-wave (GW) astronomy. We cover a broad range of initial component masses and show that these systems, the majority of which lie within the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) sensitivity range, exhibit prominent negative orbital frequency evolution (chirp) for a significant fraction of their lifetimes. Using a galactic population synthesis, we predict ˜2700 of these systems will be observable with a negative chirp of 0.1 yr-2 by a space-based GW detector like LISA. We also show that detections of mass-transferring double WD systems by LISA may provide astronomers with unique ways of probing the physics governing close compact object binaries.

  10. The Core Composition of a White Dwarf in a Close Double-degenerate System

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vennes, Stephane; Kawka, Adela

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 745, č. 1 (2012), L12/1-L12/5 ISSN 2041-8205 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP209/10/0967; GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA300030908; GA AV ČR IAA301630901 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : close binaries * white dwarf s * NLTT 16249 Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 6.345, year: 2012

  11. A numerical study of the stability of radiative shocks. [in accretion flows onto white dwarf stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imamura, J. N.; Wolff, M. T.; Durisen, R. H.

    1984-01-01

    Attention is given to the oscillatory instability of optically thin radiative shocks in time-dependent numerical calculations of accretion flows onto degenerate dwarfs. The present nonlinear calculations yield good quantitative agreement with the linear results obtained for oscillation frequencies, damping rates, and critical alpha-values. The fundamental mode and the first overtone in the shock radius and luminosity variations can be clearly identified, and evidence is sometimes seen for the second overtone. Time-dependent calculations are also performed which include additional physics relevant to degenerate dwarf accretion, such as electron thermal conduction, unequal electron and ion temperatures, Compton cooling, and relativistic corrections to the bremsstrahlung cooling law. All oscillatory modes are found to be damped, and hence stable, in the case of a 1-solar mass white dwarf accreting in spherical symmetry.

  12. TIDAL NOVAE IN COMPACT BINARY WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuller, Jim; Lai Dong

    2012-01-01

    Compact binary white dwarfs (WDs) undergoing orbital decay due to gravitational radiation can experience significant tidal heating prior to merger. In these WDs, the dominant tidal effect involves the excitation of outgoing gravity waves in the inner stellar envelope and the dissipation of these waves in the outer envelope. As the binary orbit decays, the WDs are synchronized from outside in (with the envelope synchronized first, followed by the core). We examine the deposition of tidal heat in the envelope of a carbon-oxygen WD and study how such tidal heating affects the structure and evolution of the WD. We show that significant tidal heating can occur in the star's degenerate hydrogen layer. This layer heats up faster than it cools, triggering runaway nuclear fusion. Such 'tidal novae' may occur in all WD binaries containing a CO WD, at orbital periods between 5 minutes and 20 minutes, and precede the final merger by 10 5 -10 6 years.

  13. Accretion onto CO White Dwarfs using MESA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Wanda; Starrfield, Sumner

    2018-06-01

    The nature of type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) progenitor systems and their underlying mechanism are not well understood. There are two competing progenitor scenarios: the single-degenerate scenario wherein a white dwarf (WD) star accretes material from a companion star, reaching the Chandrasekhar mass limit; and, the double-degenerate scenario wherein two WDs merge. In this study, we investigate the single-degenerate scenario by accretion onto carbon-oxygen (CO) WDs using the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). We vary the WD mass, composition of the accreting material, and accretion rate in our models. Mixing between the accreted material and the WD core is informed by multidimensional studies that suggest occurance after thermonuclear runaway (TNR) ensues. We compare the accretion of solar composition material onto CO WDs with the accretion of mixed solar and core material after TNR. As many of our models eject less material than accreted, our study supports that accretion onto CO WDs is a feasible channel for SNe I progenitors.

  14. A NEW ANALYSIS OF THE TWO CLASSICAL ZZ CETI WHITE DWARFS GD 165 AND ROSS 548. I. PHOTOMETRY AND SPECTROSCOPY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giammichele, N.; Fontaine, G.; Bergeron, P.; Brassard, P.; Charpinet, S.; Vauclair, G.; Pfeiffer, B.

    2015-01-01

    We present the first of a two-part seismic analysis of the two bright hot ZZ Ceti stars GD 165 and Ross 548. In this first part, we report the results of frequency extraction exercises based on time-series data sets of exceptional quality. We uncovered up to 13 independent pulsation modes in GD 165, regrouped into six main frequency multiplets. These include 9 secure (signal-to-noise ratio, S/N > 4) detections and 4 possible ones (4 ≥ S/N ≥ 3). Likewise, we isolated 11 independent modes in Ross 548 (9 secure and 2 possible detections), also regrouped into 6 multiplets. The multiplet structure is likely caused by rotational splitting. We also provide updated estimates of the time-averaged atmospheric properties of these two pulsators in the light of recent developments on the front of atmospheric modeling for DA white dwarfs

  15. Magnetism, X-rays and accretion rates in WD 1145+017 and other polluted white dwarf systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farihi, J.; Fossati, L.; Wheatley, P. J.; Metzger, B. D.; Mauerhan, J.; Bachman, S.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Redfield, S.; Cauley, P. W.; Kochukhov, O.; Achilleos, N.; Stone, N.

    2018-02-01

    This paper reports circular spectropolarimetry and X-ray observations of several polluted white dwarfs including WD 1145+017, with the aim to constrain the behaviour of disc material and instantaneous accretion rates in these evolved planetary systems. Two stars with previously observed Zeeman splitting, WD 0322-019 and WD 2105-820, are detected above 5σ and 〈Bz〉 > 1 kG, while WD 1145+017, WD 1929+011, and WD 2326+049 yield (null) detections below this minimum level of confidence. For these latter three stars, high-resolution spectra and atmospheric modelling are used to obtain limits on magnetic field strengths via the absence of Zeeman splitting, finding B* Earth composition material falling on to the magnetic polar regions of white dwarfs, where X-rays and cyclotron radiation may contribute to accretion luminosity. This analysis is applied to X-ray data for WD 1145+017, WD 1729+371, and WD 2326+049, and the upper bound count rates are modelled with spectra for a range of plasma kT = 1-10 keV in both the magnetic and non-magnetic accretion regimes. The results for all three stars are consistent with a typical dusty white dwarf in a steady state at 108-109 g s-1. In particular, the non-magnetic limits for WD 1145+017 are found to be well below previous estimates of up to 1012 g s-1, and likely below 1010 g s-1, thus suggesting the star-disc system may be average in its evolutionary state, and only special in viewing geometry.

