38 research outputs found
The evolutionary state of short-period magnetic white dwarf binaries
We present phase-resolved spectroscopy of two new short-period low accretion rate magnetic binaries, SDSS J125044.42+154957.3 (Porb= 86 min) and SDSS J151415.65+074446.5 (Porb= 89 min). Both systems were previously identified as magnetic white dwarfs from the Zeeman splitting of the Balmer absorption lines in their optical spectra. Their spectral energy distributions exhibit a large near-infrared excess, which we interpret as a combination of cyclotron emission and possibly a late-type companion star. No absorption features from the companion are seen in our optical spectra. We derive the orbital periods from a narrow, variable Hα emission line which we show to originate on the companion star. The high radial velocity amplitude measured in both systems suggests a high orbital inclination, but we find no evidence for eclipses in our data. The two new systems resemble the polar EF Eri in its prolonged low state and also SDSS J121209.31+013627.7, a known magnetic white dwarf plus possible brown dwarf binary, which was also recovered by our method
NLTT5306: The shortest Period Detached White Dwarf + Brown Dwarf Binary
We have spectroscopically confirmed a brown dwarf mass companion to the
hydrogen atmosphere white dwarf NLTT5306. The white dwarf's atmospheric
parameters were measured using Sloan Digital Sky Survey and X-Shooter
spectroscopy as T_eff=7756+/-35K and log(g)=7.68+/-0.08, giving a mass for the
primary of M_WD=0.44+/-0.04 M_sun, at a distance of 71+/-4 pc with a cooling
age of 710+/-50 Myr. The existence of the brown dwarf secondary was confirmed
through the near-infrared arm of the X-Shooter data and a spectral type of
dL4-dL7 was estimated using standard spectral indices. Combined radial velocity
measurements from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, X-Shooter and the Hobby-Eberly
Telescope's High Resolution Spectrograph of the white dwarf gives a minimum
mass of 56+/-3 M_jup for the secondary, confirming the substellar nature. The
period of the binary was measured as 101.88+/-0.02 mins using both the radial
velocity data and i'-band variability detected with the INT. This variability
indicates 'day' side heating of the brown dwarf companion. We also observe
H{\alpha} emission in our higher resolution data in phase with the white dwarf
radial velocity, indicating this system is in a low level of accretion, most
likely via a stellar wind. This system represents the shortest period white
dwarf + brown dwarf binary and the secondary has survived a stage of common
envelope evolution, much like its longer period counterpart, WD0137-349. Both
systems likely represent bona-fide progenitors of cataclysmic variables with a
low mass white dwarf and a brown dwarf donor.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
A Spitzer Space Telescope Study of the Debris Disks around four SDSS White Dwarfs
We present Spitzer Space Telescope data of four isolated white dwarfs that
were previously known to harbor circumstellar gaseous disks. IRAC photometry
shows a significant infrared excess in all of the systems, SDSS0738+1835,
SDSS0845+2257, SDSS1043+0855 and SDSS1617+1620, indicative of a dusty extension
to those disks. The 4.5-micron excesses seen in SDSS0738, SDSS0845, and
SDSS1617 are 7.5, 5.7 and 4.5 times the white dwarf contribution, respectively.
In contrast, in SDSS1043, the measured flux density at 4.5 microns is only 1.7
times the white dwarf contribution. We compare the measured IR excesses in the
systems to models of geometrically thin, optically thick disks, and find that
we are able to match the measured SEDs to within 3 sigma of the uncertainties,
although disks with unfeasibly hot inner dust temperatures generally provide a
better fit than those below the dust sublimation temperature. Possible
explanations for the dearth of dust around SDSS1043+0855 are briefly discussed.
