1,440 research outputs found
On the formation of hot DQ white dwarfs
We present the first full evolutionary calculations aimed at exploring the
origin of hot DQ white dwarfs. These calculations consistently cover the whole
evolution from the born-again stage to the white dwarf cooling track. Our
calculations provide strong support to the diffusive/convective-mixing picture
for the formation of hot DQs. We find that the hot DQ stage is a short-lived
stage and that the range of effective temperatures where hot DQ stars are found
can be accounted for by different masses of residual helium and/or different
initial stellar masses. In the frame of this scenario, a correlation between
the effective temperature and the surface carbon abundance in DQs should be
expected, with the largest carbon abundances expected in the hottest DQs. From
our calculations, we suggest that most of the hot DQs could be the cooler
descendants of some PG1159 stars characterized by He-rich envelopes markedly
smaller than those predicted by the standard theory of stellar evolution. At
least for one hot DQ, the high-gravity white dwarf SDSS J142625.70+575218.4, an
evolutionary link between this star and the massive PG1159 star H1504+65 is
plausible.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. To be published in The Astrophysical Journal
Letter
Asteroseismology of the GW Virginis stars SDSS J0349-0059 and VV 47
We present an asteroseismological study of SDSS J0349-0059 and VV 47 aimed
mainly at deriving their total mass on the basis of state-of-the-art PG 1159
evolutionary models. We compute adiabatic nonradial -mode pulsation periods
for PG 1159 evolutionary models with stellar masses ranging from to
0.741\ M_{\sun}, that take into account the complete evolution of the
progenitor stars. We first estimate a mean period spacing for both SDSS
J0349-0059 and VV 47. By comparing the observed period spacing with the
asymptotic period spacing we obtain M_{\star}\sim 0.569\ M_{\sun} for SDSS
J0349-0059 and M_{\star}\sim 0.523\ M_{\sun} for VV 47. If we compare the
observed period spacing with the average of the computed period spacings we
found M_{\star}\sim 0.535\ M_{\sun} for SDSS J0349-0059 and M_{\star}\sim
0.528 M_{\sun} for VV 47. Searching for the best period fit we found, in the
case of SDSS J0349-0059, an asteroseismological model with $M_{\star}= 0.542\
M_{\sun}T_{\rm eff}= 91\, 255\ P_{\rm rot}= 1/\Omega \sim 0.407$
days. The results presented in this work constitute a further step in the study
of GW Vir stars through asteroseismology in the frame of fully evolutionary
models of PG 1159 stars. In particular, once again it is shown the potential of
asteroseismology to derive stellar masses of PG 1159 stars with an
unprecedented precision.Comment: 13 pages, 16 figures, 6 tables. To be published in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Asteroseismology of the Kepler V777 Her variable white dwarf with fully evolutionary models
DBV stars are pulsating white dwarfs with atmospheres rich in He.
Asteroseismology of DBV stars can provide valuable clues about the origin,
structure and evolution of hydrogen-deficient white dwarfs, and may allow to
study neutrino and axion physics. Recently, a new DBV star, KIC 8626021, has
been discovered in the field of the \emph{Kepler} spacecraft. It is expected
that further monitoring of this star in the next years will enable astronomers
to determine its detailed asteroseismic profile. We perform an
asteroseismological analysis of KIC 8626021 on the basis of fully evolutionary
DB white-dwarf models. We employ a complete set of evolutionary DB white-dwarf
structures covering a wide range of effective temperatures and stellar masses.