  16. Constraining convection parameters from the light curve shapes of pulsating white dwarf stars: the cases of EC 14012-1446 and WD 1524-0030

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Handler, G; Lendl, M; Beck, P [Institut fuer Astronomie, Universitaet Wien, Tuerkenschanzstrasse 17, A-1180 Wien (Austria); Provencal, J L; Montgomery, M H [Mt. Cuba Observatory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, 223 Sharp Laboratory, Newark, DE 19716 (Cuba); Romero-Colmenero, E [South AfricAN Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 9, Observatory 7935 (South Africa); Sanchawala, K; Chen, W-P [Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, Chung-Li 32054, Taiwan (China); Wood, M A; Silver, I [Department of Physics and Space Sciences and SARA Observatory, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901 (United States)], E-mail: handler@astro.univie.ac.at

    2008-10-15

    Montgomery [1] developed a method to probe convection in pulsating white dwarf stars which allows the recovery of the thermal response time of the convection zone by fitting observed nonsinusoidal light curves. He applied this method to two objects; the Whole Earth Telescope (WET) observed the pulsating DB white dwarf GD 358 for just this purpose. Given this WET run's success, it is time to extend Montgomery's method to pulsating DA white dwarf (ZZ Ceti) stars. We present observations of two ZZ Ceti stars, WD 1524-0030 and EC 14012-1446, both observed from multiple sites. EC 14012-1446 seems better suited thAN WD1524-0030 for a future WET run because it has more pulsation modes excited and because it pulsation spectrum appears to be more stable in time. We call for participation in this effort to take place in April 2008.

  17. High Resolution Spectroscopy of the Pulsating White Dwarf G29-38

    OpenAIRE

    Thompson, Susan E.; Clemens, J. C.; van Kerkwijk, M. H.; Koester, D.

    2003-01-01

    We present the analysis of time-resolved, high resolution spectra of the cool white dwarf pulsator, G29-38. From measuring the Doppler shifts of the H-alpha core, we detect velocity changes as large as 16.5 km/s and conclude that they are due to the horizontal motions associated with the g-mode pulsations on the star. We detect seven pulsation modes from the velocity time-series and identify the same modes in the flux variations. We discuss the properties of these modes and use the advantage ...

  18. Stellar Evolution in NGC 6791: Mass Loss on the Red Giant Branch and the Formation of Low-Mass White Dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalirai, Jasonjot S.; Bergeron, P.; Hansen, Brad M. S.; Kelson, Daniel D.; Reitzel, David B.; Rich, R. Michael; Richer, Harvey B.

    2007-12-01

    We present the first detailed study of the properties (temperatures, gravities, and masses) of the NGC 6791 white dwarf population. This unique stellar system is both one of the oldest (8 Gyr) and most metal-rich ([Fe/H]~+0.4) open clusters in our Galaxy and has a color-magnitude diagram (CMD) that exhibits both a red giant clump and a much hotter extreme horizontal branch. Fitting the Balmer lines of the white dwarfs in the cluster using Keck/LRIS spectra suggests that most of these stars are undermassive, =0.43+/-0.06 Msolar, and therefore could not have formed from canonical stellar evolution involving the helium flash at the tip of the red giant branch. We show that at least 40% of NGC 6791's evolved stars must have lost enough mass on the red giant branch to avoid the flash and therefore did not convert helium into carbon-oxygen in their core. Such increased mass loss in the evolution of the progenitors of these stars is consistent with the presence of the extreme horizontal branch in the CMD. This unique stellar evolutionary channel also naturally explains the recent finding of a very young age (2.4 Gyr) for NGC 6791 from white dwarf cooling theory; helium-core white dwarfs in this cluster will cool ~3 times slower than carbon-oxygen-core stars, and therefore the corrected white dwarf cooling age is in fact >~7 Gyr, consistent with the well-measured main-sequence turnoff age. These results provide direct empirical evidence that mass loss is much more efficient in high-metallicity environments and therefore may be critical in interpreting the ultraviolet upturn in elliptical galaxies. Data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. Based on observations obtained at the

  19. Lyman series profiles: From laser-plasmas to white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kielkopf, J.F. [University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292 (United States); Allard, N.F. [Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, France and Institut d Astrophysique, Paris (France)

    1999-04-01

    The low energy interactions of neutral and ionized hydrogen atoms are fundamental processes which also have important applications to the diagnostics of laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Satellites in the far wings of Lyman {alpha} and Lyman {beta} have been identified as ultraviolet absorption features in the spectra of white dwarf and {lambda} Bootis stars, and they are seen in the emission spectra of plasmas produced when a pulsed laser excites a target H{sub 2} gas. The observed Lyman series profiles agree with unified line shape theory which includes variation of the dipole transition moment during the radiative collision. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}

  20. Gravitational waves from double white dwarfs and AM CVn binaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelemans, Gijs

    2003-01-01

    I give a brief overview of our model for the galactic population of compact binaries that is used to predict the low-frequency gravitational wave signal from the galaxy, and discuss recent observational developments that will enable us to test and improve this model. The SPY project will discover some 150 new close double white dwarfs and, recently, two ROSAT sources turned out to be new AM CVn candidates, one with an orbital period of only 5 min. I give an update on the expected binaries that will be resolved by LISA and discuss what we can learn about the galactic population of compact binaries once LISA gives her first results

  1. A Semi-analytic Criterion for the Spontaneous Initiation of Carbon Detonations in White Dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garg, Uma; Chang, Philip

    2017-01-01

    Despite over 40 years of active research, the nature of the white dwarf progenitors of SNe Ia remains unclear. However, in the last decade, various progenitor scenarios have highlighted the need for detonations to be the primary mechanism by which these white dwarfs are consumed, but it is unclear how these detonations are triggered. In this paper we study how detonations are spontaneously initiated due to temperature inhomogeneities, e.g., hotspots, in burning nuclear fuel in a simplified physical scenario. Following the earlier work by Zel’Dovich, we describe the physics of detonation initiation in terms of the comparison between the spontaneous wave speed and the Chapman–Jouguet speed. We develop an analytic expression for the spontaneous wave speed and utilize it to determine a semi-analytic criterion for the minimum size of a hotspot with a linear temperature gradient between a peak and base temperature for which detonations in burning carbon–oxygen material can occur. Our results suggest that spontaneous detonations may easily form under a diverse range of conditions, likely allowing a number of progenitor scenarios to initiate detonations that burn up the star.

  2. A Semi-analytic Criterion for the Spontaneous Initiation of Carbon Detonations in White Dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garg, Uma; Chang, Philip, E-mail: umagarg@uwm.edu, E-mail: chang65@uwm.edu [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 North Maryland Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States)

    2017-02-20

    Despite over 40 years of active research, the nature of the white dwarf progenitors of SNe Ia remains unclear. However, in the last decade, various progenitor scenarios have highlighted the need for detonations to be the primary mechanism by which these white dwarfs are consumed, but it is unclear how these detonations are triggered. In this paper we study how detonations are spontaneously initiated due to temperature inhomogeneities, e.g., hotspots, in burning nuclear fuel in a simplified physical scenario. Following the earlier work by Zel’Dovich, we describe the physics of detonation initiation in terms of the comparison between the spontaneous wave speed and the Chapman–Jouguet speed. We develop an analytic expression for the spontaneous wave speed and utilize it to determine a semi-analytic criterion for the minimum size of a hotspot with a linear temperature gradient between a peak and base temperature for which detonations in burning carbon–oxygen material can occur. Our results suggest that spontaneous detonations may easily form under a diverse range of conditions, likely allowing a number of progenitor scenarios to initiate detonations that burn up the star.

