The massive fast spinning white dwarf in the HD 49798/RX J0648.0-4418 binary

Summary

The binary system HD49798/RXJ0648.0-4418 consists of a massive white dwarf and a hot subdwarf. The white dwarf has a mass of 1.2 M and a spin period of 13.2 s, making it one of the fastest-spinning white dwarfs known.

Highlights

• The binary system HD49798/RXJ0648.0-4418 contains a massive white dwarf with a mass of 1.2 M.
• The white dwarf has a spin period of 13.2 s, making it one of the fastest-spinning white dwarfs known.
• The system is believed to have formed through a common envelope phase.
• The white dwarf is accreting material from the wind of its companion, a hot subdwarf.
• The system is expected to undergo a phase of high accretion rate in the future.
• The white dwarf may eventually reach the Chandrasekhar limit and undergo a type Ia supernova explosion.
• The system is also a potential source of gravitational waves.

Key Insights

• The binary system HD49798/RXJ0648.0-4418 is a unique and interesting object that can provide insights into the evolution of binary systems and the properties of white dwarfs.
• The massive white dwarf in this system is likely to have formed through a common envelope phase, during which the companion star lost a significant amount of mass.
• The accretion of material from the companion's wind is likely to be the main source of the white dwarf's spin-up, although the exact mechanism is still unclear.
• The system's future evolution is uncertain, but it is expected to undergo a phase of high accretion rate, which may lead to a type Ia supernova explosion.
• The detection of gravitational waves from this system could provide further insights into its properties and evolution.
• The study of this system can also provide insights into the properties of hot subdwarfs and their role in the evolution of binary systems.
• Further observations and simulations are needed to better understand the properties and evolution of this unique binary system.

Mindmap

Citation

Mereghetti, S. (2024). The massive fast spinning white dwarf in the HD 49798/RX J0648.0-4418 binary (Version 1). arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/ARXIV.2412.18546