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Register a new userThe long-period AM CVn star SDSS J155252.48+320150.9
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The Sloan Digital Sky Survey has been instrumental in obtaining a homogeneous sample of the rare AM CVn stars: mass-transferring binary white dwarfs. As part of a campaign of spectroscopic follow-up on candidate AM CVn stars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we have obtained time-resolved spectra of the g=20.2 candidate SDSS J155252.48+320150.9 on the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory. We report an orbital period of 3376.3+/-0.3 s, or 56.272+/-0.005 min, based on an observed `S-wave in the helium emission lines of the spectra. This confirms the ultracompact nature of the binary. Despite its relative closeness to the orbital period minimum for hydrogen-rich donors, there is no evidence for hydrogen in the spectra. We thus classify SDSS J1552 as a new bona fide AM CVn star, with the second-longest orbital period after V396 Hya (P=65.5 min). The continuum of SDSS J1552 is compatible with either a blackbody or helium atmosphere of 12,000-15,000 K. If this represents the photosphere of the accreting white dwarf, as is expected, it puts the accretor at the upper end of the temperature range predicted by thermal evolution models. This suggests that SDSS J1552 consists of (or formerly consisted of) relatively high-mass components.
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We present high time resolution VLT spectroscopy of SDSS J124058.03-015919.2, a new helium-transferring binary star identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We measure an orbital period of 37.355+/-0.002 minutes, confirming the AM CVn nature of the system. From the velocity amplitudes of the accretor and the accretion stream--disc impact, we derive a mass ratio q=0.039+/-0.010. Our spectral coverage extends from 3700A--9500A and shows the presence of helium, nitrogen, silicon and iron in the accretion disc, plus the redshifted, low-velocity central spikes in the helium lines, known from the low-state AM CVn stars GP Com and CE 315. Doppler tomography of the helium and silicon emission lines reveals an unusual pattern of two bright emission sites in the tomograms, instead of the usual one emission site identified with the impact of the mass stream into the accretion disc. One of the two is preferred as the conventional stream--disc impact point in velocity space, at the 3-sigma confidence level. We speculate briefly on the origin of the second.
We report the discovery of a one magnitude increase in the optical brightness of the 59.63 minute orbital period AM CVn binary SDSS J113732.32+405458.3. Public $g$, $r$, and $i$ band data from the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) exhibit a decline over a 300 day period, while a few data points from commissioning show that the peak was likely seen. Such an outburst is likely due to a change in the state of the accretion disk, making this the longest period AM CVn binary to reveal an unstable accretion disk. The object is now back to its previously observed (by SDSS and PS-1) quiescent brightness that is likely set by the accreting white dwarf. Prior observations of this object also imply that the recurrence times for such outbursts are likely more than 12 years.
We examine the relationship between superoutburst duration $t_{rm dur}$ and orbital period $P_{rm orb}$ in AM CVn ultra-compact binary systems. We show that the previously determined steep relation derived by Levitan et al (2015) was strongly influenced by the inclusion of upper limits for systems with a relatively long orbital period in their fit. Excluding the upper limit values and including $t_{rm dur}$ values for three systems at long $P_{rm orb}$ which were not considered previously, then $d log (t_{rm dur})/ d log (P_{rm orb})$ is flat as predicted by Cannizzo & Nelemans(2015)
We describe a spectroscopic survey designed to uncover an estimated ~40 AM CVn stars hiding in the photometric database of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We have constructed a relatively small sample of about 1500 candidates based on a colour selection, which should contain the majority of all AM CVn binaries while remaining small enough that spectroscopic identification of the full sample is feasible. We present the first new AM CVn star discovered using this strategy, SDSS J080449.49+161624.8, the ultracompact binary nature of which is demonstrated using high-time-resolution spectroscopy obtained at the Magellan telescopes at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile. A kinematic S-wave feature is observed on a period 44.5+/-0.1min, which we propose is the orbital period, although the present data cannot yet exclude its nearest daily aliases. The new AM CVn star shows a peculiar spectrum of broad, single-peaked helium emission lines with unusually strong series of ionised helium, reminiscent of the (intermediate) polars among the hydrogen-rich Cataclysmic Variables. We speculate that SDSS J0804+1616 may be the first magnetic AM CVn star. The accreted material appears to be enriched in nitrogen, to N/O>~10 and N/C>10 by number, indicating CNO-cycle hydrogen burning, but no helium burning, in the prior evolution of the donor star.
We present the results of a two and a half year optical photometric monitoring programme covering 16 AM CVn binaries using the Liverpool Telescope on La Palma. We detected outbursts in seven systems, one of which (SDSS J0129) was seen in outburst for the first time. Our study coupled with existing data shows that ~1/3 of these helium-rich accreting compact binaries show outbursts. The orbital period of the outbursting systems lie in the range 24-44 mins and is remarkably consistent with disk-instability predictions. The characteristics of the outbursts seem to be broadly correlated with their orbital period (and hence mass transfer rate). Systems which have short periods (<30 min) tend to exhibit outbursts lasting 1--2 weeks and often show a distinct `dip in flux shortly after the on-set of the burst. We explore the nature of these dips which are also seen in the near-UV. The longer period bursters show higher amplitude events (5 mag) that can last several months. We have made simulations to estimate how many outbursts we are likely to have missed.
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