Cauley, W.P., Farihi, J., Redfield, S. et al. (3 more authors) (2018) Evidence for Eccentric, Precessing Gaseous Debris in the Circumstellar Absorption toward WD 1145 + 017. The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 852 (2). p. 22. ISSN 2041-8205
Abstract
We present time-series spectra revealing changes in the circumstellar line profiles for the white dwarf WD 1145 + 017. Over the course of 2.2 years, the spectra show complete velocity reversals in the circumstellar absorption, moving from strongly redshifted in 2015 April to strongly blueshifted in 2017 June. The depth of the absorption also varies, increasing by a factor of two over the same period. The dramatic changes in the line profiles are consistent with eccentric circumstellar gas rings undergoing general relativistic precession. As the argument of periapsis of the rings changes relative to the line of sight, the transiting gas shifts from receding in 2016 to approaching in 2017. Based on the precession timescales in the favored model, we make predictions for the line profiles over the next few years. Spectroscopic monitoring of WD 1145 + 017 will test these projections and aid in developing more accurate white dwarf accretion disk models.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. Reproduced in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | circumstellar matter; techniques: spectroscopic; white dwarfs |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > Department of Physics and Astronomy (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number LEVERHULME TRUST (THE) ECF-2016-316 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 22 Jan 2018 12:16 |
Last Modified: | 22 Jan 2018 12:16 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aaa3d9 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | American Astronomical Society |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.3847/2041-8213/aaa3d9 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:126463 |