  3. COMMON PROPER-MOTION WIDE WHITE DWARF BINARIES SELECTED FROM THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrews, Jeff J.; Agüeros, Marcel A.; Belczynski, Krzysztof; Dhital, Saurav; Kleinman, S. J.; West, Andrew A.

    2012-01-01

    Wide binaries made up of two white dwarfs (WDs) receive far less attention than their tight counterparts. However, our tests using the binary population synthesis code StarTrack indicate that, for any set of reasonable initial conditions, there exists a significant observable population of double white dwarfs (WDWDs) with orbital separations of 10 2 -10 5 AU. We adapt the technique of Dhital et al. to search for candidate common proper-motion WD companions separated by 12,000 spectroscopically confirmed hydrogen-atmosphere WDs recently identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Using two techniques to separate random alignments from high-confidence pairs, we find nine new high-probability wide WDWDs and confirm three previously identified candidate wide WDWDs. This brings the number of known wide WDWDs to 45; our new pairs are a significant addition to the sample, especially at small proper motions ( –1 ) and large angular separations (>10''). Spectroscopic follow-up and an extension of this method to a larger, photometrically selected set of SDSS WDs may eventually produce a large enough dataset for WDWDs to realize their full potential as testbeds for theories of stellar evolution.

  4. The Shortest Period sdB Plus White Dwarf Binary CD-30 11223 (GALEX J1411-3053)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vennes, Stephane; Kawka, Adela; O'Toole, S.J.; Németh, Péter; Burton, T.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 759, č. 1 (2012), L25/1-L25/5 ISSN 2041-8205 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP209/10/0967 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : close binaries * white dwarf s Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 6.345, year: 2012

  5. The mass and radius of the M dwarf companion to GD 448

    OpenAIRE

    Maxted, P. F. L.; Marsh, T. R.; Moran, C.; Dhillon, V. S.; Hilditch, R. W.

    1998-01-01

    We present spectroscopy and photometry of GD 448, a detached white dwarf - M dwarf binary with a period of 2.47h. We find that the NaI 8200A feature is composed of narrow emission lines due to irradiation of the M dwarf by the white dwarf within broad absorption lines that are essentially unaffected by heating. Combined with an improved spectroscopic orbit and gravitational red shift measurement from spectra of the H-alpha line, we are able to derive masses for the white dwarf and M dwarf dir...

  6. ENIGMATIC RECURRENT PULSATIONAL VARIABILITY OF THE ACCRETING WHITE DWARF EQ LYN (SDSS J074531.92+453829.6)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mukadam, Anjum S.; Szkody, Paula [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1580 (United States); Townsley, D. M.; Brockett, T. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 (United States); Gaensicke, B. T.; Parsons, S. [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Southworth, J. [Astrophysics Group, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG (United Kingdom); Hermes, J. J.; Montgomery, M. H.; Winget, D. E.; Harrold, S. [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78759 (United States); Tovmassian, G.; Zharikov, S. [Observatorio Astronomico Nacional SPM, Instituto de Astronomia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ensenada, BC (Mexico); Drake, A. J. [Department of Astronomy and the Center for Advanced Computing Research, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91225 (United States); Henden, A. [American Association of Variable Star Observers, 25 Birch Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Rodriguez-Gil, P. [Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, E-38204 Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain); Sion, E. M. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085 (United States); Zola, S.; Szymanski, T. [Astronomical Observatory, Jagiellonian University, ul. Orla 171, PL-30-244 Krakow (Poland); Pavlenko, E. [Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, Crimea 98409 (Ukraine); and others

    2013-09-15

    Photometric observations of the cataclysmic variable EQ Lyn (SDSS J074531.92+453829.6), acquired from 2005 October to 2006 January, revealed high-amplitude variability in the range 1166-1290 s. This accreting white dwarf underwent an outburst in 2006 October, during which its brightness increased by at least five magnitudes, and it started exhibiting superhumps in its light curve. Upon cooling to quiescence, the superhumps disappeared and it displayed the same periods in 2010 February as prior to the outburst within the uncertainties of a couple of seconds. This behavior suggests that the observed variability is likely due to nonradial pulsations in the white dwarf star, whose core structure has not been significantly affected by the outburst. The enigmatic observations begin with an absence of pulsational variability during a multi-site campaign conducted in 2011 January-February without any evidence of a new outburst; the light curve is instead dominated by superhumps with periods in the range of 83-87 minutes. Ultraviolet Hubble Space Telescope time-series spectroscopy acquired in 2011 March reveals an effective temperature of 15,400 K, placing EQ Lyn within the broad instability strip of 10,500-16,000 K for accreting pulsators. The ultraviolet light curve with 90% flux from the white dwarf shows no evidence of any pulsations. Optical photometry acquired during 2011 and Spring 2012 continues to reflect the presence of superhumps and an absence of pulsations. Subsequent observations acquired in 2012 December and 2013 January finally indicate the disappearance of superhumps and the return of pulsational variability with similar periods as previous data. However, our most recent data from 2013 March to May reveal superhumps yet again with no sign of pulsations. We speculate that this enigmatic post-outburst behavior of the frequent disappearance of pulsational variability in EQ Lyn is caused either by heating the white dwarf beyond the instability strip due to an

  7. Stellar Archeology: What White Dwarf Stars Tell Us About the History of the Galaxy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Terry D. Oswalt

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available White dwarf stars have played important roles in rather diverse areas of astrophysics. This paper outlines how these stellar remnants, especially those in widely separated “fragile” binaries, have provided unique leverage on difficult astrophysical problems such as the ages of stars, the structure and evolution of the Galaxy, the nature of dark matter and even the discovery of dark energy.

  8. CRYSTAL CHEMISTRY OF THREE-COMPONENT WHITE DWARFS AND NEUTRON STAR CRUSTS: PHASE STABILITY, PHASE STRATIFICATION, AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Engstrom, T. A.; Yoder, N. C.; Crespi, V. H., E-mail: tae146@psu.edu, E-mail: ncy5007@psu.edu, E-mail: vhc2@psu.edu [Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

    2016-02-20

    A systematic search for multicomponent crystal structures is carried out for five different ternary systems of nuclei in a polarizable background of electrons, representative of accreted neutron star crusts and some white dwarfs. Candidate structures are “bred” by a genetic algorithm and optimized at constant pressure under the assumption of linear response (Thomas–Fermi) charge screening. Subsequent phase equilibria calculations reveal eight distinct crystal structures in the T = 0 bulk phase diagrams, five of which are complicated multinary structures not previously predicted in the context of compact object astrophysics. Frequent instances of geometrically similar but compositionally distinct phases give insight into structural preferences of systems with pairwise Yukawa interactions, including and extending to the regime of low-density colloidal suspensions made in a laboratory. As an application of these main results, we self-consistently couple the phase stability problem to the equations for a self-gravitating, hydrostatically stable white dwarf, with fixed overall composition. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to incorporate complex multinary phases into the equilibrium phase-layering diagram and mass–radius-composition dependence, both of which are reported for He–C–O and C–O–Ne white dwarfs. Finite thickness interfacial phases (“interphases”) show up at the boundaries between single-component body-centered cubic (bcc) crystalline regions, some of which have lower lattice symmetry than cubic. A second application—quasi-static settling of heavy nuclei in white dwarfs—builds on our equilibrium phase-layering method. Tests of this nonequilibrium method reveal extra phases that play the role of transient host phases for the settling species.

