Recently, Dufour et al. (2007) reported the unexpected discovery that a few white dwarfs found in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey had an atmosphere dominated by carbon with little or no trace of hydrogen and helium. Here we present a progress report on these new objects based on new high signal-to-noise follow-up spectroscopic observations obtained at the 6.5m MMT telescope on Mount Hopkins, Arizona.
The Tübingen NLTE Model-Atmosphere Package (TMAP) calculates fully metal-line blanketed white dwarf model atmospheres and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) at a high level of sophistication. Such SEDs are easily accessible via the German Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (GAVO) service TheoSSA. We discuss applications of TMAP models to (pre) white dwarfs during the hottest stages of their stellar evolution, e.g. in the parameter range of novae and super soft sources.
With the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph onboard the Hubble Space Telescope, we have detected molecular hydrogen in the atmospheres of three white dwarfs with effective temperatures below 14,000 K, G29-38, GD 133 and GD 31. This discovery provides new independent constraints on the stellar temperature and surface gravity of white dwarfs.
Context. We study the atmosphere of the carbon-rich Mira RU Vir using the mid-infrared high spatial resolution interferometric observations from VLTI/MIDI. Aims. The aim of this work is to analyse the atmosphere of the carbon-rich Mira RU Vir, with state of the art models, in this way deepening the knowledge of the dynamic processes at work in carbon-rich Miras. Methods. We compare spectro-photometric and interferometric measurements of this carbon-rich Mira AGB star, with the predictions of different kinds of modelling approaches (hydrostatic model atmospheres plus MOD-More Of Dusty, self-con…
(Abridged abstract) We explore the formation of ultra-massive (M_{\rm WD} \gtrsim 1.05 M_\sun$), carbon-oxygen core white dwarfs resulting from single stellar evolution. We also study their evolutionary and pulsational properties and compare them with those of the ultra-massive white dwarfs with oxygen-neon cores resulting from carbon burning in single progenitor stars, and with binary merger predictions. We consider two single-star evolution scenarios for the formation of ultra-massive carbon-oxygen core white dwarfs that involve rotation of the degenerate core after core helium burning and r…
We present our latest 3D model atmospheres for carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars computed with the CO5BOLD code. The stellar parameters are representative of hot turn-off objects (Teff ~ 6250 K, log g=4.0, [Fe/H]=-3.0). The main purpose of these models is to investigate the role of 3D effects on synthetic spectra of the CH G-band (4140-4400 A), the CN BX-band (3870-3890 A), and several UV OH transitions (3122-3128 A). By comparison with the synthetic spectra from standard 1D model atmospheres (assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium, LTE), we derive 3D abundance corrections for carbon a…
I present a broad historical review on cool white dwarf stars with carbon and/or oxygen detected at the photosphere. This book chapter covers the observational signatures, physical properties, and evolution of DQ, DBQ and Hot DQ white dwarfs, and also present an overview of the main challenges that future investigations of these types of object should try to address.
