The fastest unbound star in our Galaxy ejected by a thermonuclear supernova

Geier S, Furst F, Ziegerer E, Kupfer T, Heber U, Irrgang A, Wang B, Liu Z, Han Z, Sesar B, Levitan D, Kotak R, Magnier EA, Smith K, Burgett WS, Chambers K, Flewelling H, Kaiser N, Wainscoat R, Waters C (2015)

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2015

Journal

Science American Association for the Advancement of Science

Publisher: AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE

Book Volume: 347

Pages Range: 1126-1128

Journal Issue: 6226

DOI: 10.1126/science.1259063

Abstract

Hypervelocity stars (HVSs) travel with velocities so high that they exceed the escape velocity of the Galaxy. Several acceleration mechanisms have been discussed. Only one HVS (US 708, HVS 2) is a compact helium star. Here we present a spectroscopic and kinematic analysis of US 708. Traveling with a velocity of similar to 1200 kilometers per second, it is the fastest unbound star in our Galaxy. In reconstructing its trajectory, the Galactic center becomes very unlikely as an origin, which is hardly consistent with the most favored ejection mechanism for the other HVSs. Furthermore, we detected that US 708 is a fast rotator. According to our binary evolution model, it was spun-up by tidal interaction in a close binary and is likely to be the ejected donor remnant of a thermonuclear supernova.

Authors with CRIS profile

Eva Ziegerer Dr.Karl-Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Astronomisches Institut Ulrich Heber Professur für Astronomie und Astrophysik Andreas Irrgang Dr.Karl-Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Astronomisches Institut

Involved external institutions

Queen's University GB United Kingdom (GB) University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa US United States (USA) (US) Radboud University Nijmegen NL Netherlands (NL) California Institute of Technology (Caltech) US United States (USA) (US) Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) / 中国科学院 CN China (CN) Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie / Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) DE Germany (DE) European Southern Observatory (ESO) DE Germany (DE) University of Hawaii (U.H.) US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Geier, S., Furst, F., Ziegerer, E., Kupfer, T., Heber, U., Irrgang, A.,... Waters, C. (2015). The fastest unbound star in our Galaxy ejected by a thermonuclear supernova. Science, 347(6226), 1126-1128. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1259063

MLA:

Geier, Stephan, et al. "The fastest unbound star in our Galaxy ejected by a thermonuclear supernova." Science 347.6226 (2015): 1126-1128.

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