Kane, Stephen R. and Dalba, Paul A. and Horner, Jonathan and Li, Zhexing and Wittenmyer, Robert A. and Horch, Elliott P. and Howell, Steve B. and Everett, Mark E. (2019) Discovery of a compact companion to a nearby star. The Astrophysical Journal, 875 (1):74. pp. 1-6. ISSN 1538-4357
Abstract
Radial velocity (RV) searches for exoplanets have surveyed many of the nearest and brightest stars for long-term velocity variations indicative of a companion body. Such surveys often detect high-amplitude velocity signatures of objects that lie outside the planetary mass regime, most commonly those of a low-mass star. Such stellar companions are frequently discarded as false-alarms to the main science goals of the survey, but high-resolution imaging techniques can be employed to either directly detect or place significant constraints on the nature of the companion object. Here, we present the discovery of a compact companion to the nearby star HD 118475. Our Anglo-Australian Telescope RV data allow the extraction of the full Keplerian orbit of the companion, which is found to have a minimum mass of 0.445 M⊙. Follow-up speckle imaging observations at the predicted time of maximum angular separation rule out a main-sequence star as the source of the RV signature at the 3.3σ significance level, implying that the companion must be a low-luminosity compact object, most likely a white dwarf. We provide an isochrone analysis combined with our data that constrain the possible inclinations of the binary orbit. We discuss the eccentric orbit of the companion in the context of tidal circularization timescales and show that non-circular orbit was likely inherited from the progenitor. Finally, we emphasize the need for utilizing such an observation method to further understand the demographics of white dwarf companions around nearby stars.
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| Item Type: | Article (Commonwealth Reporting Category C) |
|---|---|
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Files associated with this item made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Agricultural, Computational and Environmental Sciences (1 Jul 2013 - 5 Sep 2019) |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Agricultural, Computational and Environmental Sciences (1 Jul 2013 - 5 Sep 2019) |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Jun 2019 04:33 |
| Last Modified: | 25 May 2021 03:58 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | stars; HD 118475; high angular resolution; radial velocities; white dwarfs; astrophysics; |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 02 Physical Sciences > 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences > 020110 Stellar Astronomy and Planetary Systems 02 Physical Sciences > 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences > 020102 Astronomical and Space Instrumentation |
| Socio-Economic Objectives (2008): | E Expanding Knowledge > 97 Expanding Knowledge > 970102 Expanding Knowledge in the Physical Sciences |
| Identification Number or DOI: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab0e74 |
| URI: | http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/36513 |
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