High-mass White Dwarfs Research Articles

Massive White Dwarfs in the 100 pc Sample: Magnetism, Rotation, Pulsations, and the Merger Fraction

We present a detailed model atmosphere analysis of massive white dwarfs with M > 0.9 M ⊙ and T eff ≥ 11,000 K in the Montreal White Dwarf Database 100 pc sample and the Pan-STARRS footprint. We obtained follow-up optical spectroscopy of 109 objects with no previous spectral classification in the literature. Our spectroscopic follow-up is now complete for all 204 objects in the sample. We find 118 normal DA white dwarfs, including 45 massive DAs near the ZZ Ceti instability strip. There are no normal massive DBs: the six DBs in the sample are strongly magnetic and/or rapidly rotating. There are 20 massive DQ white dwarfs in our sample, and all are found in the crystallization sequence. In addition, 66 targets are magnetic (32% of the sample). We use magnetic white dwarf atmosphere models to constrain the field strength and geometry using offset dipole models. We also use magnetism, kinematics, and rotation measurements to constrain the fraction of merger remnant candidates among this population. The merger fraction of this sample increases from 25% for 0.9–1 M ⊙ white dwarfs to 49% for 1.2–1.3 M ⊙. However, this fraction is as high as 78−7+4 % for 1.1–1.2 M ⊙ white dwarfs. Previous works have demonstrated that 5%–9% of high-mass white dwarfs stop cooling for ∼8 Gyr due to the 22Ne distillation process, which leads to an overdensity of Q-branch stars in the solar neighborhood. We demonstrate that the overabundance of the merger remnant candidates in our sample is likely due to the same process.

High-cadence Timing of Binary Pulsars with CHIME

We performed near-daily observations of the binary pulsars PSR J0218+4232, PSR J1518+4904, and PSR J2023+2853 with the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME). For the first time, we detected the Shapiro time delay in all three pulsar binary systems, using only 2–4 yr of CHIME/Pulsar timing data. We measured the pulsar masses to be 1.49−0.20+0.23 M ⊙, 1.470−0.034+0.030 M ⊙, and 1.50−0.38+0.49 M ⊙, respectively. The companion mass to PSR J0218+4232 was found to be 0.179−0.016+0.018 M ⊙. We constrained the mass of the neutron star companion of PSR J1518+4904 to be 1.248−0.029+0.035 M ⊙, using the observed apsidal motion as a constraint on the mass estimation. The binary companion to PSR J2023+2853 was found to have a mass of 0.93−0.14+0.17 M ⊙; in the context of the near-circular orbit, this mass estimate suggests that the companion to PSR J2023+2853 is likely a high-mass white dwarf. By comparing the timing model obtained for PSR J0218+4232 with previous observations, we found a significant change in the observed orbital period of the system of Pḃ=0.14(2)×10−12 ; we determined that this variation arises from “Shklovskii acceleration” due to the relative motion of the binary system, and used this measurement to estimate a distance of d = (6.7 ± 1.0) kpc to PSR J0218+4232. This work demonstrates the capability of high-cadence observations, enabled by the CHIME/Pulsar system, to detect and refine general-relativistic effects of binary pulsars over short observing timescales.

X-ray measurement of a high-mass white dwarf and its spin for the intermediate polar IGR J18434−0508

ABSTRACT IGR J18434−0508 is a Galactic Intermediate Polar (IP) type Cataclysmic Variable (CV) previously classified through optical spectroscopy. The source is already known to have a hard Chandra spectrum. In this paper, we have used follow-up XMM–Newton and NuSTAR observations to measure the white dwarf (WD) mass and spin period. We measure a spin period of P = 304.4 ± 0.3 s based on the combined MOS1, MOS2, and pn light curve. Although this is twice the optical period found previously, we interpret this value to be the true spin period of the WD. The source has an $8\pm 2~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ pulsed fraction in the 0.5–10 keV XMM–Newton data and shows strong dips in the soft energy band (0.5–2 keV). The XMM–Newton and NuSTAR joint spectrum is consistent with a thermal bremsstrahlung continuum model with an additional partial covering factor, reflection, and Fe-line Gaussian components. Furthermore, we fit the joint spectrum with the post-shock region ‘ipolar’ model which indicates a high WD mass ≳1.36 M⊙, approaching the Chandrasekhar limit.

