The first catalog of candidate white dwarf-main sequence binaries in open star clusters: A new window into common envelope evolution

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Autori principali: Grondin, Steffani M., Drout, Maria R., Nordhaus, Jason, Muirhead, Philip S., Speagle, Joshua S., Chornock, Ryan
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2024
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author Grondin, Steffani M.
Drout, Maria R.
Nordhaus, Jason
Muirhead, Philip S.
Speagle, Joshua S.
Chornock, Ryan
author_facet Grondin, Steffani M.
Drout, Maria R.
Nordhaus, Jason
Muirhead, Philip S.
Speagle, Joshua S.
Chornock, Ryan
contents Close binary systems are the progenitors to both Type Ia supernovae and the compact object mergers that can be detected via gravitational waves. To achieve a binary with a small radial separation, it is believed that the system likely undergoes common envelope (CE) evolution. Despite its importance, CE evolution may be one of the largest uncertainties in binary evolution due to a combination of computational challenges and a lack of observed benchmarks where both the post-CE and pre-CE conditions are known. Identifying post-CE systems in star clusters can partially circumvent this second issue by providing an independent age constraint on the system. For the first time, we conduct a systematic search for white dwarf (WD) and main-sequence (MS) binary systems in 299 Milky Way open star clusters. Coupling Gaia DR3 photometry and kinematics with multi-band photometry from Pan-STARRS1 and 2MASS, we apply a machine learning based approach and find 52 high-probability candidates in 38 open clusters. For a subset of our systems, we present follow-up spectroscopy from the Gemini and Lick Observatories and archival light curves from TESS, Kepler/K2 and the Zwicky Transient Facility. Examples of M-dwarfs with hot companions are spectroscopically observed, along with regular system variability. While the kinematics of our candidates are consistent with their host clusters, some systems have spatial positions offset relative to their hosts, potentially indicative of natal kicks. Ultimately, this catalogue is a first step to obtaining a set of observational benchmarks to better link post-CE systems to their pre-CE progenitors.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2407_04775
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The first catalog of candidate white dwarf-main sequence binaries in open star clusters: A new window into common envelope evolution
Grondin, Steffani M.
Drout, Maria R.
Nordhaus, Jason
Muirhead, Philip S.
Speagle, Joshua S.
Chornock, Ryan
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Close binary systems are the progenitors to both Type Ia supernovae and the compact object mergers that can be detected via gravitational waves. To achieve a binary with a small radial separation, it is believed that the system likely undergoes common envelope (CE) evolution. Despite its importance, CE evolution may be one of the largest uncertainties in binary evolution due to a combination of computational challenges and a lack of observed benchmarks where both the post-CE and pre-CE conditions are known. Identifying post-CE systems in star clusters can partially circumvent this second issue by providing an independent age constraint on the system. For the first time, we conduct a systematic search for white dwarf (WD) and main-sequence (MS) binary systems in 299 Milky Way open star clusters. Coupling Gaia DR3 photometry and kinematics with multi-band photometry from Pan-STARRS1 and 2MASS, we apply a machine learning based approach and find 52 high-probability candidates in 38 open clusters. For a subset of our systems, we present follow-up spectroscopy from the Gemini and Lick Observatories and archival light curves from TESS, Kepler/K2 and the Zwicky Transient Facility. Examples of M-dwarfs with hot companions are spectroscopically observed, along with regular system variability. While the kinematics of our candidates are consistent with their host clusters, some systems have spatial positions offset relative to their hosts, potentially indicative of natal kicks. Ultimately, this catalogue is a first step to obtaining a set of observational benchmarks to better link post-CE systems to their pre-CE progenitors.
title The first catalog of candidate white dwarf-main sequence binaries in open star clusters: A new window into common envelope evolution
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.04775