Low-mass White Dwarfs Research Articles

White Dwarf—Red Giant Star Binaries as Type Ia Supernova Progenitors: With and without Magnetic Confinement

Various white-dwarf (WD) binary scenarios have been proposed trying to understand the nature and the diversity of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). In this work, we study the evolution of carbon–oxygen WD—red giant (RG) binaries (including the role of magnetic confinement) as possible SN Ia progenitors (the so-called symbiotic progenitor channel). Using the mesa stellar evolution code, we calculate the time dependence of the structure of the RG star, the wind mass loss, the Roche lobe-overflow mass-transfer rate, the polar mass-accretion rate (in the case of magnetic confinement), and the orbital and angular-momentum evolution. We consider cases where the WD is nonmagnetic and cases where the magnetic field is strong enough to force accretion onto the two small polar caps of the WD. Confined accretion onto a small area allows for more efficient hydrogen burning, potentially suppressing nova outbursts. This makes it easier for the WD to grow in mass toward the Chandrasekhar-mass limit and explode as a SN Ia. With magnetic confinement, the initial parameter space of the symbiotic channel for SNe Ia is shifted toward shorter orbital periods and lower donor masses compared to the case without magnetic confinement. Searches for low-mass He WDs or relatively low-mass giants with partially stripped envelopes that survived the supernova explosion and are found in SN remnants will provide crucial insights for our understanding of the contribution of this symbiotic channel.

Two decades of optical timing of the shortest-period binary star system HM Cancri

ABSTRACT The shortest-period binary star system known to date, RX J0806.3+1527 (HM Cancri), has now been observed in the optical for more than two decades. Although it is thought to be a double degenerate binary undergoing mass transfer, an early surprise was that its orbital frequency, f0, is currently increasing as the result of gravitational wave radiation. This is unusual since it was expected that the mass donor was degenerate and would expand on mass loss, leading to a decreasing f0. We exploit two decades of high-speed photometry to precisely quantify the trajectory of HM Cancri, allowing us to find that $\ddot{f}_0$ is negative, where $\ddot{f}_0~=~(-5.38\pm 2.10)\times 10^{-27}$ Hz s−2. Coupled with our positive frequency derivative, we show that mass transfer is counteracting gravitational-wave dominated orbital decay and that HM Cancri will turn around within 2100 ± 800 yr from now. We present Hubble Space Telescope ultra-violet spectra which display Lyman-α absorption, indicative of the presence of hydrogen accreted from the donor star. We use these pieces of information to explore a grid of permitted donor and accretor masses with the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics suite, finding models in good accordance with many of the observed properties for a cool and initially hydrogen-rich extremely low mass white dwarf (≈0.17 M⊙) coupled with a high-accretor mass white dwarf (≈1.0 M⊙). Our measurements and models affirm that HM Cancri is still one of the brightest verification binaries for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna spacecraft.

The white dwarf binary pathways survey - IX. Three long period white dwarf plus subgiant binaries

ABSTRACT Virtually all binaries consisting of a white dwarf with a non-degenerate companion can be classified as either close post-interaction systems (with orbital periods of a few days or less), or wide systems (with periods longer than decades), in which both components have effectively evolved as single stars. Binaries with periods between these two extremes can help constrain common envelope efficiency, or highlight alternative pathways towards the creation of compact binaries. To date such binaries have remained mostly elusive. Here we present three white dwarfs in binaries with evolved subgiant stars with orbital periods of 41, 52, and 461 d. Using Hubble Space Telescope spectroscopy we find that all three systems contain low mass white dwarfs (≤0.4 M⊙). One system, TYC 8394−1331−1, is the inner binary of a hierarchical triple, where the white dwarf plus subgiant binary is orbited by a more distant companion star. These binaries were likely formed from a phase of stable but non-conservative mass transfer, as opposed to common envelope evolution. All three systems will undergo a common envelope phase in the future, but the two shorter period systems are expected to merge during this event, while the longest period system is likely to survive and create a close binary with two low mass white dwarfs.

