THE KEPLER LIGHT CURVE OF THE UNIQUE DA WHITE DWARF BOKS 53856
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, 1541 E. University Blvd, Sonett Space Sciences Building, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)
The faint (g = 16.9) hot white dwarf BOKS 53856 was observed by the Kepler Mission in short cadence mode during mid-2009. Analysis of these observations reveals a highly stable modulation with a period of 6.1375 hr and a 2.46% half-amplitude. The folded light curve has an unusual shape that is difficult to explain in terms of a binary system containing an unseen companion more luminous than an L0 brown dwarf. Optical spectra of BOKS 53856 show a T{sub eff} = 34,000 K, log g = 8.0 DA white dwarf. There are few, if any, known white dwarfs in this temperature range exhibiting photometric variations similar to those we describe. A magnetic spin-modulated white dwarf model can in principle explain the light curve, an interpretation supported by spectral observations of the H{alpha} line showing evidence of Zeeman splitting.
- OSTI ID:
- 21583002
- Journal Information:
- Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online), Vol. 142, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-6256/142/2/62; ISSN 1538-3881
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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