UOCS – XI. Study of blue straggler stars in open cluster NGC 7142 using UVIT/AstroSat

ABSTRACT We present a study of blue straggler stars (BSSs) of open cluster NGC 7142 using AstroSat/UVIT data and other archival data. Using a machine-learning-based algorithm, ML-MOC, on Gaia DR3 data, we find 546 sources as cluster members. Based on the location on the Gaia colour–magnitude diagram, we identify 10 BSS candidates, also detected in UVIT/F148W filter. We study the variable nature of BSSs by constructing their light curves using the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite data. Two BSSs reported as eclipsing binaries in Gaia DR3 are confirmed to be eclipsing binaries based on our analysis and also show the presence of hot companions as per the multiwavelength spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The physical parameters of the hot companions of these two BSSs derived by fitting binary models to their light curves and those derived from the SEDs are found to be in good agreement. Additionally, five more BSSs in the cluster shows UV excess, four of which are likely to have a hot companion based on SEDs. The hot companions with the estimated temperatures ∼14 000–28 000 K, radii ∼0.01–0.05 R⊙, and luminosities ∼0.03–0.1 L⊙ are inferred to be extremely low-mass (<0.2 M⊙), low-mass (0.2–0.4 M⊙), normal-mass (0.4–0.6 M⊙), and high-mass (>0.6 M⊙) white dwarfs (WDs). For the first time in an open cluster, we find the entire range of masses in WDs found as hot companions of BSSs. These masses imply that the Case-A/Case-B mass transfer and merger are responsible for the formation of at least 60 per cent of the BSSs of this cluster.

Initial-final mass relation from white dwarfs within 40 pc

ABSTRACT We present an initial-final mass relation derived from the spectroscopically complete volume-limited 40 pc sample of white dwarfs. The relation is modelled using population synthesis methods to derive an initial stellar population which can be fit to the observed mass distribution of white dwarfs. The population synthesis accounts for binary evolution, where higher mass white dwarfs are more likely to be merger products than their lower mass counterparts. Uncertainties are accounted from the initial mass function, stellar metallicity, and age of the Galactic disc. We also consider biases induced by the spectral type of the white dwarf where pure-hydrogen atmosphere white dwarfs are likely to have more accurate masses, whilst the full white dwarf sample will have fewer biases arising from spectral evolution. We provide a four-piece segmented linear regression using Monte Carlo methods to sample the 1-σ range of uncertainty on the initial stellar population. The derived initial-final mass relation provides a self-consistent determination of the progenitor mass for white dwarfs in the Solar neighbourhood which will be useful to study the local stellar formation history.

The neutrino emissivity and the cooling energy resources by magnetic monopole in white dwarfs

Some typical low mass and high mass white dwarfs (WDs) are selected and the neutrino emissivity and the cooling energy resources problems are discussed. We present three models (I, II, III) to investigate the number of magnetic monopole (MM) captured, the luminosity, and the neutrino emissivity based on the MM catalytic nuclear decay. Model (I) mainly considers the effect of compression factor on thermonuclear cross section and ignores the effect of mass radius relationship on luminosity and neutrino emissivity. Model (II) only considers the effect of mass radius relationship at zero temperature on the number of MMs captured, the luminosities and the neutrino emissivity. Model (III) discusses the equation of state of the plasma and considers the effect of the number of MMs captured on the mass radius relationship, then investigates the number of MMs captured, the luminosities and the neutrino emissivity. Firstly, we find that the maximum of the number of captured MMs and the luminosities of these WDs can be 1.313×1029, and 2.083×1036ergss−1, respectively. Secondly, the luminosities due to MM catalytic nuclear decay for models (I, III) are agreed well with the observations, but the luminosities for model (II) are higher than the observations. Finally, the maximum of the neutrino emission rates of these WDs can be 1.626×1038s−1. The neutrino emission may not influence the structure and the evolution of the WDs. However, the monopole-catalyzed nucleon decay process may be regarded as a mechanism for keeping WDs hot.