R Coronae Borealis and dustless hydrogen-deficient carbon stars likely have different oxygen isotope ratios

Context. R Coronae Borealis (RCB) and dustless Hydrogen-deficient Carbon (dLHdC) stars are believed to be remnants of low mass white dwarf mergers. These supergiant stars have peculiar hydrogen-deficient carbon-rich chemistries and stark overabundances of 18O. RCB stars undergo dust formation episodes resulting in large-amplitude photometric variations that are not seen in dLHdC stars. Recently, the sample of known dLHdC stars in the Milky Way has more than quintupled with the discovery of 27 new dLHdC stars. Aims. It has been suggested that dLHdC stars have lower 16O/18O than RCB stars. We aim to compare the 16O/18O ratios for a large sample of dLHdC and RCB stars to examine this claim. Methods. We present medium resolution (R ≈ 3000) near-infrared spectra of 20 newly discovered dLHdC stars. We also present medium resolution (R ≈ 3000 − 8000) K-band spectra for 49 RCB stars. Due to the several free parameters and assumptions in our fitting strategy, we provide wide range estimates on the 16O/18O ratios of seven dLHdC and 33 RCB stars that show 12C16O and 12C18O absorption bands, and present the largest sample of such 16O/18O wide-range values for dLHdC and RCB stars to date. Results. We find that six of the seven dLHdC stars have 16O/18O < 0.5, while 28 of the 33 RCB stars have 16O/18O > 1. We also confirm that unlike RCB stars, dLHdC stars do not show strong blueshifted (> 200 km s−1) He I 10 833 Å absorption, suggesting the absence of strong, dust-driven winds around them. Conclusions. Although we only can place wide range estimates on the 16O/18O and these are more uncertain in cool RCBs, our medium resolution spectra suggest that most dLHdC stars have lower 16O/18O than most RCB stars. This confirms one of the first, long-suspected spectroscopic differences between RCB and dLHdC stars. The different oxygen isotope ratios rule out the existing picture that RCB stars represent an evolved stage of dLHdC stars. Instead, we suggest that whether the white dwarf merger remnant is a dLHdC or RCB star depends on the mass ratios, masses and compositions of the merging white dwarfs. Future high resolution spectroscopic observations will help confirm and more precisely quantify the difference between the oxygen isotope ratios of the two classes.

Binary Interaction Dominates Mass Ejection in Classical Novae

Recent observations suggest our understanding of mass loss in classical novae is incomplete, motivating a new theoretical examination of the physical processes responsible for nova mass ejection. In this paper, we perform hydrodynamical simulations of classical nova outflows using the stellar evolution code MESA. We find that, when the binary companion is neglected, white dwarfs with masses ≳0.8 M ⊙ successfully launch radiation-pressure-driven optically thick winds that carry away most of the envelope. However, for most of the mass-loss phase, these winds are accelerated at radii beyond the white dwarf’s Roche radius assuming a typical cataclysmic variable donor. This means that, before a standard optically thick wind can be formed, mass loss will instead be initiated and shaped by binary interaction. An isotropic, optically thick wind is only successfully launched when the acceleration region recedes within the white dwarf’s Roche radius, which occurs after most of the envelope has already been ejected. The interaction between these two modes of outflow—a first phase of slow, binary-driven, equatorially focused mass loss encompassing most of the mass ejection and a second phase consisting of a fast, isotropic, optically thick wind—is consistent with observations of aspherical ejecta and signatures of multiple outflow components. We also find that isolated lower-mass white dwarfs ≲0.8 M ⊙ do not develop unbound optically thick winds at any stage, making it even more crucial to consider the effects of the binary companion on the resulting outburst.

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.

Extremely Low-mass White Dwarf Stars Observed in Gaia DR2 and LAMOST DR8

We present the first results from our ongoing project to study extremely low-mass (ELM) white dwarfs (WDs) (M ≤ 0.3M ☉) with the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) spectra. Based on the LAMOST DR8 spectral database, we analyzed 136 ELM WD candidates selected from Gaia DR2 data and 12 known objects previously identified by the ELM Survey. The atmospheric parameters and radial velocities of these stars were obtained by fitting the LAMOST low-resolution spectra. After comparing the atmospheric parameters of the 12 known objects from this work to the results reported by the ELM Survey, we demonstrated the potential of LAMOST spectra in probing into the nature of ELM WDs. Based on the atmospheric parameters and Gaia EDR3 data, we identified 21 new high-probability ELM WDs with masses M ≤ 0.3M ☉ and parallax estimates that agree to within a factor of 3. Two of them, J0338+4134 and J1129+4715, show significant radial velocity variability and are very likely to be binary systems containing at least one ELM WD.

The pre-He white dwarfs in eclipsing binaries – IV. WASP 1814+48 with multiperiodic pulsations

ABSTRACT For the EL CVn candidate 1SWASPJ181417.43+481117.0 (WASP 1814+48), we secured the first spectroscopic observations between 2015 April and 2021 March. Using the echelle spectra, the radial velocities (RVs) of the primary star were measured with its atmospheric parameters of Teff, 1 = 7770 ± 130 K and $v$1sin i = 47 ± 6 km s−1. We fitted our single-lined RVs and the TESS light curve simultaneously. From the binary modelling, we determined the following fundamental parameters for each component: M1 = 1.659 ± 0.048 M⊙, R1 = 1.945 ± 0.027 R⊙, and L1 = 12.35 ± 0.90 L⊙ for WASP 1814+48 A, and M2 = 0.172 ± 0.005 M⊙, R2 = 0.194 ± 0.005 R⊙, and L2 = 0.69 ± 0.07 L⊙ for WASP 1814+48 B. The surface gravity of log g2 = 5.098 ± 0.026 obtained from M2 and R2 is concurrent with 5.097 ± 0.025 computed directly from the observable quantities. WASP 1814+48 B is well matched with the 0.176-M⊙ white dwarf (WD) evolutionary model for Z = 0.01. The metallicity and our Galactic kinematics indicate that the program target is a thin-disc star. The whole light residuals after the removal of the binary trend were analysed and found to oscillate at a total of 52 frequencies. Among these, most of the low frequencies below 24 d−1 are aliases and orbital harmonics. The five significant frequencies between 32 and 36 d−1 are the pulsation modes of WASP 1814+48 A located in the δ Sct domain on the zero-age main sequence, and the high frequencies of 128–288 d−1 arise from WASP 1814+48 B in the pre-He WD instability strip. Our results reveal that WASP 1814+48 is the fifth EL CVn star that is composed of a δ Sct-type primary and a pre-ELMV (extremely low-mass pre-He WD variable).

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.

Evolution of AM CVn Binaries with White Dwarf Donors

The evolution and the stability of mass transfer of CO+He white dwarf (WD) binaries are not well understood. Observationally they may emerge as AM CVn binaries and are important gravitational wave (GW) emitters. In this work, we have modeled the evolution of double WD binaries with accretor masses of 0.50–1.30 M ⊙ and donor masses of 0.17–0.45 M ⊙ using the detailed stellar evolution code mesa. We find that the evolution of binaries with same donor masses but different accretor masses is very similar and binaries with same accretor masses but larger He donor masses have larger maximum mass transfer rates and smaller minimum orbital periods. We also demonstrate that the GW signal from AM CVn binaries can be detected by spaceborne GW observatories, such as LISA and TianQin. There is a linear relation between the donor mass and gravitational wave frequency during the mass transfer phase. In our calculation, all binaries can have dynamically stable mass transfer, which is very different from previous studies. The threshold donor mass of Eddington-limited mass transfer for a given accretor WD mass is lower than previous studies. Assuming that a binary may enter a common envelope if the mass transfer rate exceeds the maximum stable burning rate of He, we provide a new criterion for double WDs surviving mass transfer, which is below the threshold of the Eddington limit. Finally, we find that some systems with oxygen–neon (ONe) WDs in our calculation may evolve into detached binaries consisting of neutron stars and extremely low-mass He WDs, and further ultracompact X-ray binaries.

