Theoretical Statistics of Zero-Age Cataclysmic Variables

Details Theoretical Statistics of Zero-Age Cataclysmic Variables Theoretical Statistics of Zero-Age Cataclysmic Variables

Jul 1996

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996apj...465..338p&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal v.465, p.338

Statistics

94

Stars: Binaries: Close, Stars: Novae, Cataclysmic Variables, Stars: Evolution, Stars: Statistics, Stars: White Dwarfs

Scientific paper

A method is described whereby theoretical distributions of the orbital parameters in newly forming ("zero-age") cataclysmic variables may be calculated. This method is used to calculate the distributions of the white dwarf masses, mass ratios, and orbital periods in zero-age cataclysmic variables (ZACVs) due to binaries present in a stellar population that has undergone continuous star formation for 1010 yr.
We find that the distribution of white dwarf masses in ZACVs has two components a low-mass component (0.27 Msun < MWD <0.46 Msun) composed of helium white dwarfs, and a high-mass component (0.56 Msun Two-dimensional distributions of the CV birthrate over the age of the binary and orbital parameter are also calculated. The youngest binaries present in our population that are able to produce CVs have an age of 2.5 x 107 yr. CVs containing helium white dwarfs do not form from binaries that are younger than ˜109 yr. Very long period CVs are formed from binaries having a narrow range of ages, with most having ages in the range 2-5 x 109 yr.
The birthrate density of CVs predicted from our models is 1.05 x 10-12 CVs yr-1 pc-2. This yields an estimate for the CV space density of 2 x 10-5 pc-3. Orbital parameter ranges for CV progenitors are also briefly discussed. Most notably, we find from our models that the mass ratios in the progenitor zero-age main-sequence binaries are less than 0.28 (secondary mass/primary mass). This discrepancy between the progenitor primary and secondary masses explains why the secondaries in the majority of CVs are unevolved.

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