Finite temperature considerations in the structure of quadratic GUP-modified white dwarfs

In quantum gravity phenomenology, the effect of the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) on white dwarf structure has been given much attention in recent literature. However, these studies assume a zero temperature equation of state (EoS), excluding young white dwarfs whose initial temperatures are substantially high. To that cause, this paper calculates the Chandrasekhar EoS and resulting mass-radius relations of finite temperature white dwarfs modified by the quadratic GUP, an approach that extends Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle by a quadratic term in momenta. The EoS was first approximated by treating the quadratic GUP parameter as perturbative, causing the EoS to exhibit expected thermal deviations at low pressures, and conflicting behaviors at high pressures, depending on the order of approximation. We then proceeded with a full numerical simulation of the modified EoS, and showed that in general, finite temperatures cause the EoS at low pressures to soften, while the quadratic GUP stiffens the EoS at high pressures. This modified EoS was then applied to the Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff equations and its classical approximation to obtain the modified mass-radius relations for general relativistic and Newtonian white dwarfs. The relations for both cases were found to exhibit the expected thermal deviations at small masses, where low-mass white dwarfs are shifted to the high-mass regime at large radii, while high-mass white dwarfs acquire larger masses, beyond the Chandrasekhar limit. Additionally, we find that for sufficiently large values of the GUP parameter and temperature, we obtain mass-radius relations that are completely removed from the ideal case, as high-mass deviations due to GUP and low-mass deviations due to temperature are no longer mutually exclusive.

The Rapid Rotation of the Strongly Magnetic Ultramassive White Dwarf EGGR 156

The distribution of white dwarf rotation periods provides a means for constraining angular momentum evolution during the late stages of stellar evolution, as well as insight into the physics and remnants of double degenerate mergers. Although the rotational distribution of low-mass white dwarfs is relatively well constrained via asteroseismology, that of high-mass white dwarfs, which can arise from either intermediate-mass stellar evolution or white dwarf mergers, is not. Photometric variability in white dwarfs due to rotation of a spotted star is rapidly increasing the sample size of high-mass white dwarfs with measured rotation periods. We present the discovery of 22.4 minute photometric variability in the light curve of EGGR 156, a strongly magnetic, ultramassive white dwarf. We interpret this variability as rapid rotation, and our data suggest that EGGR 156 is the remnant of a double degenerate merger. Finally, we calculate the rate of period change in rapidly-rotating, massive, magnetic WDs due to magnetic dipole radiation. In many cases, including EGGR 156, the period change is not currently detectable over reasonable timescales, indicating that these WDs could be very precise clocks. For the most highly-magnetic, rapidly-rotating massive WDs, such as ZTF J1901+1450 and RE J0317−853, the period change should be detectable and may help constrain the structure and evolution of these exotic white dwarfs.

Multiple Channels for the Onset of Magnetism in Isolated White Dwarfs

The presence of a strong magnetic field is a feature common to a significant fraction of degenerate stars, yet little is understood about the field’s origin and evolution. New observational constraints from volume-limited surveys point to a more complex situation than a single mechanism valid for all stars. We show that in high-mass white dwarfs, which are probably the results of mergers, magnetic fields are extremely common and very strong and appear immediately in the cooling phase. These fields may have been generated by a dynamo active during the merging. Lower-mass white dwarfs, which are often the product of single-star evolution, are rarely detectably magnetic at birth, but fields appear very slowly, and very weakly, in about a quarter of them. What we may see is an internal field produced in an earlier evolutionary stage that gradually relaxes to the surface from the interior. The frequency and strength of magnetic fields continue to increase to eventually rival those of highly massive stars, particularly after the stars cool past the start of core crystallization, an effect that could be responsible for a dynamo mechanism similar to the one that is active in Earth’s interior.

