Dynamic Thermal Analysis of a Power Amplifier

This paper presents dynamic thermal analyses of a power amplifier. All the investigations are based on the transient junction temperature measurements performed during the circuit cooling process. The presented results include the cooling curves, the structure functions, the thermal time constant distribution and the Nyquist plot of the thermal impedance. The experiments carried out demonstrated the influence of the contact resistance and the position of the entire cooling assembly on the obtained results.Comment: Submitted on behalf of TIMA Editions (http://irevues.inist.fr/tima-editions

The White Dwarfs within 20 Parsecs of the Sun: Kinematics and Statistics

We present the kinematical properties, distribution of spectroscopic subtypes, stellar population subcomponents of the white dwarfs within 20 pc of the sun. We find no convincing evidence of halo white dwarfs in the total 20 pc sample of 129 white dwarfs nor is there convincing evidence of genuine thick disk subcomponent members within 20 parsecs. Virtually the entire 20 pc sample likely belongs to the thin disk. The total DA to non-DA ratio of the 20 pc sample is 1.6, a manifestation of deepening envelope convection which transforms DA stars with sufficiently thin H surface layers into non-DAs. The addition of 5 new stars to the 20 pc sample yields a revised local space density of white dwarfs of $4.9\pm0.5 \times 10^{-3}$ M_{\sun}/yr and a corresponding mass density of $3.3\pm0.3 \times 10^{-3}$ M_{\sun}/pc$^{3}$. We find that at least 15% of the white dwarfs within 20 parsecs of the sun (the DAZ and DZ stars) have photospheric metals that possibly originate from accretion of circumstellar material (debris disks) around them. If this interpretation is correct, this suggests the possibility that the same percentage have planets or asteroid-like bodies orbiting them.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journa

The heavily polluted atmosphere of the DAZ white dwarf GALEX J193156.8+011745

We report on the discovery of a new heavily polluted white dwarf. The DAZ white dwarf GALEX J193156.8+011745 was identified in a joint GALEX/GSC survey of ultraviolet-excess objects. Optical spectra obtained at ESO NTT show strong absorption lines of magnesium and silicon and a detailed abundance analysis based on VLT-Kueyen UVES spectra reveal super-solar abundances of silicon and magnesium, and near-solar abundances of oxygen, calcium, and iron. The overall abundance pattern bears the signature of ongoing accretion onto the white dwarf atmosphere. The infrared spectral energy distribution shows an excess in the H and K bands likely associated with the accretion source.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter

Discovery of a Bright, Extremely Low Mass White Dwarf in a Close Double Degenerate System

We report the discovery of a bright (V ~ 13.7), extremely low-mass white dwarf in a close double degenerate system. We originally selected GALEX J171708.5+675712 for spectroscopic follow-up among a group of white dwarf candidates in an ultraviolet-optical reduced proper-motion diagram. The new white dwarf has a mass of 0.18 M_solar and is the primary component of a close double degenerate system (P=0.246137 d, K_1 = 288 km/s) comprising a fainter white dwarf secondary with M_2 ~ 0.9 M_solar. Light curves phased with the orbital ephemeris show evidence of relativistic beaming and weaker ellipsoidal variations. The light curves also reveal secondary eclipses (depth ~ 8 mmag) while the primary eclipses appear partially compensated by the secondary gravitational deflection and are below detection limits. Photospheric abundance measurements show a nearly solar composition of Si, Ca, and Fe (0.1-1 solar), while the normal kinematics suggest a relatively recent formation history. Close binary evolutionary scenarios suggest that extremely low mass white dwarfs form via a common-envelope phase and possible Roche-lobe overflow

Know Your Neighborhood: A Detailed Model Atmosphere Analysis of Nearby White Dwarfs

We present improved atmospheric parameters of nearby white dwarfs lying within 20 pc of the Sun. The aim of the current study is to obtain the best statistical model of the least-biased sample of the white dwarf population. A homogeneous analysis of the local population is performed combining detailed spectroscopic and photometric analyses based on improved model atmosphere calculations for various spectral types including DA, DB, DC, DQ, and DZ stars. The spectroscopic technique is applied to all stars in our sample for which optical spectra are available. Photometric energy distributions, when available, are also combined to trigonometric parallax measurements to derive effective temperatures, stellar radii, as well as atmospheric compositions. A revised catalog of white dwarfs in the solar neighborhood is presented. We provide, for the first time, a comprehensive analysis of the mass distribution and the chemical distribution of white dwarf stars in a volume-limited sample.Comment: 104 pages, 22 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Supplemen

