scholarly journals On the detectability of transiting planets orbiting white dwarfs using LSST

2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (2) ◽  
pp. 1695-1703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Cortés ◽  
David Kipping

ABSTRACT White dwarfs are one of the few types of stellar object for which we have yet to confirm the existence of companion planets. Recent evidence for metal contaminated atmospheres, circumstellar debris discs, and transiting planetary debris all indicates that planets may be likely. However, white dwarf transit surveys are challenging due to the intrinsic faintness of such objects, the short time-scale of the transits, and the low transit probabilities due to their compact radii. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) offers a remedy to these problems as a deep, half-sky survey with fast exposures encompassing approximately 10 million white dwarfs with r < 24.5 apparent magnitude (mr). We simulate LSST photometric observations of 3.5 million white dwarfs over a 10 yr period and calculate the detectability of companion planets with P < 10 d via transits. We find typical detection rates in the range of 5 × 10−6 to 4 × 10−4 for Ceres-sized bodies to Earth-sized worlds, yielding ∼50–$4000$ detections for a 100 per cent occurrence rate of each. For terrestrial planets in the continuously habitable zone, we find detection rates of ∼10−3 indicating that LSST would reveal hundreds of such worlds for occurrence rates in the range of 1–10 per cent.

2020 ◽  
Vol 493 (2) ◽  
pp. 2127-2139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J Manser ◽  
Boris T Gänsicke ◽  
Nicola Pietro Gentile Fusillo ◽  
Richard Ashley ◽  
Elmé Breedt ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A total of 1–3 per cent of white dwarfs are orbited by planetary dusty debris detectable as infrared emission in excess above the white dwarf flux. In a rare subset of these systems, a gaseous disc component is also detected via emission lines of the Ca ii 8600 Å triplet, broadened by the Keplerian velocity of the disc. We present the first statistical study of the fraction of debris discs containing detectable amounts of gas in emission at white dwarfs within a magnitude and signal-to-noise ratio limited sample. We select 7705 single white dwarfs spectroscopically observed by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Gaia with magnitudes g ≤ 19. We identify five gaseous disc hosts, all of which have been previously discovered. We calculate the occurrence rate of a white dwarf hosting a debris disc detectable via Ca ii emission lines as $0.067\, \pm \, ^{0.042}_{0.025}$ per cent. This corresponds to an occurrence rate for a dusty debris disc to have an observable gaseous component in emission as 4 ± $_{2}^{4}$ per cent. Given that variability is a common feature of the emission profiles of gaseous debris discs, and the recent detection of a planetesimal orbiting within the disc of SDSS J122859.93+104032.9, we propose that gaseous components are tracers for the presence of planetesimals embedded in the discs and outline a qualitative model. We also present spectroscopy of the Ca ii triplet 8600 Å region for 20 white dwarfs hosting dusty debris discs in an attempt to identify gaseous emission. We do not detect any gaseous components in these 20 systems, consistent with the occurrence rate that we calculated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 162 (6) ◽  
pp. 247
Author(s):  
Yacheng Kang ◽  
Chang Liu ◽  
Lijing Shao

Abstract Recently, Tamanini & Danielski discussed the possibility of detecting circumbinary exoplanets (CBPs) orbiting double white dwarfs (DWDs) with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). Extending their methods and criteria, we discuss the prospects for detecting exoplanets around DWDs not only by LISA, but also by Taiji, a Chinese space-borne gravitational-wave (GW) mission that has slightly better sensitivity at low frequencies. We first explore how different binary masses and mass ratios affect the abilities of LISA and Taiji to detect CBPs. Second, for certain known detached DWDs with high signal-to-noise ratios, we quantify the possibility of CBP detections around them. Third, based on the DWD population obtained from the Mock LISA Data Challenge, we present basic assessments of the CBP detections in our Galaxy during a 4 yr mission time for LISA and Taiji. We discuss the constraints on the detectable zone of each system, as well as the distributions of the inner/outer edge of the detectable zone. With the DWD population, we further inject two different planet distributions with an occurrence rate of 50% and constrain the total detection rates. We briefly discuss the prospects for detecting habitable CBPs around DWDs with a simplified model. These results can provide helpful inputs for upcoming exoplanetary projects and help analyze planetary systems after the common envelope phase.


2000 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 197-200
Author(s):  
Milan Minarovjech ◽  
Milan Rybanský ◽  
Vojtech Rušin

AbstractWe present an analysis of short time-scale intensity variations in the coronal green line as obtained with high time resolution observations. The observed data can be divided into two groups. The first one shows periodic intensity variations with a period of 5 min. the second one does not show any significant intensity variations. We studied the relation between regions of coronal intensity oscillations and the shape of white-light coronal structures. We found that the coronal green-line oscillations occur mainly in regions where open white-light coronal structures are located.


1989 ◽  
Vol 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Pine ◽  
D. A. Weitz ◽  
D. J. Durian ◽  
P. N. Pusey ◽  
R. J. A. Tough

ABSTRACTOn a short time scale, Brownian particles undergo a transition from initially ballistic trajectories to diffusive motion. Hydrodynamic interactions with the surrounding fluid lead to a complex time dependence of this transition. We directly probe this transition for colloidal particles by measuring the autocorrelation function of multiply scattered light and observe the effects of the slow power-law decay of the velocity autocorrelation function.


1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 396-396
Author(s):  
I. Pustylnik

We study the short-time evolutionary history of the well-known contact binary VW Cep. Our analysis is based partly on the numerous UBV lightcurves obtained at Tartu Observatory, IUE spectra, and samples from the published data. Special attention is given to the effects of asymmetry of the light curves. A higher degree of asymmetry outside the eclipses along with the significant displacements of the brightness maxima in respect to the elongation phase is interpreted as evidence that a considerable portion of the flaring source is concentrated close to the neck connecting the components. We discuss the nature of asymmetry in terms of possible mass exchange and the flare activity and compare the results of our model computations with the record of orbital period variations over the last 60 years.


1993 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-201
Author(s):  
Søren Achim Nielsen ◽  
Thomas Hougaard

An alternative test is presented, in which algal cultures are used for testing toxic substances. This test system is based on variations in the size distribution of cells in test cultures as a measurement of growth. Thus, inhibition of mitotic activity is used as a measurement for toxic effects. The test can be performed on a short time-scale and is very sensitive to even weak toxic doses.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document