Tidal deformability of crystallized white dwarfs in full general relativity

Space-based gravitational-wave detectors offer new prospects for probing the interior of white dwarfs in binary systems through the imprints of tidal effects on the gravitational-wave signal. Some of the binaries that will be observed could have evolved for long enough for the white dwarfs to be at least partially crystallized. The apsidal motion constant ${k}_{2}$ (also called the second gravitoelectric Love number) of a cold crystallized white dwarf is computed in full general relativity considering different compositions. The elasticity of the crystallized core is found to systematically reduce the tidal deformability, especially for low-mass stars. Fully relativistic results are compared to those obtained in Newtonian gravity. It is shown that the relativistic correction to the observable tidal deformability ${k}_{2}{R}^{5}$ (where $R$ is the stellar radius) is negligible for low-mass white dwarfs but becomes increasingly important for more massive white dwarfs. When approaching the maximum mass, the application of Newtonian theory instead of general relativity leads to dramatic errors. The case of eccentric binaries, for which the precession of the periastron causes a frequency splitting of the gravitational-wave signal depending on the apsidal motion constants of the two stars, is investigated. Future measurements of the precession rate by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, which is planned to be in operation within the next decade, could potentially provide estimates of the individual masses. It is found that the errors incurred by the neglect of the elasticity of the crystallized core could be very large, especially for low-mass white dwarfs. Gravitational-wave observations could thus provide a new way to study the crystallization of white dwarfs.

Confronting double-detonation sub-Chandrasekhar models with the low-luminosity suppression of Type Ia supernovae

ABSTRACT Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are likely the thermonuclear explosions of carbon–oxygen (CO) white-dwarf (WD) stars, but their progenitor systems remain elusive. Recently, Sharon & Kushnir used The Zwicky Transient Facility Bright Transient Survey to construct a synthesized 56Ni mass, MNi56, distribution of SNe Ia. They found that the rate of low-luminosity ($M_\text{Ni56}\approx 0.15\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$) SNe Ia is lower by a factor of ∼10 than the more common $M_\text{Ni56}\approx 0.7\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ events. We here show that in order for the double-detonation model (DDM, in which a propagating thermonuclear detonation wave, TNDW, within a thin helium shell surrounding a sub-Chandrasekhar mass CO core triggers a TNDW within the core) to explain this low-luminosity suppression, the probability of a low-mass ($\approx 0.85\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$) WD explosion should be ∼100-fold lower than that of a high-mass ($\approx 1.05\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$) WD. One possible explanation is that the ignition of low-mass CO cores is somehow suppressed. We use accurate one-dimensional numerical simulations to show that if a TNDW is able to propagate within the helium shell, then the ignition within the CO core is guaranteed (resolved here for the first time in a full-star simulation), even for $0.7\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ WDs, providing no natural explanation for the low-luminosity suppression. DDM could explain the low-luminosity suppression if the mass distribution of primary WDs in close binaries is dramatically different from the field distribution; if the Helium shell ignition probability is suppressed for low-mass WDs; or if multidimensional perturbations significantly change our results.

The ELM Survey. IX. A Complete Sample of Low-mass White Dwarf Binaries in the SDSS Footprint

We present the discovery of 17 double white dwarf (WD) binaries from our ongoing search for extremely low mass (ELM) < 0.3 M ⊙ WDs, objects that form from binary evolution. Gaia parallax provides a new means of target selection that we use to evaluate our original ELM Survey selection criteria. Cross-matching the Gaia and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) catalogs, we identify an additional 36 ELM WD candidates with 17 < g < 19 mag and within the 3σ uncertainties of our original color selection. The resulting discoveries imply the ELM Survey sample was 90% complete in the color range −0.4 < (g − r)0 < −0.1 mag (approximately 9000 K < T eff < 22,000 K). Our observations complete the sample in the SDSS footprint. Two newly discovered binaries, J123950.370−204142.28 and J232208.733+210352.81, have orbital periods of 22.5 and 32 minutes, respectively, and are future Laser Interferometer Space Antenna gravitational-wave sources.