They have been obtained on the basis of a complete treatment of the
evolutionary history of progenitors stars. We compute g-mode adiabatic
pulsation periods for this set of models and compare them with the pulsation
properties exhibited by KIC 8626021. On the basis of the mean period spacing of
the star, we found that the stellar mass should be substantially larger than
spectroscopy indicates. From period-to-period fits we found an
asteroseismological model characterized by an effective temperature much higher
than the spectroscopic estimate. In agreement with a recent asteroseismological
analysis of this star by other authors, we conclude that KIC 8626021 is located
near the blue edge of the DBV instability strip, contrarily to spectroscopic
predictions. We also conclude that the mass of KIC 8626021 should be
substantially larger than thought.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables. To be published in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
New evolutionary sequences for extremely low mass white dwarfs: Homogeneous mass and age determinations, and asteroseismic prospects
We provide a fine and homogeneous grid of evolutionary sequences for He-core
white dwarfs with masses 0.15-0.45 Msun, including the mass range for ELM white
dwarfs (<0.20Msun). The grid is appropriate for mass and age determination, and
to study their pulsational properties. White dwarf sequences have been computed
by performing full evolutionary calculations that consider the main energy
sources and processes of chemical abundance changes during white dwarf
evolution. Initial models for the evolving white dwarfs have been obtained by
computing the non-conservative evolution of a binary system consisting of a
Msun ZAMS star and a 1.4 Msun neutron star for various initial orbital periods.
To derive cooling ages and masses for He-core white dwarf we perform a least
square fitting of the M(Teff, g) and Age(Teff, g) relations provided by our
sequences by using a scheme that takes into account the time spent by models in
different regions of the Teff-g plane. This is useful when multiple solutions
for cooling age and mass determinations are possible in the case of
CNO-flashing sequences. We also explore the adiabatic pulsational properties of
models near the critical mass for the development of CNO flashes (~0.2 Msun).
This is motivated by the discovery of pulsating white dwarfs with stellar
masses near this threshold value. We obtain reliable and homogeneous mass and
cooling age determinations for 58 very low-mass white dwarfs, including 3
pulsating stars. Also, we find substantial differences in the period spacing
distributions of g-modes for models with stellar masses ~ 0.2 Msun, which could
be used as a seismic tool to distinguish stars that have undergone CNO flashes
in their early cooling phase from those that have not. Finally, for an easy
application of our results, we provide a reduced grid of values useful to
obtain masses and ages of He-core white dwarf.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, to be published in Astronomy and Astrophysic
Outer boundary conditions for evolving cool white dwarfs
White dwarf evolution is essentially a gravothermal cooling process,
which,for cool white dwarfs, sensitively depends on the treatment of the outer
boundary conditions. We provide detailed outer boundary conditions appropriate
for computing the evolution of cool white dwarfs employing detailed non-gray
model atmospheres for pure H composition. We also explore the impact on the
white dwarf cooling times of different assumptions for energy transfer in the
atmosphere of cool white dwarfs. Detailed non-gray model atmospheres are
computed taken into account non-ideal effects in the gas equation of state and
chemical equilibrium, collision-induced absorption from molecules, and the
Lyman alpha quasi-molecular opacity. Our results show that the use of detailed
outer boundary conditions becomes relevant for effective temperatures lower
than 5800 and 6100K for sequences with 0.60 and 0.90 M_sun, respectively.
Detailed model atmospheres predict ages that are up to approx 10% shorter at
log L/L_sun=-4 when compared with the ages derived using Eddington-like
approximations at tau_Ross=2/3. We also analyze the effects of various
assumptions and physical processes of relevance in the calculation of outer
boundary conditions. In particular, we find that the Ly_alpha red wing
absorption does not affect substantially the evolution of white dwarfs. White
dwarf cooling timescales are sensitive to the surface boundary conditions for
T_eff < 6000K. Interestingly enough, non-gray effects have little consequences
on these cooling times at observable luminosities. In fact, collision-induced
absorption processes, which significantly affect the spectra and colors of old
white dwarfs with hydrogen-rich atmospheres, have not noticeable effects in
their cooling rates, except throughout the Rosseland mean opacity.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figures, to be published in Astronomy and Astrophysic
Pulsations powered by hydrogen shell burning in white dwarfs
In the absence of a third dredge-up episode during the asymptotic giant
branch phase, white dwarf models evolved from low-metallicity progenitors have
a thick hydrogen envelope, which makes hydrogen shell burning be the most