Due to their high photospheric density, cool helium-rich white dwarfs (particularly DZ, DQpec and ultracool) are often poorly described by current atmosphere models. As part of our ongoing efforts to design atmosphere models suitable for all cool white dwarfs, we investigate how the ionization ratio of heavy elements and the H$_2$-He collision-induced absorption (CIA) spectrum are altered under fluid-like densities. For the conditions encountered at the photosphere of cool helium-rich white dwarfs, our ab initio calculations show that the ionization of most metals is inhibited and that the H$_…
We aim to show the importance of non-elastic excitation and deexcitation processes in $\textrm{He}^{*}(n)+ \textrm{He}(1s^{2})$ collisions with the principal quantum number $n \ge 3$ for helium-rich white dwarf atmospheres. We compare the efficiencies of these processes with those of the known non-elastic electron-$\textrm{He}^{*}(n)$ atom processes in the atmospheres of some DB white dwarfs. We show that in significant parts of the considered atmospheres, which contain weakly ionized layers (the ionization degree $\lesssim 10^{-3}$), the influence of the studied atom-Rydberg atom processes on…
In this work the processes of absorption charge-exchange and photo-association in He+H$^{+}$ collisions together with the process of ion HeH$^{+}$ photo-dissociation are considered as factors of influence on the opacity of the atmospheres of helium-rich white dwarfs in the far UV and EUV region. It is shown that they should be taken into account even in the cases of the atmospheres of white dwarfs with H:He =$10^{-5}$. Than, it is established that in the cases of white dwarfs with H:He $\gtrsim 10^{-4}$, particulary when H:He $\approx 10^{-3}$, these processes have to be included \emph{ab init…
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 sh…
Taking advantage of the Gaia Data Release 2, recent studies have revisited the evolution of carbon-polluted white dwarfs (DQs) across a large range of effective temperatures. These analyses have clearly confirmed the existence of two distinct DQ evolutionary sequences: one with normal-mass white dwarfs and one with heavily polluted and generally more massive objects. The first sequence is thought to result from the dredge-up of carbon from the core, while the second could at least partially be made of descendants of Hot DQs. However, the evolution of carbon-polluted white dwarfs below 6500 K r…
As they evolve, white dwarfs undergo major changes in surface composition, a phenomenon known as spectral evolution. In particular, some stars enter the cooling sequence with helium atmospheres (type DO) but eventually develop hydrogen atmospheres (type DA), most likely through the upward diffusion of residual hydrogen. Our empirical knowledge of this process remains scarce: the fractions of white dwarfs that are born helium-rich and that experience the DO-to-DA transformation are poorly constrained. We tackle this issue by performing a detailed model-atmosphere investigation of 1806 hot ($T_{…
(Abridged) Context. With the Herschel Space Observatory, lines of simple molecules (C+, O, and CO) have been observed in the atmosphere of protoplanetary disks. When combined with ground-based [CI], all principle forms of carbon can be studied. The absence of neutral carbon [CI], which is predicted by models to be strong, can then be interpreted together with [CII] and carbon monoxide. Aims. We study the gas temperature, excitation, and chemical abundance of the simple carbon-bearing species by the method of chemical-physical modeling. We explore the sensitivity of the lines to the entering pa…
Among the spectroscopically identified white dwarfs, a fraction smaller than 2% have spectra dominated by carbon lines, mainly molecular C2, but also in a smaller group by CI and CII lines. These are together called DQ white dwarfs. We want to derive atmospheric parameters Teff,log g, and carbon abundances for a large sample of these stars and discuss implications for their spectral evolution. Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra and ugriz photometry were used, together with GAIA Data Release 2 parallaxes and G band photometry. These were fitted to synthetic spectra and theoretical photometry deri…
We present some of the results of a survey aimed at exploring the asteroseismological potential of the newly-discovered carbon-atmosphere white dwarfs. We show that, in certains regions of parameter space, carbon-atmosphere white dwarfs may drive low-order gravity modes. We demonstrate that our theoretical results are consistent with the recent exciting discovery of luminosity variations in SDSS J1426+5752 and some null results obtained by a team of scientists at McDonald Observatory. We also present follow-up photometric observations carried out by ourselves at the Mount Bigelow 1.6-m telesco…