  9. The separation distribution and merger rate of double white dwarfs: improved constraints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maoz, Dan; Hallakoun, Na'ama; Badenes, Carles

    2018-05-01

    We obtain new and precise information on the double white dwarf (DWD) population and on its gravitational-wave-driven merger rate by combining the constraints on the DWD population from two previous studies on radial velocity variation. One of the studies is based on a sample of white dwarfs (WDs) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS, which with its low spectral resolution probes systems at separations a distribution of initial WD separations (at the start of solely gravitational-wave-driven binary evolution), N(a)da ∝ aαda, is α = -1.30 ± 0.15 (1σ) +0.05 (systematic). The Galactic WD merger rate per WD is Rmerge = (9.7 ± 1.1) × 10-12 yr-1. Integrated over the Galaxy lifetime, this implies that 8.5-11 per cent of all WDs ever formed have merged with another WD. If most DWD mergers end as more-massive WDs, then some 10 per cent of WDs are DWD-merger products, consistent with the observed fraction of WDs in a `high-mass bump' in the WD mass function. The DWD merger rate is 4.5-7 times the Milky Way's specific Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) rate. If most SN Ia explosions stem from the mergers of some DWDs (say, those with massive-enough binary components) then ˜15 per cent of all WD mergers must lead to a SN Ia.

  10. Constraints on the gravitational constant from observations of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blinnikov, S.I.

    1978-01-01

    Recently some authors have questioned whether Newton's law of gravitation is actually true on scales less than 1 km. The available constraints on the gravitational constant show that its laboratory value G 0 may differ from the value at infinity Gsub(infinity) by approximately 40%. Long (1976) reported experimental evidence for departures from Newton's law. In this note it is shown that the difference between G 0 and Gsub(infinity) modifies the mass-radius relation of degenerate stars. The observations of white dwarfs are consistent with the theory of stellar evolution only if G 0 differs from Gsub(infinity) by not more than approximately 10%. This estimate may be improved by a higher accuracy of observations. (Auth.)

  11. Crystallization of carbon-oxygen mixtures in white dwarf stars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horowitz, C J; Schneider, A S; Berry, D K

    2010-06-11

    We determine the phase diagram for dense carbon-oxygen mixtures in white dwarf (WD) star interiors using molecular dynamics simulations involving liquid and solid phases. Our phase diagram agrees well with predictions from Ogata et al. and from Medin and Cumming and gives lower melting temperatures than Segretain et al. Observations of WD crystallization in the globular cluster NGC 6397 by Winget et al. suggest that the melting temperature of WD cores is close to that for pure carbon. If this is true, our phase diagram implies that the central oxygen abundance in these stars is less than about 60%. This constraint, along with assumptions about convection in stellar evolution models, limits the effective S factor for the 12C(α,γ)16O reaction to S(300)≤170  keV b.

  12. Stellar atmosphere modeling of extremely hot, compact stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, Thomas; Ringat, Ellen; Werner, Klaus

    Present X-ray missions like Chandra and XMM-Newton provide excellent spectra of extremely hot white dwarfs, e.g. burst spectra of novae. Their analysis requires adequate NLTE model atmospheres. The Tuebingen Non-LTE Model-Atmosphere Package (TMAP) can calculate such model at-mospheres and spectral energy distributions at a high level of sophistication. We present a new grid of models that is calculated in the parameter range of novae and supersoft X-ray sources and show examples of their application.

  13. Neutron star formation in theoretical supernovae. Low mass stars and white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomoto, K.

    1986-01-01

    The presupernova evolution of stars that form semi-degenerate or strongly degenerate O + Ne + Mg cores is discussed. For the 10 to 13 Msub solar stars, behavior of off-center neon flashes is crucial. The 8 to 10 m/sub solar stars do not ignite neon and eventually collapse due to electron captures. Properties of supernova explosions and neutron stars expected from these low mass progenitors are compared with the Crab nebula. The conditions for which neutron stars form from accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs in clsoe binary systems is also examined

  14. Grain temperature, radiation pressure and electric potential in the vicinity of main sequence and white dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leiknes, J.; Havnes, O. (University of Tromso, Auroral Observatory (Norway))

    1984-08-01

    We present results of calculations of the grain physical parameters temperature, lifetime against evaporation, radiation pressure and electric potential for spherical grains near main sequence stars, hydrogen type (DA) white dwarfs and helium type (DB) white dwarfs. These parameters are essential in determining the behaviour of grains near such stars. The grain temperature as a function of stellar distance is calculated for grains of sizes 0.1 and 1 ..mu.. (micron) for grain materials of silicate (obsidian), iron and graphite. The lifetime due to thermal evaporation as a function of grain temperature of these materials is also given. The radiation pressure is given for grain sizes from 0.01 to 10 ..mu.. for the same three grain materials. Grain potentials have been calculated as functions of stellar distance for one photoelectron high yield material (silicate) and one low yield material (graphite) for grains of radius 0.1 ..mu.. embedded in a thermal plasma of temperature T = 10/sup 4/ K.

  15. A multiwavelength study of superoutbursts in dwarf novae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woerd, H.J. van der.

    1987-01-01

    Dwarf novae are stellar systems consisting of two stars which orbit around each other within a few hours. In dwarf novae one of the stars, which is a bit smaller and less massive than our sun, loses matter to a very compact and degenerated star: a white dwarf. This white dwarf has nearly the same mass as our sun but its radius is about a hundred times smaller. The process of mass transport was studied on the basis of observations with the Exosat-satelite (European X-ray Observatory satelite). 397 refs.; 50 figs.; 21 tabs

  16. Monitoring and modelling of white dwarfs with extremely weak magnetic fields. WD 2047+372 and WD 2359-434

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landstreet, J. D.; Bagnulo, S.; Valyavin, G.; Valeev, A. F.

    2017-11-01

    Magnetic fields are detected in a few percent of white dwarfs. The number of such magnetic white dwarfs known is now some hundreds. Fields range in strength from a few kG to several hundred MG. Almost all the known magnetic white dwarfs have a mean field modulus ≥1 MG. We are trying to fill a major gap in observational knowledge at the low field limit (≤200 kG) using circular spectro-polarimetry. In this paper we report the discovery and monitoring of strong, periodic magnetic variability in two previously discovered "super-weak field" magnetic white dwarfs, WD 2047+372 and WD 2359-434. WD 2047+372 has a mean longitudinal field that reverses between about -12 and + 15 kG, with a period of 0.243 d, while its mean field modulus appears nearly constant at 60 kG. The observations can be interpreted in terms of a dipolar field tilted with respect to the stellar rotation axis. WD 2359-434 always shows a weak positive longitudinal field with values between about 0 and + 12 kG, varying only weakly with stellar rotation, while the mean field modulus varies between about 50 and 100 kG. The rotation period is found to be 0.112 d using the variable shape of the Hα line core, consistent with available photometry. The field of this star appears to be much more complex than a dipole, and is probably not axisymmetric. Available photometry shows that WD 2359-434 is a light variable with an amplitude of only 0.005 mag; our own photometry shows that if WD 2047+372 is photometrically variable, the amplitude is below about 0.01 mag. These are the first models for magnetic white dwarfs with fields below about 100 kG based on magnetic measurements through the full stellar rotation. They reveal two very different magnetic surface configurations, and that, contrary to simple ohmic decay theory, WD 2359-434 has a much more complex surface field than the much younger WD 2047+372. Based, in part, on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the

  17. Stellar laboratories. VII. New Kr iv - vii oscillator strengths and an improved spectral analysis of the hot, hydrogen-deficient DO-type white dwarf RE 0503-289

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, T.; Quinet, P.; Hoyer, D.; Werner, K.; Richter, P.; Kruk, J. W.; Demleitner, M.

