An eclipsing 47 min double white dwarf binary at 400 pc

Authors

• Andrzej S. Baran, Missouri State UniversityFollow
• James Munday, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine;Isaac Newton Group
• Tremblay, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine
• Hermes, College of Arts & Sciences
• Brad Barlow, High Point University
• Ingrid Pelisoli, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine
• Marsh, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine
• Steven G. Parsons, The University of Sheffield
• David Jones, Instituto Astrofisico de Canarias;Universidad de la Laguna;Nordic Optical Telescope
• Kepler, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
• Alex Brown, The University of Sheffield
• Littlefair, The University of Sheffield
• Hegedus, College of Arts and Sciences
• Elme; Breedt, Institute of Astronomy
• Dhillon, The University of Sheffield;Instituto Astrofisico de Canarias

Abstract

We present the discovery of the eclipsing double white dwarf (WD) binary WDJ 022558.21-692025.38 that has an orbital period of 47.19 min. Following identification with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, we obtained time series ground based spectroscopy and high-speed multiband ULTRACAM photometry which indicate a primary DA WD of mass and a mass secondary WD, which is likely of type DA as well. The system becomes the third-closest eclipsing double WD binary discovered with a distance of approximately 400 pc and will be a detectable source for upcoming gravitational wave detectors in the mHz frequency range. Its orbital decay will be measurable photometrically within 10 yr to a precision of better than 1 per cent. The fate of the binary is to merge in approximately 41 Myr, likely forming a single, more massive WD.

Department(s)

Physics, Astronomy, and Materials Science

Document Type

Article

DOI

10.1093/mnras/stad2347

Keywords

binaries: close, gravitational waves, stars: individual: WDJ 022558.21-692025.38, white dwarfs

Publication Date

10-1-2023

Recommended Citation

Baran, Andrzej S.; Munday, James; Tremblay; Hermes; Barlow, Brad; Pelisoli, Ingrid; Marsh; Parsons, Steven G.; Jones, David; Kepler; Brown, Alex; Littlefair; Hegedus; Breedt, Elme;; and Dhillon, "An eclipsing 47 min double white dwarf binary at 400 pc" (2023). Faculty Scholarship. 542.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/articles00/542

Journal Title

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society