A sequence of pure-hydrogen CO5BOLD 3D model atmospheres of DA white dwarfs is presented for a surface gravity of log g = 8 and effective temperatures from 6000 to 13,000 K. We show that convective properties, such as flow velocities, characteristic granulation size and intensity contrast of the granulation patterns, change significantly over this range. We demonstrate that these 3D simulations are not sensitive to numerical parameters unlike the 1D structures that considerably depend on the mixing-length parameters. We conclude that 3D spectra can be used directly in the spectroscopic analyse…
Cool white dwarfs are reliable and independent stellar chronometers. The most common white dwarfs have carbon-oxygen dense cores. Consequently, the cooling ages of very cool white dwarfs sensitively depend on the adopted phase diagram of the carbon-oxygen binary mixture. A new phase diagram of dense carbon-oxygen mixtures appropriate for white dwarf interiors has been recently obtained using direct molecular dynamics simulations. In this paper, we explore the consequences of this phase diagram in the evolution of cool white dwarfs. To do this we employ a detailed stellar evolutionary code and …
Ultra-massive white dwarfs (UMWDs) with masses larger than 1.05Msun are basically believed to harbour oxygen-neon (ONe) cores. Recently, Gaia data reveals an enhancement of UMWDs on Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD), which indicates that extra cooling delay mechanism such as crystallization and elemental sedimentation may exist in the UMWDs. Further studies suggested that a portion of UMWDs should have experienced pretty long cooling delays, implying that they are carbon-oxygen (CO) WDs. However, the formation mechanism of these UMCOWDs is still under debate. In this work, we investigated whet…
Recent studies have shown that for suitable initial conditions both super- and sub-Chandrasekhar mass carbon-oxygen white dwarf mergers produce explosions similar to observed SNe Ia. The question remains, however, how much fine tuning is necessary to produce these conditions. We performed a large set of SPH merger simulations, sweeping the possible parameter space. We find trends for merger remnant properties, and discuss how our results affect the viability of our recently proposed sub-Chandrasekhar merger channel for SNe Ia.
We carried out a fully non-adiabatic analysis for nonradial oscillations of pre-white dwarfs evolved from the post-Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) with hydrogen-dominated envelopes. It is shown that nuclear reactions in the hydrogen burning-shell excite low-degree g-modes in the period range of about 40-200 s for the pre-white dwarf models with Teff=40,000 K - 300,000 K. It is also shown that the amount of hydrogen {has} a significant influence on the instability domain of such pre-white dwarfs in the Hertzsprung-Russel (H-R) diagram. Thus, the thickness of hydrogen-dominated envelopes may be we…
Line shapes of the magnesium resonance lines in white dwarf spectra are determined by the properties of magnesium atoms and the structure of the white dwarf atmosphere. Through their blanketing effect, these lines have a dominant influence on the model structure and thus on the determination from the spectra of other physical parameters that describe the stellar atmosphere and elemental abundances. In continuation of previous work on Mg$^+$He lines in the UV, we present theoretical profiles of the resonance line of neutral Mg perturbed by He at the extreme density conditions found in the cool …
White-light flares (WLFs), first observed in 1859, refer to a type of solar flares showing an obvious enhancement of the visible continuum emission. This type of enhancement often occurs in most energetic flares, and is usually interpreted as a consequence of efficient heating in the lower solar atmosphere through non-thermal electrons propagating downward from the energy release site in the corona. However, this coronal-reconnection model has difficulty in explaining the recently discovered small WLFs. Here we report a C2.3 white-light flare, which are associated with several observational ph…
