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Constraints on Remnant Planetary Systems as a Function of Main-sequence Mass with HST/COS.

Authors :
Ould Rouis, Lou Baya
Hermes, J. J.
Gänsicke, Boris T.
Sahu, Snehalata
Koester, Detlev
Tremblay, P.-E.
Veras, Dimitri
Farihi, Jay
Heintz, Tyler M.
Gentile Fusillo, Nicola Pietro
Redfield, Seth
Source :
Astrophysical Journal; 12/1/2024, Vol. 976 Issue 2, p1-11, 11p
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

As the descendants of stars with masses less than 8 M <subscript>⊙</subscript> on the main sequence, white dwarfs provide a unique way to constrain planetary occurrence around intermediate-mass stars (spectral types BAF) that are otherwise difficult to measure with radial-velocity or transit surveys. We update the analysis of more than 250 ultraviolet spectra of hot (13,000 K < T <subscript>eff</subscript> < 30,000 K), young (less than 800 Myr) white dwarfs collected by the Hubble Space Telescope, which reveals that more than 40% of all white dwarfs show photospheric silicon and sometimes carbon, signposts for the presence of remnant planetary systems. However, the fraction of white dwarfs with metals significantly decreases for massive white dwarfs (M <subscript>WD</subscript> > 0.8 M <subscript>⊙</subscript>), descendants of stars with masses greater than 3.5 M <subscript>⊙</subscript> on the main sequence, as just 11 − 4 + 6 % exhibit metal pollution. In contrast, 44% ± 6% of a subset of white dwarfs (M <subscript>WD</subscript> < 0.7 M <subscript>⊙</subscript>) unbiased by the effects of radiative levitation are actively accreting planetary debris. While the population of massive white dwarfs is expected to be influenced by the outcome of binary evolution, we do not find merger remnants to broadly affect our sample. We connect our measured occurrence rates of metal pollution on massive white dwarfs to empirical constraints of planetary formation and survival around stars with masses greater than 3.5 M <subscript>⊙</subscript> on the main sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0004637X
Volume :
976
Issue :
2
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Astrophysical Journal
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
181038521
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad86bb