The Discovery of a Brake on the White Dwarf in Ae-Aquarii

Details The Discovery of a Brake on the White Dwarf in Ae-Aquarii The Discovery of a Brake on the White Dwarf in Ae-Aquarii

Apr 1994

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994mnras.267..577d&link_type=abstract

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 267, NO. 3/APR1, P. 577, 1994

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

85

Binaries: Close - Stars: Individual: Ae Aqr - Novae, Cataclysmic Variables - Stars: Oscillations - Stars: Rotation - White Dwarfs

Scientific paper

We report the discovery of a rapid spindown of the 33-s rotation period of the white dwarf in AE Aqr at a steady rate of 5.64 × 10-14 s s-1 over a baseline of at least 14.5 yr. The newly derived orbital period by Welsh, Home & Gomer is confirmed, and it is shown that the secondary star's absorption-line radial velocities provide the correct phasing for the 33-s oscillations if they originate at the white dwarf. The amplitude of the pulse-timing delays, αwdsin i=2.04s, yields a white dwarf mass of between 0.9 and 1.0 Msun. The spindown power of the white dwarf is --IΩΩdot=6 × 1033 I50 erg s-1, which exceeds the accretion luminosity of AE Aqr by a factor of ˜120. A significant fraction of --IΩΩdot may be converted to the acceleration of particles as in a pulsar, which may explain the observed radio synchrotron emission and the reported γ-ray emission. We also give evidence that the secondary lies above the main sequence since the secondary mass inferred from the mainsequence mass-radius relationship is too large.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The Discovery of a Brake on the White Dwarf in Ae-Aquarii does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The Discovery of a Brake on the White Dwarf in Ae-Aquarii, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Discovery of a Brake on the White Dwarf in Ae-Aquarii will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1260158