V392 Persei: A γ-ray bright nova eruption from a known dwarf nova

ABSTRACT V392 Persei is a known dwarf nova (DN) that underwent a classical nova eruption in 2018. Here we report ground-based optical, Swift UV and X-ray, and Fermi-LAT γ-ray observations following the eruption for almost three years. V392 Per is one of the fastest evolving novae yet observed, with a t2 decline time of 2 d. Early spectra present evidence for multiple and interacting mass ejections, with the associated shocks driving both the γ-ray and early optical luminosity. V392 Per entered Sun-constraint within days of eruption. Upon exit, the nova had evolved to the nebular phase, and we saw the tail of the supersoft X-ray phase. Subsequent optical emission captured the fading ejecta alongside a persistent narrow line emission spectrum from the accretion disc. Ongoing hard X-ray emission is characteristic of a standing accretion shock in an intermediate polar. Analysis of the optical data reveals an orbital period of 3.230 ± 0.003 d, but we see no evidence for a white dwarf (WD) spin period. The optical and X-ray data suggest a high mass WD, the pre-nova spectral energy distribution (SED) indicates an evolved donor, and the post-nova SED points to a high mass accretion rate. Following eruption, the system has remained in a nova-like high mass transfer state, rather than returning to the pre-nova DN low mass transfer configuration. We suggest that this high state is driven by irradiation of the donor by the nova eruption. In many ways, V392 Per shows similarity to the well-studied nova and DN GK Persei.

Dark lenses through the dust: parallax microlensing events in the VVV

ABSTRACT We use near-infrared photometry and astrometry from the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey to analyse microlensing events containing annual microlensing parallax information. These events are located in highly extincted and low-latitude regions of the Galactic bulge typically off-limits to optical microlensing surveys. We fit a catalogue of 1959 events previously found in the VVV and extract 21 microlensing parallax candidates. The fitting is done using nested sampling to automatically characterize the multimodal and degenerate posterior distributions of the annual microlensing parallax signal. We compute the probability density in lens mass-distance using the source proper motion and a Galactic model of disc and bulge deflectors. By comparing the expected flux from a main sequence lens to the baseline magnitude and blending parameter, we identify four candidates which have probability >50 per cent that the lens is dark. The strongest candidate corresponds to a nearby (≈0.78 kpc), medium-mass ($1.46^{+1.13}_{-0.71} \ M_{\odot }$) dark remnant as lens. In the next strongest, the lens is located at heliocentric distance ≈5.3 kpc. It is a dark remnant with a mass of $1.63^{+1.15}_{-0.70} \ M_{\odot }$. Both of those candidates are most likely neutron stars, though possibly high-mass white dwarfs. The last two events may also be caused by dark remnants, though we are unable to rule out other possibilities because of limitations in the data. We are also demonstrating future possibilities of studying similar events with the Roman Space Telescopeby modelling a mock dataset of Roman photometry and astrometry for an event resembling our strongest candidate.

The Remarkable Spin-down and Ultrafast Outflows of the Highly Pulsed Supersoft Source of Nova Herculis 2021

Abstract Nova Her 2021 (V1674 Her), which erupted on 2021 June 12, reached naked-eye brightness and has been detected from radio to γ-rays. An extremely fast optical decline of 2 magnitudes in 1.2 days and strong Ne lines imply a high-mass white dwarf. The optical pre-outburst detection of a 501.42 s oscillation suggests a magnetic white dwarf. This is the first time that an oscillation of this magnitude has been detected in a classical nova prior to outburst. We report X-ray outburst observations from Swift and Chandra that uniquely show (1) a very strong modulation of supersoft X-rays at a different period from reported optical periods, (2) strong pulse profile variations and the possible presence of period variations of the order of 0.1–0.3 s, and (3) rich grating spectra that vary with modulation phase and show P Cygni–type emission lines with two dominant blueshifted absorption components at ∼3000 and 9000 km s−1 indicating expansion velocities up to 11,000 km s−1. X-ray oscillations most likely arise from inhomogeneous photospheric emission related to the magnetic field. Period differences between reported pre- and post-outburst optical observations, if not due to other period drift mechanisms, suggest a large ejected mass for such a fast nova, in the range 2 × 10−5–2 × 10−4 M ⊙. A difference between the period found in the Chandra data and a reported contemporaneous post-outburst optical period, as well as the presence of period drifts, could be due to weakly nonrigid photospheric rotation.