important energy source. We investigate the pulsational stability of white
dwarf models with thick envelopes to see whether nonradial -mode pulsations
are triggered by hydrogen burning, with the aim of placing constraints on
hydrogen shell burning in cool white dwarfs and on a third dredge-up during the
asymptotic giant branch evolution of their progenitor stars. We construct
white-dwarf sequences from low-metallicity progenitors by means of full
evolutionary calculations, and analyze their pulsation stability for the models
in the range of effective temperatures
K. We demonstrate that, for white dwarf models with masses M_{\star} \lesssim
0.71\,\rm M_{\sun} and effective temperatures K that evolved from low-metallicity progenitors (,
, and ) the dipole () and quadrupole ()
modes are excited mostly due to the hydrogen-burning shell through the
-mechanism, in addition to other modes driven by either the
or the convective driving mechanism. However, the
mechanism is insufficient to drive these modes in white dwarfs evolved from
solar-metallicity progenitors. We suggest that efforts should be made to
observe the dipole mode in white dwarfs associated with low-metallicity
environments, such as globular clusters and/or the galactic halo, to place
constraints on hydrogen shell burning in cool white dwarfs and the third
dredge-up episode during the preceding asymptotic giant branch phase.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. To be published in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
On the origin of white dwarfs with carbon-dominated atmospheres: the case of H1504+65
We explore different evolutionary scenarios to explain the helium deficiency
observed in H1504+65, the most massive known PG1159 star. We concentrate mainly
on the possibility that this star could be the result of mass loss shortly
after the born-again and during the subsequent evolution through the [WCL]
stage. This possibility is sustained by recent observational evidence of
extensive mass-loss events in Sakurai's object and is in line with the recent
finding that such mass losses give rise to PG1159 models with thin helium-rich
envelopes and large rates of period change, as demanded by the pulsating star
PG1159-035. We compute the post born again evolution of massive sequences by
taking into account different mass-loss rate histories. Our results show that
stationary winds during the post-born-again evolution fail to remove completely
the helium-rich envelope so as to explain the helium deficiency observed in
H1504+65. Stationary winds during the Sakurai and [WCL] stages only remove at
most half of the envelope surviving the violent hydrogen burning during the
born-again phase. In view of our results, the recently suggested evolutionary
connection born-again stars --> H1504+65 --> white dwarfs with carbon-rich
atmospheres is difficult to sustain unless the whole helium-rich envelope could
be ejected by non-stationary mass-loss episodes during the Sakurai stage.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. To be published in Astronomy & Astrophysic
New DA white dwarf evolutionary models and their pulsational properties
In this letter we investigate the pulsational properties of ZZ Ceti stars on
the basis of new white dwarf evolutionary models calculated in a
self-consistent way with the predictions of time dependent element diffusion
and nuclear burning. In addition, full account is taken of the evolutionary
stages prior to the white dwarf formation. Emphasis is placed on the trapping
properties of such models. By means of adiabatic, non-radial pulsation
calculations, we find, as a result of time dependent diffusion, a much weaker
mode trapping effect, particularly for the high-period regime of the pulsation
g-spectrum. This result is valid at least for models with massive hydrogen-rich
envelopes. Thus, mode trapping would not be an effective mechanism to explain
the fact that all the high periods expected from standard models of stratified
white dwarfs are not observed in the ZZ Ceti stars.Comment: 3 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysics Letter
An independent constraint on the secular rate of variation of the gravitational constant from pulsating white dwarfs
A secular variation of the gravitational constant modifies the structure and
evolutionary time scales of white dwarfs. Using an state-of-the-art stellar
evolutionary code and an up-to-date pulsational code we compute the effects of
a secularly varying on the pulsational properties of variable white dwarfs.
Comparing the the theoretical results obtained taking into account the effects
of a running with the observed periods and measured rates of change of the
periods of two well studied pulsating white dwarfs, G117--B15A and R548, we
place constraints on the rate of variation of Newton's constant. We derive an
upper bound yr using the variable
white dwarf G117--B15A, and yr using
R548. Although these upper limits are currently less restrictive than those
obtained using other techniques, they can be improved in a future measuring the
rate of change of the period of massive white dwarfs.Comment: 13 pages, 4 tables, 3 figures. To be published in the Journal of
Cosmology and Astroparticle Physic
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