Including our previous study of SDSS1228+1040, all five white dwarfs with
gaseous debris disks have significant amounts of dust around them. It is
evident that gas and dust can coexist around these relatively warm, relatively
young white dwarfs.Comment: 20 pages, including 4 figures. Accepted to Ap
The Unseen Population of F to K-type Companions to Hot Subdwarf Stars
We present a method to select hot subdwarf stars with A to M-type companions
using photometric selection criteria. We cover a wide range in wavelength by
combining GALEX ultraviolet data, optical photometry from the SDSS and the
Carlsberg Meridian telescope, near-infrared data from 2MASS and UKIDSS. We
construct two complimentary samples, one by matching GALEX, CMC and 2MASS, as
well as a smaller, but deeper, sample using GALEX, SDSS and UKIDSS. In both
cases, a large number of composite subdwarf plus main-sequence star candidates
were found. We fit their spectral energy distributions with a composite model
in order to estimate the subdwarf and companion star effective temperatures
along with the distance to each system. The distribution of subdwarf effective
temperature was found to primarily lie in the 20,000 - 30,000 K regime, but we
also find cooler subdwarf candidates, making up ~5-10 per cent. The most
prevalent companion spectral types were seen to be main-sequence stars between
F0 and K0, while subdwarfs with M-type companions appear much rarer. This is
clear observational confirmation that a very efficient first stable Roche-lobe
overflow channel appears to produce a large number of subdwarfs with F to
K-type companions. Our samples thus support the importance of binary evolution
for subdwarf formation.Comment: 30 pages, 10 figures, 11 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA
A search for white dwarfs in the Galactic plane: : the field and the open cluster population
This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The Version of Record [R. Raddi, et al, ‘A search for white dwarfs in the Galactic plane: the field and the open cluster population’, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 457 (2): 1988-2004, first published online 5 February 2016] is available online at doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw042. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.We investigated the prospects for systematic searches of white dwarfs at low Galactic latitudes, using the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) H Photometric Survey of the Galactic plane and Bulge (VPHAS+). We targeted 17 white dwarf candidates along sightlines of known open clusters, aiming to identify potential cluster members. We confirmed all the 17 white dwarf candidates from blue/optical spectroscopy, and we suggest five of them to be likely cluster members. We estimated progenitor ages and masses for the candidate cluster members, and compared our findings to those for other cluster white dwarfs. A white dwarf in NGC 3532 is the most massive known cluster member (1.13 M), likely with an oxygen-neon core, for which we estimate an M progenitor, close to the mass-divide between white dwarf and neutron star progenitors. A cluster member in Ruprecht 131 is a magnetic white dwarf, whose progenitor mass exceeded 2-3 M. We stress that wider searches, and improved cluster distances and ages derived from data of the ESA Gaia mission, will advance the understanding of the mass-loss processes for low- to intermediate-mass stars.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio
The first sub-70 minute non-interacting WD-BD system: EPIC212235321
We present the discovery of the shortest-period, non-interacting, white dwarf-brown dwarf post-common-envelope binary known. The K2 light curve shows the system, EPIC 21223532 has a period of 68.2 min and is not eclipsing, but does show a large reflection effect due to the irradiation of the brown dwarf by the white dwarf primary. Spectra show hydrogen, magnesium and calcium emission features from the brown dwarf's irradiated hemisphere, and the mass indicates the spectral type is likely to be L3. Despite having a period substantially lower than the cataclysmic variable period minimum, this system is likely a pre-cataclysmic binary, recently emerged from the common-envelope. These systems are rare, but provide limits on the lowest mass object that can survive common envelope evolution, and information about the evolution of white dwarf progenitors, and post-common envelope evolution
The Evolution of Compact Binary Star Systems
We review the formation and evolution of compact binary stars consisting of
white dwarfs (WDs), neutron stars (NSs), and black holes (BHs). Binary NSs and
BHs are thought to be the primary astrophysical sources of gravitational waves
(GWs) within the frequency band of ground-based detectors, while compact
binaries of WDs are important sources of GWs at lower frequencies to be covered