Massive White Dwarfs in Young Star Clusters

Abstract We have carried out a search for massive white dwarfs (WDs) in the direction of young open star clusters using the Gaia DR2 database. The aim of this survey was (1) to provide robust data for new and previously known high-mass WDs regarding cluster membership, (2) to highlight WDs previously included in the initial final mass relation (IFMR) that are unlikely members of their respective clusters according to Gaia astrometry, and (3) to select an unequivocal WD sample that could then be compared with the host clusters’ turnoff masses. All promising WD candidates in each cluster color–magnitude diagram were followed up with spectroscopy from Gemini in order to determine whether they were indeed WDs and derive their masses, temperatures, and ages. In order to be considered cluster members, white dwarfs were required to (1) have proper motions and parallaxes within 2σ, 3σ, or 4σ of those of their potential parent cluster based on how contaminated the field was in their region of the sky, (2) have a cooling age that was less than the cluster age, and (3) have a mass that was broadly consistent with the IFMR. A number of WDs included in current versions of the IFMR turned out to be nonmembers, and a number of apparent members, based on Gaia’s astrometric data alone, were rejected, as their mass and/or cooling times were incompatible with cluster membership. In this way, we developed a highly selected IFMR sample for high-mass WDs that, surprisingly, contained no precursor masses significantly in excess of ∼ 6 M ⊙.

The precessing jets of classical nova YZ Reticuli

ABSTRACT The classical nova YZ Reticuli was discovered in 2020 July. Shortly after this, we commenced a sustained, highly time-sampled coverage of its subsequent rapid evolution with time-resolved spectroscopy from the Global Jet Watch observatories. Its H-alpha complex exhibited qualitatively different spectral signatures in the following weeks and months. We find that these H-alpha complexes are well described by the same five Gaussian emission components throughout the six months following eruption. These five components appear to constitute two pairs of lines, from jet outflows and an accretion disc, together with an additional central component. The correlated, symmetric patterns that these jet/accretion disc pairs exhibit suggest precession, probably in response to the large perturbation caused by the nova eruption. The jet and accretion disc signatures persist from the first 10 d after brightening – evidence that the accretion disc survived the disruption. We also compare another classical nova (V6568 Sgr) that erupted in 2020 July whose H-alpha complex can be described analogously, but with faster line-of-sight jet speeds exceeding 4000 km s−1. We suggest that classical novae with higher mass white dwarfs bridge the gap between recurrent novae and classical novae such as YZ Reticuli.

Double White Dwarf Merger Products among High-mass White Dwarfs

Abstract Double white dwarf (double-WD) binaries may merge within a Hubble time and produce high-mass WDs. Compared to other high-mass WDs, the double-WD merger products have higher velocity dispersion because they are older. With the power of Gaia data, we show strong evidence for double-WD merger products among high-mass WDs by analyzing the transverse-velocity distribution of more than 1000 high-mass WDs (0.8–1.3 M ⊙). We estimate that the fraction of double-WD merger products in our sample is about 20%. We also obtain a precise double-WD merger rate and its mass dependence. Our merger rate estimates are close to binary population synthesis results and support the idea that double-WD mergers may contribute to a significant fraction of type Ia supernovae.

Discovery of a Sirius-like binary system with a very strongly magnetic white dwarf

Non-interacting binary systems containing a magnetic white dwarf and a main-sequence star are considered extremely rare, perhaps non-existent. In the course of a search of magnetic fields in high-mass white dwarfs we have discovered a Sirius-like wide binary system composed of a main-sequence G0 star and an M ∼ 1.1 M⊙ white dwarf with a huge (hundreds of MG) magnetic field. This star, WDS J03038+0608B, shows a circular polarisation amplitude of 5% in the continuum, with no evidence of variability on a 1 d timescale, little or no linear polarisation in the blue part of the spectrum, and about 2% linear polarisation in the red part of the optical spectrum. A search in the literature reveals the existence of four more binary systems that include a magnetic white dwarf and a non-degenerate companion; three such systems passed unremarked in previous studies. We estimate that up to a few percent of magnetic white dwarfs may be found to occur in wide binary pairs. However, at least four of the five known binary systems with a magnetic white dwarf are too widely separated to be expected to evolve into systems experiencing Roche-lobe overflow, and cannot be considered as progenitors of magnetic cataclysmic variable (AM Her and DQ Her) systems.

