GJ 841B-THE SECOND DQ WHITE DWARF WITH POLARIZED CH MOLECULAR BANDS
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Turku, FIN-21500 Piikkioe (Finland)
We report a discovery of the circularly polarized CH A {sup 2}{Delta}-X {sup 2}{Pi} and B {sup 2}{Sigma}{sup -}-X {sup 2}{Pi} molecular bands in the spectrum of the DQ white dwarf (WD) GJ 841B. This is only the second such object since the discovery of G99-37 in the 1970s. GJ 841B is also the first WD to unambiguously show polarization in the C{sub 2} Swan bands. By modeling the intensity and circular polarization in the CH bands, we determine the longitudinal magnetic field strength of 1.3 {+-} 0.5 MG and the temperature of 6100 {+-} 200 K in the absorbing region. We also present new observations of G99-37 and obtain estimates of the magnetic field strength 7.3 {+-} 0.3 MG and temperature 6200 {+-} 200 K, in good agreement with previous results.
- OSTI ID:
- 21452843
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 720, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/720/1/L52; ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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