2003/09/26 by C. A. Karl, R. Napiwotzki, G. Nelemans +4 · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20031278
published as Astron.Astrophys.410:663-670,2003
arxiv created 2003/09/26 · openalex publication_date 2003/10/14 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2022/10/01 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
In the course of our search for double degenerate (DD) binaries as potential progenitors of type Ia supernovae with the UVES spectrograph at the ESO VLT (ESO SN Ia Progenitor surveY – SPY) we discovered HE 2209-1444 to be a double-lined system consisting of two DA white dwarfs. From the analysis of the radial velocity curve we determined the period of the system to be . The semi-amplitudes for both individual components are 109 km s-1 each. A model atmosphere analysis enabled us to derive individual temperatures for both components (8490 K and 7140 K, resp.) and masses of for each component. The total mass of the system is . The system will lose angular momentum due to gravitational wave radiation and therefore will merge within 5 Gyrs – less than a Hubble time. HE 2209-1444 is the second massive, short period double degenerate detected by SPY. Its total mass is about 20% below the Chandrasekhar mass limit and therefore it does not qualify as a potentional SN Ia progenitor. However, together with our previous detections it supports the view that Chandrasekhar mass systems do exist.