I–Love–Q relations for realistic white dwarfs

ABSTRACT The space-borne gravitational wave interferometer, Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, is expected to detect signals from numerous binary white dwarfs. At small orbital separation, rapid rotation and large tidal bulges may allow for the stellar internal structure to be probed through such observations. Finite-size effects are encoded in quantities like the moment of inertia (I), tidal Love number (Love), and quadrupole moment (Q). The universal relations among them (I–Love–Q relations) can be used to reduce the number of parameters in the gravitational-wave templates. We here study I–Love–Q relations for more realistic white dwarf models than used in previous studies. In particular, we extend previous works by including (i) differential rotation and (ii) internal temperature profiles taken from detailed stellar evolution calculations. We use the publicly available stellar evolution code mesa to generate cooling models of both low- and high-mass white dwarfs. We show that differential rotation causes the I–Q relation (and similarly the Love–Q relation) to deviate from that of constant rotation. We also find that the introduction of finite temperatures causes the white dwarf to move along the zero-temperature mass sequence of I–Q values, moving towards values that suggest a lower mass. We further find that after only a few Myr, high-mass white dwarfs are well described by the zero-temperature model, suggesting that the relations with zero temperature may be good enough in most practical cases. Low-mass, He-core white dwarfs with thick hydrogen envelopes may undergo long periods of H burning which sustain the stellar temperature and allow deviations from the I–Love–Q relations for longer times.

A Cooling Anomaly of High-mass White Dwarfs

Abstract Recently, the power of Gaia data has revealed an enhancement of high-mass white dwarfs (WDs) on the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, called the Q branch. This branch is located at the high-mass end of the recently identified crystallization branch. Investigating its properties, we find that the number density and velocity distribution on the Q branch cannot be explained by the cooling delay of crystallization alone, suggesting the existence of an extra cooling delay. To quantify this delay, we statistically compare two age indicators—the dynamical age inferred from transverse velocity, and the photometric isochrone age—for more than one thousand high-mass WDs (1.08–1.23 M ⊙) selected from Gaia Data Release 2. We show that about 6% of the high-mass WDs must experience an 8 Gyr extra cooling delay on the Q branch, in addition to the crystallization and merger delays. This cooling anomaly is a challenge for WD cooling models. We point out that 22Ne settling in C/O-core WDs could account for this extra cooling delay.

Two delays in white dwarf evolution revealed by Gaia

AbstractBy comparing two age indicators of high-mass white dwarfs (WDs) derived from Gaia data, two discoveries have been made recently: one is the existence of a cooling anomaly that produces the Q branch structure on the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, and the other is the existence of high-mass WDs as double-WD merger products. The former poses a challenge for WD cooling models, and the latter has implications on binary evolution and type-Ia supernovae.

A study of cool white dwarfs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12

In this work we study white dwarfs where $30\,000\,\text{K} {>} \mathrm{T}_{\rm{eff}} {>} 5\,000\,\text{K}$ to compare the differences in the cooling of DAs and non-DAs and their formation channels. Our final sample is composed by nearly $13\,000$ DAs and more than $3\,000$ non-DAs that are simultaneously in the SDSS DR12 spectroscopic database and in the \textit{Gaia} survey DR2. We present the mass distribution for DAs, DBs and DCs, where it is found that the DCs are ${\sim}0.15\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ more massive than DAs and DBs on average. Also we present the photometric effective temperature distribution for each spectral type and the distance distribution for DAs and non-DAs. In addition, we study the ratio of non-DAs to DAs as a function of effective temperature. We find that this ratio is around ${\sim}0.075$ for effective temperature above ${\sim}22\,000\,\text{K}$ and increases by a factor of five for effective temperature cooler than $15\,000\,\text{K}$. If we assume that the increase of non-DA stars between ${\sim}22\,000\,\text{K}$ to ${\sim}15\,000\,\text{K}$ is due to convective dilution, $14{\pm}3$ per cent of the DAs should turn into non-DAs to explain the observed ratio. Our determination of the mass distribution of DCs also agrees with the theory that convective dilution and mixing are more likely to occur in massive white dwarfs, which supports evolutionary models and observations suggesting that higher mass white dwarfs have thinner hydrogen layers.