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A study of the photometric variability of the peculiar magnetic white dwarf WD1953-011
- Publication Year :
- 2011
- Publisher :
- arXiv, 2011.
-
Abstract
- We present and interpret simultaneous new photometric and spectroscopic observations of the peculiar magnetic white dwarf WD1953-011. The flux in the V-band filter and intensity of the Balmer spectral lines demonstrate variability with the rotation period of about 1.45 days. According to previous studies, this variability can be explained by the presence of a dark spot having a magnetic nature, analogous to a sunspot. Motivated by this idea, we examine possible physical relationships between the suggested dark spot and the strong-field magnetic structure (magnetic "spot", or "tube") recently identified on the surface of this star. Comparing the rotationally-modulated flux with the variable spectral observables related to the magnetic "spot" we establish their correlation, and therefore their physical relationship. Modeling the variable photometric flux assuming that it is associated with temperature variations in the stellar photosphere, we argue that the strong-field area and dark, low-temperature spot are comparable in size and located at the same latitudes, essentially overlapping each other with a possible slight longitudinal shift. In this paper we also present a new, improved value of the star's rotational period and constrain the characteristics of the thermal inhomogeneity over the degenerate's surface.<br />Comment: accepted to the ApJ
- Subjects :
- Rotation period
Physics
Photosphere
Sunspot
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
White dwarf
Balmer series
Flux
FOS: Physical sciences
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
01 natural sciences
Spectral line
Stars
symbols.namesake
Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science
0103 physical sciences
symbols
Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
010303 astronomy & astrophysics
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Subjects
Details
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....0a77ccba26c4e274de995913f2f4713b
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1103.5778