2001/01/09 by G. Nelemans, Simon Portegies Zwart, S. F. Portegies Zwart +2 · 295 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Accretion (finance) #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Black dwarf #Blue dwarf #Galaxy #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Massive compact halo object #Observable #Physics #Population #Proper motion #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #White dwarf #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20010049
published in Astronomy and Astrophysics 368(3), 939-949 (EDP Sciences) · Accepted by A&A
arxiv created 2001/01/09 · openalex publication_date 2001/03/01 · openalex created_date 2022/08/09 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
We study two models for AM CVn stars: white dwarfs accreting (i) from a helium white dwarf companion and (ii) from a helium-star donor. We show that in the first model possibly no accretion disk forms at the onset of the mass transfer. The stability and the rate of mass transfer then depend on the tidal coupling between the accretor and the orbital motion. In the second model the formation of AM CVn stars may be prevented by detonation of the CO white dwarf accretor and the disruption of the system. With the most favourable conditions for the formation of AM CVn stars we find a current Galactic birth rate of . Unfavourable conditions give . The expected total number of the systems in the Galaxy is 9.4 107 and 1.6 107, respectively. We model very simple selection effects to get some idea about the currently expected observable population and discuss the (quite good) agreement with the observed systems.