    2016-05-01

    Context. For the spectral analysis of high-resolution and high signal-to-noise (S/N) spectra of hot stars, state-of-the-art non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres are mandatory. These are strongly dependent on the reliability of the atomic data that is used for their calculation. Aims: New Kr iv-vii oscillator strengths for a large number of lines enable us to construct more detailed model atoms for our NLTE model-atmosphere calculations. This enables us to search for additional Kr lines in observed spectra and to improve Kr abundance determinations. Methods: We calculated Kr iv-vii oscillator strengths to consider radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions in detail in our NLTE stellar-atmosphere models for the analysis of Kr lines that are exhibited in high-resolution and high S/N ultraviolet (UV) observations of the hot white dwarf RE 0503-289. Results: We reanalyzed the effective temperature and surface gravity and determined Teff = 70000 ± 2000 K and log (g/ cm s-2) = 7.5 ± 0.1. We newly identified ten Kr v lines and one Kr vi line in the spectrum of RE 0503-289. We measured a Kr abundance of -3.3 ± 0.3 (logarithmic mass fraction). We discovered that the interstellar absorption toward RE 0503-289 has a multi-velocity structure within a radial-velocity interval of -40 km s-1Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26666. Based on observations made with the NASA-CNES-CSA Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer. Based on observations made with ESO Telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory under programme IDs 165.H-0588 and 167.D-0407. Based on observations obtained at the German-Spanish Astronomical Center, Calar Alto, operated by the Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie Heidelberg jointly with the Spanish National Commission for Astronomy.Tables A.9-A.12 are only available via the German

  18. COMMON PROPER-MOTION WIDE WHITE DWARF BINARIES SELECTED FROM THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andrews, Jeff J.; Agueeros, Marcel A. [Department of Astronomy, Columbia University, 550 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Belczynski, Krzysztof [Astronomical Observatory, University of Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie 4, 00-478 Warsaw (Poland); Dhital, Saurav [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, 6301 Stevenson Center, Nashville, TN 37235 (United States); Kleinman, S. J. [Gemini Observatory, Northern Operations Center, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); West, Andrew A. [Department of Astronomy, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215 (United States)

    2012-10-01

    Wide binaries made up of two white dwarfs (WDs) receive far less attention than their tight counterparts. However, our tests using the binary population synthesis code StarTrack indicate that, for any set of reasonable initial conditions, there exists a significant observable population of double white dwarfs (WDWDs) with orbital separations of 10{sup 2}-10{sup 5} AU. We adapt the technique of Dhital et al. to search for candidate common proper-motion WD companions separated by <10' around the >12,000 spectroscopically confirmed hydrogen-atmosphere WDs recently identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Using two techniques to separate random alignments from high-confidence pairs, we find nine new high-probability wide WDWDs and confirm three previously identified candidate wide WDWDs. This brings the number of known wide WDWDs to 45; our new pairs are a significant addition to the sample, especially at small proper motions (<200 mas yr{sup -1}) and large angular separations (>10''). Spectroscopic follow-up and an extension of this method to a larger, photometrically selected set of SDSS WDs may eventually produce a large enough dataset for WDWDs to realize their full potential as testbeds for theories of stellar evolution.

  19. Maximum mass of magnetic white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paret, Daryel Manreza; Horvath, Jorge Ernesto; Martínez, Aurora Perez

    2015-01-01

    We revisit the problem of the maximum masses of magnetized white dwarfs (WDs). The impact of a strong magnetic field on the structure equations is addressed. The pressures become anisotropic due to the presence of the magnetic field and split into parallel and perpendicular components. We first construct stable solutions of the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations for parallel pressures and find that physical solutions vanish for the perpendicular pressure when B ≳ 10 13 G. This fact establishes an upper bound for a magnetic field and the stability of the configurations in the (quasi) spherical approximation. Our findings also indicate that it is not possible to obtain stable magnetized WDs with super-Chandrasekhar masses because the values of the magnetic field needed for them are higher than this bound. To proceed into the anisotropic regime, we can apply results for structure equations appropriate for a cylindrical metric with anisotropic pressures that were derived in our previous work. From the solutions of the structure equations in cylindrical symmetry we have confirmed the same bound for B ∼ 10 13 G, since beyond this value no physical solutions are possible. Our tentative conclusion is that massive WDs with masses well beyond the Chandrasekhar limit do not constitute stable solutions and should not exist. (paper)

  20. Detection limits for close eclipsing and transiting sub-stellar and planetary companions to white dwarfs in the WASP survey

    OpenAIRE

    Faedi, F.; West, R. G.; Burleigh, M. R.; Goad, M. R.; Hebb, L.

    2010-01-01

    We have performed extensive simulations to explore the possibility of detecting eclipses and transits of close, sub-stellar and planetary companions to white dwarfs in WASP light-curves. Our simulations cover companions $\\sim0.3\\Re

  1. Asteroseismology of white dwarf stars. I - Adiabatic results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bradley, P.A.; Winget, D.E. (Texas, University (USA) McDonald Observatory, Austin (USA))

    1991-02-01

    A preliminary investigation of the asteroseismological properties of chemically stratified evolutionary DA and DB white dwarf models is reported. The period and kinetic energy distributions for nonradial g-modes of spherical harmonic indices l = 1-3 are computed in the adiabatic approximation, and the effects of varying the total stellar masss and the surface layer masses on the pulsation properties are studied using an extensive grid of models. Significant resonant mode trapping due to chemical stratification is found. Modes trapped in the outer layers have much lower kinetic energies; these minima also show up as minima in the period spacing between modes of consecutive radial overtone k. Mode trapping occurs at the same or nearly the same value of k for different l-values. Thus, l-values of trapped modes may be identified on the basis of their period ratios. It is shown that observational identification of these period ratios can be used to constrain the mass of the star and its surface layer. 68 refs.

