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Praesepe and the seven white dwarfs
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 14:37 authored by Dobbie, PD, Pinfield, DJ, Napiwotzki, R, Hambly, NC, Burleigh, MR, Barstow, MA, Jameson, RF, Hubeny, IWe report the discovery, from our preliminary survey of the Praesepe open cluster, of two new spectroscopically confirmed white dwarf candidate members. We derive the effective temperatures and surface gravities of WD0837+218 and WD0837+185 (LB5959) to be 17845+555-565 K and log g = 8.48+0.07-0.08 and 14170+1380−1590 K and log g = 8.46+0.15−0.16, respectively. Using theoretical evolutionary tracks we estimate the masses and cooling ages of these white dwarfs to be 0.92 ± 0.05 M⊙ and 280+40−30 Myr and 0.90 ± 0.10 M⊙ and 500+170−100 Myr, respectively. Adopting reasonable values for the cluster age we infer the progenitors of WD0837+218 and WD0837+185 had masses of 2.6 ≤ M ≤ Mcrit M⊙ and 2.4 ≤ M ≤ 3.5 M⊙, respectively, where Mcrit is the maximum mass of a white dwarf progenitor. We briefly discuss these findings in the context of the observed deficit of white dwarfs in open clusters and the initial mass–final mass relationship.
History
Publication title
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical SocietyVolume
355Issue
4Pagination
L39-L43ISSN
0035-8711Department/School
School of Natural SciencesPublisher
Blackwell Publishing LtdPlace of publication
9600 Garsington Rd, Oxford, England, Oxon, Ox4 2DgRights statement
Copyright 2004 RASRepository Status
- Restricted