by space interferometers (LISA). Major uncertainties in the current
understanding of properties of NSs and BHs most relevant to the GW studies are
discussed, including the treatment of the natal kicks which compact stellar
remnants acquire during the core collapse of massive stars and the common
envelope phase of binary evolution. We discuss the coalescence rates of binary
NSs and BHs and prospects for their detections, the formation and evolution of
binary WDs and their observational manifestations. Special attention is given
to AM CVn-stars -- compact binaries in which the Roche lobe is filled by
another WD or a low-mass partially degenerate helium-star, as these stars are
thought to be the best LISA verification binary GW sources.Comment: 105 pages, 18 figure
Human Skeletal Muscle Possesses an Epigenetic Memory of Hypertrophy
It is unknown if adult human skeletal muscle has an epigenetic memory of earlier encounters with growth. We report, for the first time in humans, genome-wide DNA methylation (850,000 CpGs) and gene expression analysis after muscle hypertrophy (loading), return of muscle mass to baseline (unloading), followed by later hypertrophy (reloading). We discovered increased frequency of hypomethylation across the genome after reloading (18,816 CpGs) versus earlier loading (9,153 CpG sites). We also identified AXIN1, GRIK2, CAMK4, TRAF1 as hypomethylated genes with enhanced expression after loading that maintained their hypomethylated status even during unloading where muscle mass returned to control levels, indicating a memory of these genes methylation signatures following earlier hypertrophy. Further, UBR5, RPL35a, HEG1, PLA2G16, SETD3 displayed hypomethylation and enhanced gene expression following loading, and demonstrated the largest increases in hypomethylation, gene expression and muscle mass after later reloading, indicating an epigenetic memory in these genes. Finally, genes; GRIK2, TRAF1, BICC1, STAG1 were epigenetically sensitive to acute exercise demonstrating hypomethylation after a single bout of resistance exercise that was maintained 22 weeks later with the largest increase in gene expression and muscle mass after reloading. Overall, we identify an important epigenetic role for a number of largely unstudied genes in muscle hypertrophy/memory
The role of resveratrol on skeletal muscle cell differentiation and myotube hypertrophy during glucose restriction
Glucose restriction (GR) impairs muscle cell differentiation and evokes myotube atrophy. Resveratrol treatment in skeletal
muscle cells improves inflammatory-induced reductions in skeletal muscle cell differentiation. We therefore hypothesised
that resveratrol treatment would improve muscle cell differentiation and myotube hypertrophy in differentiating C2C12
myoblasts and mature myotubes during GR. Glucose restriction at 0.6 g/L (3.3 mM) blocked differentiation and myotube
hypertrophy versus high-glucose (4.5 g/L or 25 mM) differentiation media (DM) conditions universally used for myoblast
culture. Resveratrol (10 μM) treatment increased SIRT1 phosphorylation in DM conditions, yet did not improve differentiation
when administered to differentiating myoblasts in GR conditions. Resveratrol did evoke increases in hypertrophy of mature
myotubes under DM conditions with corresponding elevated Igf-I and Myhc7 gene expression, coding for the ‘slow’ type I
MYHC protein isoform. Inhibition of SIRT1 via EX-527 administration (100 nM) also reduced myotube diameter and area
in DM conditions and resulted in lower gene expression of Myhc 1, 2 and 4 coding for ‘intermediate’ and ‘faster’ IIx, IIa
and IIb protein isoforms, respectively. Resveratrol treatment did not appear to modulate phosphorylation of energy-sensing
protein AMPK or protein translation initiator P70S6K. Importantly, in mature myotubes, resveratrol treatment was able to
ameliorate reduced myotube growth in GR conditions over an acute 24-h period, but not over 48–72 h. Overall, resveratrol
evoked myotube hypertrophy in DM conditions while favouring ‘slower’ Myhc gene expression and acutely ameliorated
impaired myotube growth observed during glucose restriction
Post-common envelope binaries from SDSS-X: The origin of low-mass white dwarfs
We present the first white dwarf mass distributions of a large and
homogeneous sample of post-common envelope binaries (PCEBs) and wide white
dwarf-main sequence binaries (WDMS) directly obtained from observations. Both
distributions are statistically independent, with PCEBs showing a clear
concentration of systems towards the low-mass end of the distribution, and the
white dwarf mass distribution of wide WDMS binaries being similar to those of
single white dwarfs. Our results provide evidence that the majority of low-mass
(Mwd < 0.5Msun) white dwarfs are formed in close binaries.Comment: Accepted in MNRAS. 11 pages, 6 figures, 5 table