  2. Compact objects for everyone: I. White dwarf stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jackson, C B; Taruna, J; Pouliot, S L; Ellison, B W; Lee, D D; Piekarewicz, J [Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 (United States)

    2005-09-01

    Based upon previous discussions on the structure of compact stars geared towards undergraduate physics students, a real experiment involving two upper-level undergraduate physics students, a beginning physics graduate and two advanced graduate students was conducted. A recent addition to the physics curriculum at Florida State University, The Physics of Stars, sparked quite a few students' interests in the subject matter involving stellar structure. This, coupled with Stars and statistical physics by Balian and Blaizot (1999 Am. J. Phys. 67 1189) and Neutron stars for undergraduates by Silbar and Reddy (2004 Am. J. Phys. 72 892), is the cornerstone of this small research group who tackled solving the structure equations for compact objects in the summer of 2004. Through the use of a simple finite-difference algorithm coupled to Microsoft Excel and Maple, solutions to the equations for stellar structure are presented in the Newtonian regime appropriate to the physics of white dwarf stars.

  3. Compact objects for everyone: I. White dwarf stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jackson, C B; Taruna, J; Pouliot, S L; Ellison, B W; Lee, D D; Piekarewicz, J

    2005-01-01

    Based upon previous discussions on the structure of compact stars geared towards undergraduate physics students, a real experiment involving two upper-level undergraduate physics students, a beginning physics graduate and two advanced graduate students was conducted. A recent addition to the physics curriculum at Florida State University, The Physics of Stars, sparked quite a few students' interests in the subject matter involving stellar structure. This, coupled with Stars and statistical physics by Balian and Blaizot (1999 Am. J. Phys. 67 1189) and Neutron stars for undergraduates by Silbar and Reddy (2004 Am. J. Phys. 72 892), is the cornerstone of this small research group who tackled solving the structure equations for compact objects in the summer of 2004. Through the use of a simple finite-difference algorithm coupled to Microsoft Excel and Maple, solutions to the equations for stellar structure are presented in the Newtonian regime appropriate to the physics of white dwarf stars

  4. White Dwarfs in Cataclysmic Variable Stars: Surface Temperatures and Evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edward M. Sion

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available A summary is presented of what is currently known about the surface temperatures of accreting white dwarfs (WDs detected in non-magnetic and magnetic cataclysmic variables (CVs based upon synthetic spectral analyses of far ultraviolet data. A special focus is placed on WD temperatures above and below the CV period gap as a function of the orbital period, Porb. The principal uncertainty of the temperatures for the CV WDs in the Teff - Porb distribution, besides the distance to the CV, is the mass of the WD. Only in eclipsing CV systems, an area of eclipsing binary studies, which was so central to Robert H. Koch’s career, is it possible to know CV WD masses with high precision.

  5. Component masses of young, wide, non-magnetic white dwarf binaries in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baxter, R. B.; Dobbie, P. D.; Parker, Q. A.; Casewell, S. L.; Lodieu, N.; Burleigh, M. R.; Lawrie, K. A.; Külebi, B.; Koester, D.; Holland, B. R.

    2014-06-01

    We present a spectroscopic component analysis of 18 candidate young, wide, non-magnetic, double-degenerate binaries identified from a search of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (DR7). All but two pairings are likely to be physical systems. We show SDSS J084952.47+471247.7 + SDSS J084952.87+471249.4 to be a wide DA + DB binary, only the second identified to date. Combining our measurements for the components of 16 new binaries with results for three similar, previously known systems within the DR7, we have constructed a mass distribution for the largest sample to date (38) of white dwarfs in young, wide, non-magnetic, double-degenerate pairings. This is broadly similar in form to that of the isolated field population with a substantial peak around M ˜ 0.6 M⊙. We identify an excess of ultramassive white dwarfs and attribute this to the primordial separation distribution of their progenitor systems peaking at relatively larger values and the greater expansion of their binary orbits during the final stages of stellar evolution. We exploit this mass distribution to probe the origins of unusual types of degenerates, confirming a mild preference for the progenitor systems of high-field-magnetic white dwarfs, at least within these binaries, to be associated with early-type stars. Additionally, we consider the 19 systems in the context of the stellar initial mass-final mass relation. None appear to be strongly discordant with current understanding of this relationship.

  6. "Wonderful" Star Reveals its Hot Nature

    Science.gov (United States)

    2005-04-01

    For the first time an X-ray image of a pair of interacting stars has been made by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The ability to distinguish between the interacting stars - one a highly evolved giant star and the other likely a white dwarf - allowed a team of scientists to observe an X-ray outburst from the giant star and find evidence that a bridge of hot matter is streaming between the two stars. "Before this observation it was assumed that all the X-rays came from a hot disk surrounding a white dwarf, so the detection of an X-ray outburst from the giant star came as a surprise," said Margarita Karovska of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., and lead author article in the latest Astrophysical Journal Letters describing this work. An ultraviolet image made by the Hubble Space Telescope was a key to identifying the location of the X-ray outburst with the giant star. X-ray studies of this system, called Mira AB, may also provide better understanding of interactions between other binary systems consisting of a "normal" star and a collapsed star such as a white dwarf, black hole or a neutron star, where the stellar objects and gas flow cannot be distinguished in an image. HST Ultraviolet Image of Mira HST Ultraviolet Image of Mira The separation of the X-rays from the giant star and the white dwarf was made possible by the superb angular resolution of Chandra, and the relative proximity of the star system at about 420 light years from Earth. The stars in Mira AB are about 6.5 billion miles apart, or almost twice the distance of Pluto from the Sun. Mira A (Mira) was named "The Wonderful" star in the 17th century because its brightness was observed to wax and wane over a period of about 330 days. Because it is in the advanced, red giant phase of a star's life, it has swollen to about 600 times that of the Sun and it is pulsating. Mira A is now approaching the stage where its nuclear fuel supply will be exhausted, and it will collapse

  7. Inner Disk Structure of Dwarf Novae in the Light of X-Ray Observations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Balman

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Diversity of the X-ray observations of dwarf nova are still not fully understood. I review the X-ray spectral characteristics of dwarf novae during the quiescence in general explained by cooling flow models and the outburst spectra that show hard X-ray emission dominantly with few sources that reveal soft X-ray/EUV blackbody emission. The nature of aperiodic time variability of brightness of dwarf novae shows band limited noise, which can be adequately described in the framework of the model of propagating fluctuations. The frequency of the break (1-6 mHz indicates inner disk truncation of the optically thick disk with a range of radii (3.0-10.0×109 cm. The RXTE and optical (RTT150 data of SS Cyg in outburst and quiescence reveal that the inner disk radius moves towards the white dwarf and receeds as the outburst declines to quiescence. A preliminary analysis of SU UMa indicates a similar behaviour. In addition, I find that the outburst spectra of WZ Sge shows two component spectrum of only hard X-ray emission, one of which may be fitted with a power law suggesting thermal Comptonization occuring in the system. Cross-correlations between the simultaneous UV and X-ray light curves (XMM −Newton of five DNe in quiescence show time lags in the X-rays of 96-181 sec consistent with travel time of matter from a truncated inner disk to the white dwarf surface. All this suggests that dwarf novae and other plausible nonmagnetic systems have truncated accretion disks indicating that the disks may be partially evaporated and the accretion may occur through hot (coronal flows in the disk.

