Parsons, S. G., Marsh, T. R., Gänsicke, B. T. (Boris T.), Drake, A. J. and Koester, Detlev, 1941-. (2011) A deeply eclipsing detached double helium white dwarf binary. The Astrophysical Journal. Letters, Vol.735 (No.2). L30. ISSN 2041-8205

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Abstract

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 Ha absorption line cores. These measurements, combined with the light curve information, yield white dwarf masses of M(1) = 0.283 +/- 0.064 M(circle dot) and M(2) = 0.274 +/- 0.034 M(circle dot), 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.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Double stars, Eclipsing binaries, Stars, White dwarf stars
Journal or Publication Title:	The Astrophysical Journal. Letters
Publisher:	Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc.
ISSN:	2041-8205
Date:	2011
Volume:	Vol.735
Number:	No.2
Page Range:	L30
Identification Number:	10.1088/2041-8205/735/2/L30
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/38669

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

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