Explaining prolonged fluctuations in light curves of classical novae via modelling

ABSTRACT Fluctuations during a prolonged maximum have been observed in several nova eruptions, although it is not clear, and cannot be deduced directly from observations, whether the phenomenon is an actual physical reaction to some mechanism originating in the erupting white dwarf, whether it is occurring in the expanding ejected shell, or whether it is a form of interaction with the red dwarf companion. A handful of erupting nova models are investigated in this work, in order to assess the possibility of this sort of feature being an actual part of the eruption itself. The results explain that the mechanism that may produce these fluctuations is the repeated approach and recession of the convective front from the surface. The efficiency of this mechanism, being dependent on the mass of the WD (white dwarf) envelope and the time-scale of the nova cycle, favours low-mass WDs and long accretion phases.

Radial velocity variability and the evolution of hot subdwarf stars

Hot subdwarf stars represent a late and peculiar stage in the evolution of low-mass stars, since they are likely formed by close binary interactions. In this work, we perform a radial velocity (RV) variability study of a sample of 646 hot subdwarfs with multi-epoch radial velocities based on spectra from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST). The atmospheric parameters and RVs were taken from the literature. For stars with archival spectra but without literature values, we determined the parameters by fitting model atmospheres. In addition, we redetermined the atmospheric parameters and RVs for all the He-enriched sdO/Bs. This broad sample allowed us to study RV-variability as a function of the location in the Teff − log g- and Teff − log n(He)/n(H) diagrams in a statistically significant way. We used the fraction of RV-variable stars and the distribution of the maximum RV variations ΔRVmax as diagnostics. Both indicators turned out to be quite inhomogeneous across the studied parameter ranges. A striking feature is the completely dissimilar behaviour of He-poor and He-rich hot subdwarfs. While the former have a high fraction of close binaries, almost no significant RV variations could be detected for the latter. This has led us to the conclusion that there is likely no evolutionary connection between these subtypes. On the other hand, intermediate He-rich- and extreme He-rich sdOB/Os are more likely to be related. Furthermore, we conclude that the vast majority of this population is formed via one or several binary merger channels. Hot subdwarfs with temperatures cooler than ∼24 000 K tend to show fewer and smaller RV-variations. These objects might constitute a new subpopulation of binaries with longer periods and late-type or compact companions. The RV-variability properties of the extreme horizontal branch (EHB) and corresponding post-EHB populations of the He-poor hot subdwarfs match and confirm the predicted evolutionary connection between them. Stars found below the canonical EHB at somewhat higher surface gravities show large RV variations and a high RV variability fraction. These properties are consistent with most of them being low-mass EHB stars or progenitors of low-mass helium white dwarfs in close binaries.

A very low central oxygen mass in the peculiar type Ia SN 2010lp: further diversity at the low-luminosity end of SNe Ia

ABSTRACT A nebular spectrum of the peculiar, low-luminosity type Ia supernova 2010lp is modelled in order to estimate the composition of the inner ejecta and to illuminate the nature of this event. Despite having a normally declining light curve, SN 2010lp was similar spectroscopically to SN 1991bg at early times. However, it showed a very unusual double-peaked [O i] $\lambda \lambda \, 6300,6363$ emission at late times (Taubenberger et al.). Modelling of the nebular spectrum suggests that a very small amount of oxygen (∼0.05 M⊙), expanding at very low speed (≲ 2000 km s−1) is sufficient to reproduce the observed emission. The rest of the nebula is not too dissimilar from SN 1991bg, except that SN 2010lp is slightly more luminous. The double-peaked [O i] emission suggests that SN 2010lp may be consistent with the merger or collision of two low-mass white dwarfs. The low end of the SN Ia luminosity sequence is clearly populated by diverse events, where different channels may contribute.

Discovery of hot subdwarfs covered with helium-burning ash

Abstract Helium-rich subdwarf O stars (sdOs) are hot compact stars in a pre-white dwarf evolutionary state. Most of them have effective temperatures and surface gravities in the range Teff = 40 000–50 000 K and log g = 5.5–6.0. Their atmospheres are helium dominated. If present at all, C, N, and O are trace elements. The abundance patterns are explained in terms of nucleosynthesis during single star evolution (late helium core flash) or a binary He-core white dwarf merger. Here we announce the discovery of two hot hydrogen-deficient sdOs (PG1654+322 and PG1528+025) that exhibit unusually strong carbon and oxygen lines. A non-LTE model atmosphere analysis of spectra obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope and by the LAMOST survey reveals astonishingly high abundances of C ($\approx 20{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$) and O ($\approx 20{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$) and that the two stars are located close to the helium main sequence. Both establish a new spectroscopic class of hot H-deficient subdwarfs (CO-sdO) and can be identified as the remnants of a He-core white dwarf that accreted matter of a merging low-mass CO-core white dwarf. We conclude that the CO-sdOs represent an alternative evolutionary channel creating PG1159 stars besides the evolution of single stars that experience a late helium-shell flash.

4FGL J1120.0–2204: A Unique Gamma-Ray-bright Neutron Star Binary with an Extremely Low-mass Proto-white Dwarf

Abstract We have discovered a new X-ray-emitting compact binary that is the likely counterpart to the unassociated Fermi-LAT GeV γ-ray source 4FGL J1120.0–2204, the second brightest Fermi source that still remains formally unidentified. Using optical spectroscopy with the SOAR telescope, we have identified a warm (T eff ∼ 8500 K) companion in a 15.1 hr orbit around an unseen primary, which is likely a yet-undiscovered millisecond pulsar. A precise Gaia parallax shows the binary is nearby, at a distance of only ∼820 pc. Unlike the typical “spider” or white dwarf secondaries in short-period millisecond pulsar binaries, our observations suggest the ∼0.17 M ⊙ companion is in an intermediate stage, contracting on the way to becoming an extremely low-mass helium white dwarf. Although the companion is apparently unique among confirmed or candidate millisecond pulsar binaries, we use binary evolution models to show that in ∼2 Gyr, the properties of the binary will match those of several millisecond pulsar–white dwarf binaries with very short (&lt;1 day) orbital periods. This makes 4FGL J1120.0–2204 the first system discovered in the penultimate phase of the millisecond pulsar recycling process.

UOCS – VII. Blue straggler populations of open cluster NGC 7789 with UVIT/AstroSat

ABSTRACT NGC 7789 is a ∼1.6 Gyr old, populous open cluster located at ∼2000 pc. We characterize the blue straggler stars (BSS) of this cluster using the Ultraviolet (UV) data from the UVIT/AstroSat. We present spectral energy distributions (SED) of 15 BSS candidates constructed using multiwavelength data ranging from UV to IR wavelengths. In 8 BSS candidates, a single temperature SED is found to be satisfactory. We discover hot companions in 5 BSS candidates. The hot companions with Teff ∼ 11750–15500 K, R ∼ 0.069–0.242 R⊙, and L ∼ 0.25–1.55 L⊙, are most likely extremely low mass (ELM) white dwarfs (WDs) with masses smaller than ∼0.18 M⊙, and thereby confirmed post mass transfer systems. We discuss the implication of this finding in the context of BSS formation mechanisms. Two additional BSS show excess in one or more UV filters, and may have a hot companion, however we are unable to characterize them. We suggest that at least 5 of the 15 BSS candidates (33 per cent) studied in this cluster have formed via the mass-transfer mechanism.

Erratum: Birth of the ELMs: a ZTF survey for evolved cataclysmic variables turning into extremely low-mass white dwarfs

Erratum: Birth of the ELMs: a ZTF survey for evolved cataclysmic variables turning into extremely low-mass white dwarfs