  8. Metal Abundances in the Hottest Known DO White Dwarf (KPD 0005+5106)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wassermann, Daniel; Werner, Klaus; Rauch, Thomas; Kurk, Jeffrey W.

    2010-01-01

    We performed a new analysis of UV and optical spectra of KPD 0005+5106. We find T(sub eff) = 200000 +/- 20000 K, log(g) = 6.7+/-0.3, M =.64 Stellar mass and logL/L = 3.7. The mass fractions of the metals are in the range 0.7 - 4.3 times solar. This abundance pattern is probably unaffected by gravitational settling and radiative levitation, hence, its origin lies in previous evolutionary stages. We speculate about a link of KPD 0005+5106 to the RCrB stars and its possible outcome of a double-degenerate merger event. Keywords: White dwarfs, atmospheres, abundances

  9. Analysis of observations of the dwarf nova pegasi 2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimansky, V. V.; Mitrofanova, A. A.; Borisov, N. V.; Gabdeev, M. M.

    2013-06-01

    Analysis of photometric and spectroscopic observations of GSC 02197-00886 at the outburst maximum (on May 8, 2010) and at the stage of relaxation towards the quiescent (on August 4, 2010) was performed. Radiation of an optically thick accretion disc with a hot boundary layer dominates the spectra, which are consistent with the spectra of a WZ Sge-type dwarf novae. In the relaxation phase, an optically thin accretion disc with radiation in the HI and HeI emission lines is observed against the background of the absorption spectrum of a white dwarf. The parameters of GSC 02197-00886, which were determined by combining the radial velocities of the components with the assumption that the secondary component is close to mainsequence stars, differ significantly from the parameters that characterize other WZ Sge-type systems. We hypothesize that the secondary component was excited in the course of the outburst and experienced long-lasting relaxation towards the main-sequence state.

  10. The heavily polluted atmosphere of the DAZ white dwarf GALEX J193156.8+011745

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vennes, Stephane; Kawka, Adela; Németh, Péter

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 404, č. 1 (2010), L40-L44 ISSN 0035-8711 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA300030908; GA ČR GAP209/10/0967; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06014 Grant - others:GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA301630901 Program:IA Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : GALEX J193156.8+011745 * white dwarfs Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 4.888, year: 2010

  11. Study of the Milky Way's hot coronal gas with its dwarf galaxies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasetto, Stefano; Cropper, Mark; Fujita, Yutaka; Chiosi, Cesare; Grebel, Eva K.

    2016-08-01

    A large amount (5 × 1010 M⊙) of hot gas is thought to exist in an extended (~ 200 kpc) hot diffuse halo around the Milky Way. We investigate the competitive role of the different dissipative phenomena acting on the onset of star formation of this gravitationally bound systems in this external environment. Ram pressure, Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh- Taylor instabilities, and tidal forces are accounted for separately in an analytical framework and compared in their role in influencing the star forming regions. We present an analytical criterion to elucidate the dependence of star formation in a spherical stellar system on its surrounding environment, useful in observational applications as well as theoretical interpretations of numerical results. We consider the different signatures of these phenomena in synthetically realized colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of the orbiting system, thus investigating the detectability limits and relevance of these different effects for future observational projects. The theoretical framework developed has direct applications to the cases of our MW system as well as dwarf galaxies in galaxy clusters or any primordial gas-rich star cluster of stars orbiting within its host galaxy.

  12. Theoretical light curve for the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi - Determination of the white dwarf mass, composition, and distance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, M.

    1991-01-01

    Sequences of steady mass-loss solutions are constructed for the envelopes on a white dwarf with mass 1.33, 1.35, 1.36, 1.37, and 1.377 solar mass as models of the decay phase of novae. The envelopes are assumed to have a uniform chemical composition with X = 0.73, 0.6, 0.52, 0.44, 0.33, and 0.11 for hydrogen and Z = 0.02 for heavy elements by weight. An excellent agreement with the observed light curves of UV and optical is obtained in the models with a white dwarf mass of 1.36 solar mass with hydrogen content X = 0.52, and 1.37 solar mass with X = 0.6. The distance of RS Oph is obtained to be 1.6 kpc from the comparison between the theoretical and observed light curves. The success of this wind model is a strong indication from the theoretical point of view that RS Oph is a thermonuclear runaway event. 31 refs

  13. ORBITAL EVOLUTION OF COMPACT WHITE DWARF BINARIES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaplan, David L. [Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States); Bildsten, Lars [Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics and Department of Physics, Kohn Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Steinfadt, Justin D. R., E-mail: kaplan@uwm.edu, E-mail: bildsten@kitp.ucsb.edu, E-mail: jdrsteinfadt@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States)

    2012-10-10

    The newfound prevalence of extremely low mass (ELM, M{sub He} < 0.2 M{sub Sun }) helium white dwarfs (WDs) in tight binaries with more massive WDs has raised our interest in understanding the nature of their mass transfer. Possessing small (M{sub env} {approx} 10{sup -3} M{sub Sun }) but thick hydrogen envelopes, these objects have larger radii than cold WDs and so initiate mass transfer of H-rich material at orbital periods of 6-10 minutes. Building on the original work of D'Antona et al., we confirm the 10{sup 6} yr period of continued inspiral with mass transfer of H-rich matter and highlight the fact that the inspiraling direct-impact double WD binary HM Cancri likely has an ELM WD donor. The ELM WDs have less of a radius expansion under mass loss, thus enabling a larger range of donor masses that can stably transfer matter and become a He mass transferring AM CVn binary. Even once in the long-lived AM CVn mass transferring stage, these He WDs have larger radii due to their higher entropy from the prolonged H-burning stage.

  14. The double helium-white dwarf channel for the formation of AM CVn binaries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xian-Fei; Liu, Jin-Zhong; Jeffery, C. Simon; Hall, Philip D.; Bi, Shao-Lan

    2018-01-01

    Most close double helium white dwarfs will merge within a Hubble time due to orbital decay by gravitational wave radiation. However, a significant fraction with low mass ratios will survive for a long time as a consequence of stable mass transfer. Such stable mass transfer between two helium white dwarfs (HeWDs) provides one channel for the production of AM CVn binary stars. In previous calculations of double HeWD progenitors, the accreting HeWD was treated as a point mass. We have computed the evolution of 16 double HeWD models in order to investigate the consequences of treating the evolution of both components in detail. We find that the boundary between binaries having stable and unstable mass transfer is slightly modified by this approach. By comparing with observed periods and mass ratios, we redetermine masses of eight known AM CVn stars by our double HeWDs channel, i.e. HM Cnc, AM CVn, V406 Hya, J0926, J1240, GP Com, Gaia14aae and V396 Hya.We propose that central spikes in the triple-peaked emission spectra of J1240, GP Com and V396 Hya and the surface abundance ratios of N/C/O in GP Com can be explained by the stable double HeWD channel. The mass estimates derived from our calculations are used to discuss the predicted gravitational wave signal in the context of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) project.

