Multi-periodic pulsations of a stripped red-giant star in an eclipsing binary system

Maxted PFL, Serenelli AM, Miglio A, Marsh TR, Heber U, Dhillon VS, Littlefair S, Copperwheat C, Smalley B, Breedt E, Schaffenroth V (2013)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2013

Journal

Nature Nature Research

Book Volume: 498

Pages Range: 463-465

Journal Issue: 7455

DOI: 10.1038/nature12192

Abstract

Low-mass white-dwarf stars are the remnants of disrupted red-giant stars in binary millisecond pulsars and other exotic binary star systems. Some low-mass white dwarfs cool rapidly, whereas others stay bright for millions of years because of stable fusion in thick surface hydrogen layers. This dichotomy is not well understood, so the potential use of low-mass white dwarfs as independent clocks with which to test the spin-down ages of pulsars or as probes of the extreme environments in which low-mass white dwarfs form cannot fully be exploited. Here we report precise mass and radius measurements for the precursor to a low-mass white dwarf. We find that only models in which this disrupted red-giant star has a thick hydrogen envelope can match the strong constraints provided by our data. Very cool low-mass white dwarfs must therefore have lost their thick hydrogen envelopes by irradiation from pulsar companions or by episodes of unstable hydrogen fusion (shell flashes). We also find that this low-mass white-dwarf precursor is a type of pulsating star not hitherto seen. The observed pulsation frequencies are sensitive to internal processes that determine whether this star will undergo shell flashes. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Authors with CRIS profile

Ulrich Heber Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät Veronika Schaffenroth Dr.Karl-Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Astronomisches Institut

Involved external institutions

University of Keele GB United Kingdom (GB) Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC) ES Spain (ES) University of Birmingham GB United Kingdom (GB) University of Warwick GB United Kingdom (GB) University of Sheffield GB United Kingdom (GB) Liverpool John Moores University (JMU) GB United Kingdom (GB)

How to cite

APA:

Maxted, P.F.L., Serenelli, A.M., Miglio, A., Marsh, T.R., Heber, U., Dhillon, V.S.,... Schaffenroth, V. (2013). Multi-periodic pulsations of a stripped red-giant star in an eclipsing binary system. Nature, 498(7455), 463-465. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12192

MLA:

Maxted, Pierre F. L., et al. "Multi-periodic pulsations of a stripped red-giant star in an eclipsing binary system." Nature 498.7455 (2013): 463-465.

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