The effective temperature distribution function of cataclysmic variable white dwarfs

1987 ◽  
Vol 130 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 47-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Sion
1987 ◽  
Vol 93 ◽  
pp. 47-51
Author(s):  
E.M. Sion

AbstractWith the recent detection of direct white dwarf photospheric radiation from certain cataclysmic variables in quiescent (low accretion) states, important implications and clues about the nature and long-term evolution of cataclysmic variables can emerge from an analysis of their physical properties. Detection of the underlying white dwarfs has led to a preliminary empirical CV white dwarf temperature distribution function and, in a few cases, the first detailed look at a freshly accreted while dwarf photosphere. The effective temperatures of CV white dwarfs plotted versus orbital period for each type of CV appears to reveal a tendency for the cooler white dwarf primaries to reside in the shorter period systems. Possible implications are briefly discussed.


Author(s):  
Elena Cukanovaite ◽  
Pier-Emmanuel Tremblay ◽  
Pierre Bergeron ◽  
Bernd Freytag ◽  
Hans-Günter Ludwig ◽  
...  

Abstract In this paper, we present corrections to the spectroscopic parameters of DB and DBA white dwarfs with −10.0 ≤ log (H/He) ≤−2.0, 7.5 ≤ log g ≤9.0 and 12 000 K ≲ Teff ≲ 34 000 K, based on 282 3D atmospheric models calculated with the CO5BOLD radiation-hydrodynamics code. These corrections arise due to a better physical treatment of convective energy transport in 3D models when compared to the previously available 1D model atmospheres. By applying the corrections to an existing SDSS sample of DB and DBA white dwarfs, we find significant corrections both for effective temperature and surface gravity. The 3D log g corrections are most significant for Teff ≲ 18, 000 K, reaching up to −0.20 dex at log g = 8.0. However, in this low effective temperature range, the surface gravity determined from the spectroscopic technique, can also be significantly affected by the treatment of the neutral van der Waals line broadening of helium and by non-ideal effects due to the perturbation of helium by neutral atoms. Thus, by removing uncertainties due to 1D convection, our work showcases the need for improved description of microphysics for DB and DBA model atmospheres. Overall, we find that our 3D spectroscopic parameters for the SDSS sample are generally in agreement with Gaia DR2 absolute fluxes within 1-3σ for individual white dwarfs. By comparing our results to DA white dwarfs, we determine that the precision and accuracy of DB/DBA atmospheric models are similar. For ease of user application of the correction functions, we provide an example Python code.


1996 ◽  
Vol 152 ◽  
pp. 217-222
Author(s):  
Jean Dupuis ◽  
Stéphane Vennes

We present an analysis of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectroscopy of a sample of 10 DA white dwarfs observed by the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE). We have selected white dwarfs cooler than about 50,000 K and with presumably low heavy element abundances. The goal of this study is to determine the fundamental atmospheric parameters, namely the effective temperature and chemical composition, of these stars by fitting their continua with synthetic spectra computed from pure hydrogen LTE/line-blanketed model atmospheres. The question of the presence (or absence) of trace elements is explored by comparing EUV-determined effective temperatures to the one obtained from a fit of hydrogen balmer lines. It is found that the majority of the DA in the sample are consistent with having a pure hydrogen atmosphere. One of the star, MCT0027-634, is another possible example of a HZ 43-type white dwarf, having an effective temperature above 50000 K and a low heavy element abundance, i.e., much lower than predicted by diffusion theory.


1979 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 125-129
Author(s):  
F. Wesemael ◽  
H.M. Van Horn

Model atmosphere analyses of white dwarf spectra have contributed significantly to our understanding of the properties of degenerate stars.: In particular, the pioneering investigations of Bues (1970), Strittmatter and Wickramasinghe (1971) and Shipman (1972) have provided the first reliable determinations of the effective temperature and surface gravity of these objects (see Shipman 1979 and Weidemann 1978 for recent results). We now know with certainty that the hydrogen-rich white dwarf sequence extends at least over the range Te ∽ 6000 – 60.000K. In contrast, the hottest identified helium-rich white dwarfs seem to reach Te ~ 25.000K only, a puzzling result since the progenitors of DB white dwarfs should presumably also be helium-rich.


1989 ◽  
Vol 114 ◽  
pp. 202-205
Author(s):  
M.A. Barstow

AbstractPredicted soft X-ray fluxes for model atmospheres containing varying concentrations of CNO metals are compared with those observed by EXOSAT for the planetary nebula nucleus K1-16. An effective temperature in the range ≈ 125000 − 180000K is determined for K1-16 and a limit on the concentration of CNO in the atmosphere (between 0.02 and 20 ×solar relative to He) obtained. Some comments on the application of the models to the apparently metal rich star H1504+65 are included.


1993 ◽  
Vol 134 ◽  
pp. 201-204
Author(s):  
B. Pfeiffer ◽  
G. Vauclair ◽  
N. Dolez ◽  
M. Chevreton ◽  
J. R. Fremy ◽  
...  

The ZZ Ceti stars form a class of variable white dwarfs: the hydrogen dominated atmosphere ones, which do pulsate in an instability strip in the effective temperature range 13000K-11500K. We know 22 such ZZ Ceti white dwarfs. Their variations are caused by nonradial g-mode pulsations with periods are in the range 100-1000 seconds.A subsample of the ZZ Ceti stars shows amplitude variations on time scales of the order of one month. These variations could be driven by nonlinear phenomena.


1989 ◽  
Vol 114 ◽  
pp. 198-201
Author(s):  
Frits Paerels ◽  
John Heise

AbstractWe present the observations of the photospheric X-ray spectra of hot DA white dwarfs, obtained with the 500 lines mm−1 Transmission Grating Spectrometer on EXOSAT. These spectra cover the full soft X-ray band, at high wavelength resolution and statistical quality. They allow us to do an accurate measurement of the photospheric parameters, particularly of effective temperature and chemical composition of the atmosphere.We consider the case of HZ 43 in some detail. Model atmospheric spectra that satisfy all measured absolute optical, UV and X-ray fluxes turn out not to fit the shape of the measured X-ray spectrum. However, from a comparison of model spectra calculated with different model atmospheres codes we infer the existence of a 15% systematic uncertainty in the model fluxes at the shortest wavelengths (λ < 100 Å) in current model calculations. This can explain the fitting problem. Since the systematic uncertainty in the models is larger than the statistical uncertainty in the shape of the measured X-ray spectrum of HZ 43, we cannot at present use this measured shape to derive the effective temperature and gravity. We revert to broad band photometry, using the measured integrated soft X-ray flux and the optical flux, to determine Te = 45,000 – 54,000K, R/R⊙ = 0.0140 – 0.0165. From the absence of the He II Ly edge at 227 Å in the measured spectrum, we set a upper limit on the photospheric helium abundance of He/H = 1.0 × 10−5; this upper limit is independent of the uncertainties in the model calculations mentioned above.


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