Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2004-11-19
Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 357 (2005) 333-337
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
(1) University of Southampton, (2) University of Warwick, (3) University of Nijmegen, (4) Keele University, (5) University of
Scientific paper
10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.08649.x
WD1953-011 is an isolated, cool (7920 +/- 200K, Bergeron, Legget & Ruiz, 2001) magnetic white dwarf (MWD) with a low average field strength (~70kG, Maxted et al. 2000) and a higher than average mass (~0.74 M_sun, Bergeron et al. 2001). Spectroscopic observations taken by Maxted et al. (2000) showed variations of equivalent width in the Balmer lines, unusual in a low field white dwarf. Here we present V band photometry of WD1953-011 taken at 7 epochs over a total of 22 months. All of the datasets show a sinusoidal variation of approximately 2% peak-to-peak amplitude. We propose that these variations are due to a star spot on the MWD, analogous to a sunspot, which is affecting the temperature at the surface, and therefore its photometric magnitude. The variations have a best-fit period over the entire 22 months of 1.4418 days, which we interpret as the rotational period of the WD.
Brinkworth Carolyn S.
Burleigh Matthew R.
Good S. A.
Marsh Thomas R.
Maxted Pierre F. L.
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