  15. 2MASS J06562998+3002455: Not a Cool White Dwarf Candidate, but a Population II Halo Star

    Science.gov (United States)

    de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl; de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos

    2018-06-01

    2MASS J06562998+3002455 or PSS 309-6 is a high proper-motion star that was discovered during a survey with the 2.1 m telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. Here, we reevaluate the status of this interesting star using Gaia DR2. Our results strongly suggest that PSS 309-6 could be a Population II star as the value of its V component is close to -220 km/s, which is typical for halo stars in the immediate solar neighborhood. Kapteyn's star is the nearest known halo star and PSS 309-6 exhibits similar kinematic and photometric signatures. Its properties also resemble those of 2MASS J15484023-3544254, which was once thought to be the nearest cool white dwarf but was later reclassified as K-type subdwarf. Although it is virtually certain that PSS 309-6 is not a nearby white dwarf but a more distant Population II subdwarf, further spectroscopic information, including radial velocity measurements, is necessary to fully characterize this probable member of the Galactic halo.

  16. Merger of white dwarf-neutron star binaries: Prelude to hydrodynamic simulations in general relativity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paschalidis, Vasileios; MacLeod, Morgan; Baumgarte, Thomas W.; Shapiro, Stuart L.

    2009-01-01

    White dwarf-neutron star binaries generate detectable gravitational radiation. We construct Newtonian equilibrium models of corotational white dwarf-neutron star (WDNS) binaries in circular orbit and find that these models terminate at the Roche limit. At this point the binary will undergo either stable mass transfer (SMT) and evolve on a secular time scale, or unstable mass transfer (UMT), which results in the tidal disruption of the WD. The path a given binary will follow depends primarily on its mass ratio. We analyze the fate of known WDNS binaries and use population synthesis results to estimate the number of LISA-resolved galactic binaries that will undergo either SMT or UMT. We model the quasistationary SMT epoch by solving a set of simple ordinary differential equations and compute the corresponding gravitational waveforms. Finally, we discuss in general terms the possible fate of binaries that undergo UMT and construct approximate Newtonian equilibrium configurations of merged WDNS remnants. We use these configurations to assess plausible outcomes of our future, fully relativistic simulations of these systems. If sufficient WD debris lands on the NS, the remnant may collapse, whereby the gravitational waves from the inspiral, merger, and collapse phases will sweep from LISA through LIGO frequency bands. If the debris forms a disk about the NS, it may fragment and form planets.

  17. Once in a blue moon: detection of “bluing” during debris transits in the white dwarf WD 1145+017

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hallakoun, N.; Xu, S.; Maoz, D.; Marsh, T. R.; Ivanov, V.D.; Dhillon, V. S.; Boursot, P.; Parsons, S. G.; Kerry, P.; Sharma, S.; Su, K.; Rengaswamy, S.; Pravec, Petr; Kušnirák, Peter; Kučáková, H.; Armstrong, J. D.; Arnold, C.; Gerard, N.; Vanzi, L.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 469, č. 3 (2017), s. 3213-3224 ISSN 0035-8711 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : planetary-atmospheres * scattering * white dwarfs Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 4.961, year: 2016

  18. The binary white dwarf LHS 3236

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harris, Hugh C.; Dahn, Conard C.; Canzian, Blaise; Guetter, Harry H.; Levine, Stephen E.; Luginbuhl, Christian B.; Monet, Alice K. B.; Stone, Ronald C.; Subasavage, John P.; Tilleman, Trudy; Walker, Richard L. [US Naval Observatory, 10391 West Naval Observatory Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001-8521 (United States); Dupuy, Trent J.; Liu, Michael C. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Hartkopf, William I. [US Naval Observatory, 3450 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20392-5420 (United States); Ireland, Michael J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, New South Wales, NSW 2109 (Australia); Leggett, S. K., E-mail: hch@nofs.navy.mil [Gemini Observatory, 670 N. Aohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States)

    2013-12-10

    The white dwarf LHS 3236 (WD1639+153) is shown to be a double-degenerate binary, with each component having a high mass. Astrometry at the U.S. Naval Observatory gives a parallax and distance of 30.86 ± 0.25 pc and a tangential velocity of 98 km s{sup –1}, and reveals binary orbital motion. The orbital parameters are determined from astrometry of the photocenter over more than three orbits of the 4.0 yr period. High-resolution imaging at the Keck Observatory resolves the pair with a separation of 31 and 124 mas at two epochs. Optical and near-IR photometry give a set of possible binary components. Consistency of all data indicates that the binary is a pair of DA stars with temperatures near 8000 and 7400 K and with masses of 0.93 and 0.91 M {sub ☉}; also possible is a DA primary and a helium DC secondary with temperatures near 8800 and 6000 K and with masses of 0.98 and 0.69 M {sub ☉}. In either case, the cooling ages of the stars are ∼3 Gyr and the total ages are <4 Gyr. The combined mass of the binary (1.66-1.84 M {sub ☉}) is well above the Chandrasekhar limit; however, the timescale for coalescence is long.

  19. THE ELM SURVEY. V. MERGING MASSIVE WHITE DWARF BINARIES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, Warren R.; Kenyon, Scott J.; Kilic, Mukremin; Gianninas, A.; Allende Prieto, Carlos

    2013-01-01

    We present the discovery of 17 low-mass white dwarfs (WDs) in short-period (P ≤ 1 day) binaries. Our sample includes four objects with remarkable log g ≅ 5 surface gravities and orbital solutions that require them to be double degenerate binaries. All of the lowest surface gravity WDs have metal lines in their spectra implying long gravitational settling times or ongoing accretion. Notably, six of the WDs in our sample have binary merger times 0.9 M ☉ companions. If the companions are massive WDs, these four binaries will evolve into stable mass transfer AM CVn systems and possibly explode as underluminous supernovae. If the companions are neutron stars, then these may be millisecond pulsar binaries. These discoveries increase the number of detached, double degenerate binaries in the ELM Survey to 54; 31 of these binaries will merge within a Hubble time.

  20. THE ELM SURVEY. V. MERGING MASSIVE WHITE DWARF BINARIES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brown, Warren R.; Kenyon, Scott J. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden St, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Kilic, Mukremin; Gianninas, A. [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 W. Brooks St., Norman, OK, 73019 (United States); Allende Prieto, Carlos, E-mail: wbrown@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: skenyon@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: kilic@ou.edu, E-mail: alexg@nhn.ou.edu, E-mail: callende@iac.es [Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, E-38205, La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain)

    2013-05-20

    We present the discovery of 17 low-mass white dwarfs (WDs) in short-period (P {<=} 1 day) binaries. Our sample includes four objects with remarkable log g {approx_equal} 5 surface gravities and orbital solutions that require them to be double degenerate binaries. All of the lowest surface gravity WDs have metal lines in their spectra implying long gravitational settling times or ongoing accretion. Notably, six of the WDs in our sample have binary merger times <10 Gyr. Four have {approx}>0.9 M{sub Sun} companions. If the companions are massive WDs, these four binaries will evolve into stable mass transfer AM CVn systems and possibly explode as underluminous supernovae. If the companions are neutron stars, then these may be millisecond pulsar binaries. These discoveries increase the number of detached, double degenerate binaries in the ELM Survey to 54; 31 of these binaries will merge within a Hubble time.