arXivDaily arXiv每日学术速递 周一至周五更新
arXiv 2202.12903astro-ph.SRastro-ph.EP
收藏

由X射线观测确定的一个白矮星吸积行星物质

A white dwarf accreting planetary material determined from X-ray observations

Tim Cunningham, Peter J. Wheatley, Pier-Emmanuel Tremblay, Boris T. Gaensicke, George W. King, Odette Toloza, Dimitri Veras

摘要:

很大一部分白矮星的大气层被重元素污染,这些重元素预计会在短时间内从可见层中下沉。这被解释为来自小行星、彗星和巨行星的碎片不断吸积的标志。这一假设得到了一些白矮星周围的碎片盘和行星碎片凌日的探测的支持。然而,光球金属只是正在进行的吸积的间接证据,和推断吸积率和母体成分在很大程度上取决于白矮星大气中的扩散和混合过程的模型。在这里,我们报告了一个4.4 $σ$检测的X射线从污染的白矮星,G29 $-$ 38,使用106 KS曝光与钱德拉X射线天文台,直接表明,该恒星目前正在吸积。从测量的X射线光度,我们发现一个瞬时吸积率$\dot{M_{\rm X}}=1.63^{+1.29}_{-0.40}\times 10^{9}\mathrm{\,g\,s^{-1}}$。这是第一次直接测量白矮星的吸积速率,这是独立于恒星大气模型。这一速率超过了基于过去对光球丰度研究的估计,超过了两倍以上,这意味着在建立碎片吸积白矮星光谱模型时必须考虑对流过冲。我们测量了低等离子体温度的$kT=0.5\pm0.2\,\mathrm{keV}$,证实了预测的轰击解决方案的白矮星吸积在低吸积率。这些观测为研究演化的行星系统提供了一种新的方法,提供了独立测量行星物质瞬时吸积速率的机会,从而研究白矮星吸积的时间尺度以及碎片盘的演化和补充。

英文摘要:

The atmospheres of a large proportion of white dwarf stars are polluted by heavy elements that are expected to sink out of visible layers on short timescales. This has been interpreted as a signature of ongoing accretion of debris from asteroids, comets, and giant planets. This scenario is supported by the detection of debris discs and transits of planetary fragments around some white dwarfs. However, photospheric metals are only indirect evidence for ongoing accretion, and the inferred accretion rates and parent body compositions heavily depend on models of diffusion and mixing processes within the white dwarf atmosphere. Here we report a 4.4$σ$ detection of X-rays from a polluted white dwarf, G29$-$38, using a 106 ks exposure with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, demonstrating directly that the star is currently accreting. From the measured X-ray luminosity, we find an instantaneous accretion rate of $\dot{M_{\rm X}}=1.63^{+1.29}_{-0.40}\times 10^{9}\mathrm{\,g\,s^{-1}}$. This is the first direct measurement of the accretion rate onto the white dwarf, which is independent of stellar atmosphere models. This rate exceeds estimates based on past studies of the photospheric abundances by more than a factor two, and implies that convective overshoot has to be accounted for in modelling the spectra of debris-accreting white dwarfs. We measure a low plasma temperature of $kT=0.5\pm0.2\,\mathrm{keV}$, corroborating the predicted bombardment solution for white dwarfs accreting at low accretion rates. Offering a new method for studying evolved planetary systems, these observations provide the opportunity to independently measure the instantaneous accretion rate of planetary material, and therefore investigate the timescale of accretion onto white dwarfs, and the evolution and replenishment of debris disks.

机构、总结、中文摘要均由AI分析而来,可能存在错误,请以论文正文为准。

↑