We present the detection of non-radial oscillations in a hot, helium-atmosphere white dwarf using 78.7 d of nearly uninterrupted photometry from the Kepler space telescope. With an effective temperature >30,000 K, PG 0112+104 becomes the hottest helium-atmosphere white dwarf known to pulsate. The rich oscillation spectrum of low-order g-modes includes clear patterns of rotational splittings from consecutive sequences of dipole and quadrupole modes, which can be used to probe the rotation rate with depth in this highly evolved stellar remnant. We also measure a surface rotation rate of 10.17404…
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, wh…
We report the discovery of pulsations in three mixed-atmosphere, extremely low-mass white dwarf (ELM WD, M $\leqslant$ 0.3 M$_{\odot}$) precursors. Following the recent discoveries of pulsations in both ELM and pre-ELM WDs, we targeted pre-ELM WDs with mixed H/He atmospheres with high-speed photometry. We find significant optical variability in all three observed targets with periods in the range 320--590 s, consistent in timescale with theoretical predictions of $p$-mode pulsations in mixed-atmosphere $\approx$ 0.18 M$_{\odot}$ He-core pre-ELM WDs. This represents the first empirical evidence…
We aimed at collecting all known white dwarf pulsators with hydrogen-dominated atmospheres and list their main photometric and atmospheric parameters together with their pulsation periods and amplitudes observed at different epochs. For this purpose, we explored the pulsating white dwarf related literature with the systematic use of the SIMBAD and the NASA's Astrophysics Data System (ADS) databases. We summarized our results in four tables listing seven ZZ Ceti stars in detached white dwarf plus main-sequence binaries, seven extremely low-mass DA pulsators, three hot DAVs and 180 ZZ Ceti stars…
As a result of competing physical mechanisms, the atmospheric composition of white dwarfs changes throughout their evolution, a process known as spectral evolution. Because of the ambiguity of their atmospheric compositions and the difficulties inherent to the modeling of their dense atmospheres, no consensus exists regarding the spectral evolution of cool white dwarfs ($T_{\rm eff}<6000$ K). In the previous papers of this series, we presented and observationally validated a new generation of cool white dwarf atmosphere models that include all the necessary constitutive physics to accurately m…
We present an analysis of X-Shooter spectra of the polluted hydrogen-rich white dwarfs (DAZ) NLTT 888 and NLTT 53908. The spectra of NLTT 53908 show strong, Zeeman-split calcium lines (CaII H&K and Ca I $λ4226$) and the star appears to be a close relative of the polluted magnetic white dwarf (DAZH) NLTT 10480, while the spectra of NLTT 888 show narrow lines of calcium and iron. A comparison of the DAZ NLTT 888 and the DAZH NLTT 53908 with other class members illustrates the diversity of environment and formation circumstances surrounding these objects. In particular, we find that the incidence…
We have investigated the origin of a sub-class of carbon-polluted white dwarfs (DQ) originally identified as the ``hot DQ" white dwarfs. These objects are relatively hot (10 000 < T_eff < 25 000 K), have markedly higher carbon abundance (C-enriched), are more massive (M > 0.8 M_Sun) than ordinary DQs (M ~ 0.6 M_Sun), and display high space velocities. Hence, despite their young appearance their kinematic properties are those of an old white dwarf population. The way out of this dilemma is to assume that they formed via the merging of two white dwarfs. In this paper we examine the observed char…
Around 10% of white dwarfs exhibit global magnetic structures with fields ranging from 1 kG to hundreds of MG. Recently, the first radiation magnetohydrodynamics simulations of the atmosphere of white dwarfs showed that convection should be suppressed in their photospheres for magnetic fields with strengths B $\gtrsim$ 50 kG. These predictions are in agreement with our knowledge of stellar physics (e.g. energy transfer in strong magnetic field regions of the solar photosphere), but have yet to be directly confirmed from white dwarf observations. We obtained COS far-UV spectroscopy of the weakl…
We present the first grid of 3D simulations for the pure-helium atmospheres of DB white dwarfs. The simulations were computed with the CO5BOLD radiation-hydrodynamics code and cover effective temperatures and surface gravities between 12000 K < Teff < 34000 K and 7.5 < log(g) (cgs units) < 9.0, respectively. In this introductory work, synthetic spectra calculated from the 3D simulations are compared to appropriate 1D model spectra under a differential approach. This results in the derivation of 3D corrections for the spectroscopically derived atmospheric parameters of DB stars with respect to …
White dwarf stars are traditionally found to have surface compositions made primarily of hydrogen or helium. However, a new family has recently been uncovered, the so-called Hot DQ white dwarfs, which have surface compositions dominated by carbon and oxygen with little or no trace of hydrogen and helium (Dufour et al. 2007, 2008, 2010). Deriving precise atmospheric parameters for these objects (such as the effective temperature and the surface gravity) requires detailed modeling of spectral line profiles. Stark broadening parameters are of crucial importance in that context. We present prelimi…
We present a set of full evolutionary sequences for white dwarfs with hydrogen-deficient atmospheres. We take into account the evolutionary history of the progenitor stars, all the relevant energy sources involved in the cooling, element diffusion in the very outer layers, and outer boundary conditions provided by new and detailed non-gray white dwarf model atmospheres for pure helium composition. These model atmospheres are based on the most up-to-date physical inputs. Our calculations extend down to very low effective temperatures, of $\sim 2\,500$~K, provide a homogeneous set of evolutionar…
The photospheres of the coolest helium-atmosphere white dwarfs are characterized by fluid-like densities. Under those conditions, standard approximations used in model atmosphere codes are no longer appropriate. Unfortunately, the majority of cool He-rich white dwarfs show no spectral features, giving us no opportunities to put more elaborate models to the test. In the few cases where spectral features are observed (such as in cool DQ or DZ stars), current models completely fail to reproduce the spectroscopic data, signaling shortcomings in our theoretical framework. In order to fully trust pa…
In the first paper of this series (Blouin et al. 2018), we presented our upgraded cool white dwarf atmosphere code. In this second paper, we use our new models to analyze SDSS J080440.63+223948.6 (J0804+2239), the first DZ star to show collision-induced absorption (CIA). This object provides a crucial test for our models, since previous versions of our code were unable to simultaneously fit the metal absorption lines and the CIA. We find an excellent fit to both the spectroscopic and photometric data, which further validates the improved constitutive physics of our models. We also show that th…
We present an analysis of X-Shooter spectra of the polluted, hydrogen-rich white dwarf NLTT 25792. The spectra show strong lines of calcium (Ca H&K, near-infrared calcium triplet, and Ca I 4226 and numerous lines of iron along with magnesium and aluminum lines from which we draw the abundance pattern. Moreover, the photospheric Ca H&K lines are possibly blended with a circumstellar component shifted by -20 km/s relative to the photosphere. A comparison with a sample of four white dwarfs with similar parameters show considerable variations in their abundance patterns, particularly in the calciu…
We present analysis of a new pulsating helium-atmosphere (DB) white dwarf, EPIC~228782059, discovered from 55.1~days of {\em K2} photometry. The long duration, high quality light curves reveal 11 independent dipole and quadruple modes, from which we derive a rotational period of $34.1 \pm 0.4$~hr for the star. An optimal model is obtained from a series of grids constructed using the White Dwarf Evolution Code, which returns $M_{*} = 0.685 \pm 0.003 M_{\odot}$, $T_{\rm{eff}}= 21{,}910 \pm 23$\,K and $\log g = 8.14 \pm0.01$\,dex. These values are comparable to those derived from spectroscopy by …
We explore the evolution of hydrogen-rich and hydrogen-deficient white dwarf stars with masses between 1.012 and 1.307 Msun, and initial metallicity of Z=0.02. These sequences are the result of main sequence stars with masses between 8.8 and 11.8 Msun. The simulations were performed with MESA, starting at the zero-age main sequence, through thermally pulsing and mass-loss phases, ending at the white dwarfs cooling sequence. We present reliable chemical profiles for the whole mass range considered, covering the different expected central compositions, i.e. C/O, O/Ne and Ne/O/Mg, and its depende…
A Detailed Model Atmosphere Analysis of Hot White Dwarfs in DESI DR1
University of Oklahoma（俄克拉荷马大学）；Université de Montréal（蒙特利尔大学）；University of Florida（佛罗里达大学）；University of Victoria（维多利亚大学）；Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian（哈佛-史密森尼天体物理中心）
The surface gravities of cool (Teff < 13,000 K) hydrogen-atmosphere DA white dwarfs, determined from spectroscopic analyses, are found to be significantly higher than the canonical value of log g ~ 8 expected for these stars. It was recently concluded that a problem with the treatment of convective energy transport within the framework of the mixing-length theory was the most plausible explanation for this high-log g problem. We pursue the investigation of this discrepancy by computing model spectra of cool convective white dwarfs from a small sequence (11,300 K < Teff < 12,800 K) of 3D hydrod…
A Detailed Model Atmosphere Analysis of Cool White Dwarfs in DESI DR1
University of Oklahoma（俄克拉荷马大学）；Université de Montréal（蒙特利尔大学）；University of Victoria（维多利亚大学）；University of Florida（佛罗里达大学）；Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian（哈佛-史密森天体物理中心）
We present a dedicated search for new pulsating helium-atmosphere (DBV) white dwarfs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey using the McDonald 2.1m Otto Struve Telescope. In total we observed 55 DB and DBA white dwarfs with spectroscopic temperatures between 19,000 and 35,000K. We find 19 new DBVs and place upper limits on variability for the remaining 36 objects. In combination with previously known DBVs, we use these objects to provide an update to the empirical extent of the DB instability strip. With our sample of new DBVs, the red edge is better constrained, as we nearly double the number of D…
White dwarfs with metal-polluted atmospheres have been studied widely in the context of the accretion of rocky debris from evolved planetary systems. One open question is the geometry of accretion and how material arrives and mixes in the white dwarf surface layers. Using the 3D radiation-hydrodynamics code CO$^5$BOLD, we present the first transport coefficients in degenerate star atmospheres which describe the advection-diffusion of a passive scalar across the surface-plane. We couple newly derived horizontal diffusion coefficients with previously published vertical diffusion coefficients to …
We report the discovery of 9 089 new spectroscopically confirmed white dwarfs and subdwarfs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 10. We obtain Teff, log g and mass for hydrogen atmosphere white dwarf stars (DAs) and helium atmosphere white dwarf stars (DBs), and estimate the calcium/helium abundances for the white dwarf stars with metallic lines (DZs) and carbon/helium for carbon dominated spectra DQs. We found 1 central star of a planetary nebula, 2 new oxygen spectra on helium atmosphere white dwarfs, 71 DQs, 42 hot DO/PG1159s, 171 white dwarf+main sequence star binaries, 206 magneti…
White dwarfs are dense, cooling stellar embers consisting mostly of carbon and oxygen, or oxygen and neon (with a few percent carbon) at higher initial stellar masses. These stellar cores are enveloped by a shell of helium which in turn is usually surrounded by a layer of hydrogen, generally prohibiting direct observation of the interior composition. However, carbon is observed at the surface of a sizeable fraction of white dwarfs, sometimes with traces of oxygen, and it is thought to be dredged-up from the core by a deep helium convection zone. In these objects only traces of hydrogen are fou…
A surprisingly large fraction (70%) of hot, carbon dominated atmosphere (DQ) white dwarfs are magnetic and/or photometrically variable on short timescales up to ~1000 s. However, here we show that the hot DQ magnetic white dwarf SDSS J000555.90-100213.5 is photometrically variable by 11% on a longer timescale, with a period of 2.110 +/- 0.045 days. We find no evidence of the target fluctuating on short timescales at an amplitude of <+/-0.5%. Short period hot DQ white dwarfs have been interpreted as non-radial pulsators, but in the case of SDSS J0005-1002, it is more likely that the variability…
We present the first grid of mean three-dimensional (3D) spectra for pure-hydrogen (DA) white dwarfs based on 3D model atmospheres. We use CO5BOLD radiation-hydrodynamics 3D simulations instead of the mixing-length theory for the treatment of convection. The simulations cover the effective temperature range of 6000 < Teff (K) < 15,000 and the surface gravity range of 7 < log g < 9 where the large majority of DAs with a convective atmosphere are located. We rely on horizontally averaged 3D structures (over constant Rosseland optical depth) to compute <3D> spectra. It is demonstrated that our <3…
Binary stellar evolution calculations predict that Chandrasekhar-mass carbon/oxygen white dwarfs (WDs) show a radially varying profile for the composition with a carbon depleted core. Many recent multi-dimensional simulations of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), however, assume the progenitor WD has a homogeneous chemical composition. In this work, we explore the impact of different initial carbon profiles of the progenitor WD on the explosion phase and on synthetic observables in the Chandrasekhar-mass delayed detonation model. Spectra and light curves are compared to observations to judge the val…
Observed spectra of R Coronae Borealis (RCB) and hydrogen-deficient carbon (HdC) stars are analyzed by synthesizing the C2 Swan bands (1,0), (0,0), and (0,1) using our detailed line list and the Uppsala model atmospheres. The (0,1) and (0,0) C2 bands are used to derive the 12C abundance, and the (1,0) 12C13C band to determine the 12C/13C ratios. The carbon abundance derived from the C2 Swan bands is about the same for the adopted models constructed with different carbon abundances over the range: 8.5 (C/He = 0.1%), to 10.5 (C/He = 10%). Carbon abundances derived from C I lines are about a fact…
The goal is to determine the composition of Pluto's atmosphere and to constrain the nature of surface-atmosphere interactions. We perform high--resolution spectroscopic observations in the 2.33--2.36 $μ$m range, using CRIRES at the VLT. We obtain (i) the first detection of gaseous methane in this spectral range, through lines of the $ν_3$ + $ν_4$ and $ν_1$ + $ν_4$ bands (ii) strong evidence (6-$σ$ confidence) for gaseous CO in Pluto. For an isothermal atmosphere at 90 K, the CH$_4$ and CO column densities are 0.75 and 0.07 cm-am, within factors of 2 and 3, respectively. Using a physically--bas…
3D model atmospheres for giants, dwarfs, and white dwarfs, computed with the CO5BOLD code and part of the CIFIST grid, have been used for spectroscopic and asteroseismic studies. Unlike existing plane-parallel 1D structures, these simulations predict the spatially and temporally resolved emergent intensity so that granulation can be analysed, which provides insights on how convective energy transfer operates in stars. The wide range of atmospheric parameters of the CIFIST 3D simulations (3600 < Teff (K) < 13,000 and 1 < log g < 9) allows the comparison of convective processes in significantly …
Atmospheric parameters for hot DB (helium atmosphere) white dwarfs near effective temperatures of 25000K are extremely difficult to determine from optical spectroscopy. This is particularly unfortunate, because this is the range of variable DBV or V777 Her stars. Accurate atmospheric parameters are needed to help or confirm the asteroseismic analysis of these objects. Another important aspect is the new class of white dwarfs - the hot DQ - detected by Dufour et al. (2007), with spectra dominated by carbon lines. The analysis shows that their atmospheres are pure carbon. The origin of these sta…
We present a theoretical description of macroscopic diffusion caused by convective overshoot in pure-hydrogen DA white dwarfs using three-dimensional (3D), closed-bottom, radiation hydrodynamics CO$^5$BOLD simulations. We rely on a new grid of deep 3D white dwarf models in the temperature range 11400 K $\leq T_{\mathrm{eff}} \leq$ 18000 K where tracer particles and a tracer density are used to derive macroscopic diffusion coefficients driven by convective overshoot. These diffusion coefficients are compared to microscopic diffusion coefficients from one-dimensional structures. We find that the…
White dwarf (WD) binary mergers are possible progenitors to a number of unusual stars and transient phenomena, including type Ia supernovae. To date, simulations of mergers have not included magnetic fields, even though they are believed to play a significant role in the evolution of the merger remnant. We simulated a 0.625 - 0.65 $M_{\odot}$ carbon-oxygen WD binary merger in the magnetohydrodynamic moving mesh code Arepo. Each WD was given an initial dipole field with a surface value of $\sim10^3$ G. As in simulations of merging double neutron star binaries, we find exponential field growth w…
We continue our comprehensive theoretical investigation of the spectral evolution of white dwarfs based on sophisticated simulations of element transport. In this paper, we focus on the transformation of PG 1159 stars into DO/DB white dwarfs due to the gravitational settling of heavy elements, and then into DQ white dwarfs through the convective dredge-up of carbon. We study the impact of several physical parameters on the evolution of the surface carbon abundance over a wide range of effective temperature. In the hot PG 1159 and DO phases, our calculations confirm that the temperature of the …
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 …