K-band spectroscopy of pre-cataclysmic variables

Aims. There exists now substantial evidence for abundance anomalies in a number of cataclysmic variables (CVs), indicating that the photosphere of the secondary star incorporates thermonuclear processed material. However, the spectral energy distribution in CVs is usually dominated by the radiation produced by the accretion process, severely hindering an investigation of the stellar components. On the other hand, depending on how the secondary star has acquired such material, the above mentioned abundance anomalies could also be present in pre-CVs, i.e. detached white/red dwarf binaries that will eventually evolve into CVs, but have not yet started mass transfer, and therefore allow for an unobstructed view on the secondary star at infrared wavelengths. Methods. We have taken K-band spectroscopy of a sample of 13 pre-CVs in order to examine them for anomalous chemical abundances. In particular, we study the strength of the 12CO and 13CO absorption bands that have been found diminished and enhanced, respectively, in similar studies of CVs. Results. All our systems show CO abundances that are within the range observed for single stars. The weakest 12CO bands with respect to the spectral type are found in the pre-CV BPM 71214, although on a much smaller scale than observed in CVs. Furthermore there is no evidence for enhanced 13CO. Taking into account that our sample is subject to the present observational bias that favours the discovery of young pre-CVs with secondary stars of late spectral types, we can conclude the following: 1) our study provides observational proof that the CO anomalies discovered in certain CVs are not due to any material acquired during the common envelope phase, and 2) if the CO anomalies in certain CVs are not due to accretion of processed material during nova outburst, then the progenitors of these CVs are of a significantly different type than the currently known sample of pre-CVs

Spectroscopic confirmation of UV-bright white dwarfs from the Sandage Two-Color Survey of the Galactic Plane

We present spectroscopic observations confirming the identification of hot white dwarfs among UV-bright sources from the Sandage Two-color Survey of the Galactic plane and listed in the Lanning (Lan) catalog of such sources. A subsample of 213 UV bright Lan sources have been identified as candidate white dwarfs based on the detection of a significant proper motion. Spectroscopic observations of 46 candidates with the KPNO 2.1m telescope confirm 30 sources to be hydrogen white dwarfs with subtypes in the DA1-DA6 range, and with one of the stars (Lan 161) having an unresolved M dwarf as a companion. Five more sources are confirmed to be helium white dwarfs, with subtypes from DB3 to DB6. One source (Lan 364) is identified as a DZ 3 white dwarf, with strong lines of calcium. Three more stars are found to have featureless spectra (to within detection limits), and are thus classified as DC white dwarfs. In addition, three sources are found to be hot subdwarfs: Lan 20 and Lan 480 are classified as sdOB, and Lan 432 is classified sdB. The remaining four objects are found to be field F star interlopers. Physical parameters of the DA and DB white dwarfs are derived from model fits.Comment: To appear in the Astronomical Journa

Two new hot subdwarf binaries in the GALEX survey

We report the discovery of two new hot, hydrogen-rich subdwarfs (sdB) in close binary systems. The hot subdwarfs, GALEX J0321+4727 and GALEX J2349+3844, were selected from a joint optical-ultraviolet catalogue of hot sub-luminous stars based on GSC2.3.2 and the Galaxy Evolution Explorer all-sky survey. Using high-dispersion spectra of the Halpha core obtained using the 2m telescope at Ondrejov Observatory we measured the radial velocities of the sdB primaries and determined orbital periods of 0.26584+/-0.00004 days and 0.46249+/-0.00007 days for GALEX J0321+4727 and GALEX J2349+3844, respectively. The time series obtained from the Northern Sky Variability Survey with an effective wavelength near the R band show that GALEX J0321+4727 is a variable star (Delta m=0.12 mag) while no significant variations are observed in GALEX J2349+3844. The period of variations in GALEX J0321+4727 coincides with the orbital period and the variability is probably caused by a reflection effect on a late-type secondary star. Lack of photometric variations in GALEX J2349+3844 probably indicates that the companion is a white dwarf star. Using all available photometry and spectroscopy, we measured the atmospheric properties of the two sdB stars and placed limits on the mass and luminosity of the companion stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

Modeling of the Lyman gamma satellites in FUSE spectra of DA white dwarfs

We present new theoretical calculations of the line profile of Lyman gamma that include transitions in which a photon is absorbed by a neutral hydrogen atom while it interacts with a proton. Models show that two absorption features located near 992 A and 996 A are due to H-H^+ collisions. These quasi-molecular satellites are similar to those that were identified in the wings of Lyman alpha and Lyman beta lines of hydrogen-rich white dwarfs. We compute synthetic spectra that take account of these new theoretical profiles and compare them to the spectra of four DA white dwarfs that were observed with FUSE. The models predict the absorption features that are observed in the wing of Lyman gamma near 995 A, and confirm that these features are quasi-molecular satellites.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic