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J. J. Ren

Publications and source records attributed to J. J. Ren.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

The white dwarf binary pathways survey -- X. Gaia orbits for known UV excess binaries

White dwarfs with a F, G or K type companion represent the last common ancestor for a plethora of exotic systems throughout the galaxy, though to this point very few of them have been fully characterised in terms of orbital period and component masses, despite the fact several thousand have been identified. Gaia data release 3 has examined many hundreds of thousands of systems, and as such we can use this, in conjunction with our previous UV excess catalogues, to perform spectral energy distribution fitting in order to obtain a sample of 206 binaries likely to contain a white dwarf, complete with orbital periods, and either a direct measurement of the component masses for astrometric systems, or a lower limit on the component masses for spectroscopic systems. Of this sample of 206, four have previously been observed with Hubble Space Telescope spectroscopically in the ultraviolet, which has confirmed the presence of a white dwarf, and we find excellent agreement between the dynamical and spectroscopic masses of the white dwarfs in these systems. We find that white dwarf plus F, G or K binaries can have a wide range of orbital periods, from less than a day to many hundreds of days. A large number of our systems are likely post-stable mass transfer systems based on their mass/period relationships, while others are difficult to explain either via stable mass transfer or standard common envelope evolution.

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The White Dwarf Binary Pathways Survey -- IX. Three long period white dwarf plus subgiant binaries

Virtually all binaries consisting of a white dwarf with a non-degenerate companion can be classified as either close post-interaction systems (with orbital periods of a few days or less), or wide systems (with periods longer than decades), in which both components have effectively evolved as single stars. Binaries with periods between these two extremes can help constrain common envelope efficiency, or highlight alternative pathways towards the creation of compact binaries. To date such binaries have remained mostly elusive. Here we present three white dwarfs in binaries with evolved subgiant stars with orbital periods of 41, 52 and 461 d. Using Hubble Space Telescope spectroscopy we find that all three systems contain low mass white dwarfs ($\leq$0.4 M$_{\odot}$). One system, TYC 8394$-$1331$-$1, is the inner binary of a hierarchical triple, where the white dwarf plus subgiant binary is orbited by a more distant companion star. These binaries were likely formed from a phase of stable but non-conservative mass transfer, as opposed to common envelope evolution. All three systems will undergo a common envelope phase in the future, but the two shorter period systems are expected to merge during this event, while the longest period system is likely to survive and create a close binary with two low mass white dwarfs.

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The White Dwarf Binary Pathways Survey -- VIII: a post common envelope binary with a massive white dwarf and an active G-type secondary star

The white dwarf binary pathways survey is dedicated to studying the origin and evolution of binaries containing a white dwarf and an intermediate-mass secondary star of the spectral type A, F, G, or K (WD+AFGK). Here we present CPD-65\,264, a new post common envelope binary with an orbital period of 1.37\,days that contains a massive white dwarf ($ 0.86\pm 0.06\,\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$) and an intermediate-mass ($1.00\pm0.05\,\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$) main-sequence secondary star. We characterized the secondary star and measured the orbital period using high-resolution optical spectroscopy. The white dwarf parameters are determined from HST spectroscopy. In addition, TESS observations revealed that up to 19 per cent of the surface of the secondary is covered with starspots. Small period changes found in the light curve indicate that the secondary is the second example of a G-type secondary star in a post-common envelope binary with latitudinal differential rotation. Given the relatively large mass of the white dwarf and the short orbital period, future mass transfer will be dynamically and thermally stable and the system will evolve into a cataclysmic variable. The formation of the system can be understood assuming common envelope evolution without contributions from energy sources besides orbital energy. CPD-65\,264 is the seventh post-common envelope binaries with intermediate-mass secondaries that can be understood assuming a small efficiency in the common envelope energy equation, in agreement with findings for post-common envelope binaries with M-dwarf or sub-stellar companions.

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The White Dwarf Binary Pathways Survey VI: two close post common envelope binaries with TESS light curves

Establishing a large sample of post common envelope binaries (PCEBs) that consist of a white dwarf plus an intermediate mass companion star of spectral type AFGK, offers the potential to provide new constraints on theoretical models of white dwarf binary formation and evolution. Here we present a detailed analysis of two new systems, TYC 110-755-1 and TYC 3858-1215-1. Based on radial velocity measurements we find the orbital periods of the two systems to be $\sim$ 0.85 and $\sim$ 1.64 days, respectively. In addition, HST spectroscopy of TYC 110-755-1 allowed us to measure the mass of the white dwarf in this system (0.78 M$_\odot$). We furthermore analysed TESS high time resolution photometry and find both secondary stars to be magnetically extremely active. Differences in the photometric and spectroscopic periods of TYC 110-755-1 indicate that the secondary in this system is differentially rotating. Finally, studying the past and future evolution of both systems, we conclude that the common envelope efficiency is likely similar in close white dwarf plus AFGK binaries and PCEBs with M-dwarf companions and find a wide range of possible evolutionary histories for both systems. While TYC 3858-1215-1 will run into dynamically unstable mass transfer that will cause the two stars to merge and evolve into a single white dwarf, TYC 110-755-1 is a progenitor of a cataclysmic variable system with an evolved donor star.

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The White Dwarf Binary Pathways Survey IV: Three close white dwarf binaries with G-type secondary stars

Constraints from surveys of post common envelope binaries (PCEBs) consisting of a white dwarf plus an M-dwarf companion have led to significant progress in our understanding of the formation of close white dwarf binary stars with low-mass companions. The white dwarf binary pathways project aims at extending these previous surveys to larger secondary masses, i.e. secondary stars of spectral type AFGK. Here we present the discovery and observational characterization of three PCEBs with G-type secondary stars and orbital periods between 1.2 and 2.5 days. Using our own tools as well as MESA we estimate the evolutionary history of the binary stars and predict their future. We find a large range of possible evolutionary histories for all three systems and identify no indications for differences in common envelope evolution compared to PCEBs with lower mass secondary stars. Despite their similarities in orbital period and secondary spectral type, we estimate that the future of the three systems are very different: TYC 4962-1205-1 is a progenitor of a cataclysmic variable system with an evolved donor star, TYC 4700-815-1 will run into dynamically unstable mass transfer that will cause the two stars to merge, and TYC 1380-957-1 may appear as super soft source before becoming a rather typical cataclysmic variable star.

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Photometric and spectroscopic Studies of Superoutbursts of Three Dwarf Novae Independently Identified by The SVOM/GWAC System in 2018

We report our photometric and spectroscopic follow-up observations of the superoutbursts of three dwarf novae (GWAC\,180415A, GWAC\,181017A and GWAC\,181211A) identified independently by the Ground Wide-angle Cameras system, one of the ground-based instruments of the China-France SVOM mission. Based on a combination of our photometry and that taken from the AAVSO, our period analysis of the superhumps enables us to determine the mass ratios to be 0.0967-0.1163, 0.1879-0.1883 and 0.0981-0.1173 for GWAC\,180415A, GWAC\,181017A and GWAC\,181211A, respectively. GWAC\,180415A can be firmly identified as a WZ sge-type dwarf novae due to its long duration ($\sim2$ weeks) multiple rebrightenings with amplitudes of 3-4 magnitudes, the early superhump associated with a double-wave modulation and the low mass ratio. The inferred low mass ratio and location in the $\varepsilon-P_{\mathrm{orb}}$ diagram suggest that GWAC\,181211A is a WZ sge-type dwarf novae candidate. The measured Balmer decrements suggest the Balmer line emission is produced from an optical thick region in GWAC\,180415A and GWAC\,181017A, and from an optical thin region in GWAC\,181211A.

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The white dwarf binary pathways survey - II. Radial velocities of 1453 FGK stars with white dwarf companions from LAMOST DR4

We present the second paper of a series of publications aiming at obtaining a better understanding regarding the nature of type Ia supernovae (SNIa) progenitors by studying a large sample of detached F, G and K main sequence stars in close orbits with white dwarf companions (i.e. WD+FGK binaries). We employ the LAMOST (Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope) data release 4 spectroscopic data base together with GALEX (Galaxy Evolution Explorer) ultraviolet fluxes to identify 1,549 WD+FGK binary candidates (1,057 of which are new), thus doubling the number of known sources. We measure the radial velocities of 1,453 of these binaries from the available LAMOST spectra and/or from spectra obtained by us at a wide variety of different telescopes around the globe. The analysis of the radial velocity data allows us to identify 24 systems displaying more than 3sigma radial velocity variation that we classify as close binaries. We also discuss the fraction of close binaries among WD+FGK systems, which we find to be ~10 per cent, and demonstrate that high-resolution spectroscopy is required to efficiently identify double-degenerate SNIa progenitor candidates.

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The White Dwarf Binary Pathways Survey I: A sample of FGK stars with white dwarf companions

The number of spatially unresolved white dwarf plus main-sequence star binaries has increased rapidly in the last decade, jumping from only ~30 in 2003 to over 3000. However, in the majority of known systems the companion to the white dwarf is a low mass M dwarf, since these are relatively easy to identify from optical colours and spectra. White dwarfs with more massive FGK type companions have remained elusive due to the large difference in optical brightness between the two stars. In this paper we identify 934 main-sequence FGK stars from the Radial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) survey in the southern hemisphere and the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) survey in the northern hemisphere, that show excess flux at ultraviolet wavelengths which we interpret as the likely presence of a white dwarf companion. We obtained Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet spectra for nine systems which confirmed that the excess is indeed caused, in all cases, by a hot compact companion, eight being white dwarfs and one a hot subdwarf or pre-helium white dwarf, demonstrating that this sample is very clean. We also address the potential of this sample to test binary evolution models and type Ia supernovae formation channels.

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The SDSS spectroscopic catalogue of white dwarf-main sequence binaries: new identifications from DR9-12

We present an updated version of the spectroscopic catalogue of white dwarf-main sequence (WDMS) binaries from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We identify 939 WDMS binaries within the data releases (DR) 9-12 of SDSS plus 40 objects from DR 1-8 that we missed in our previous works, 646 of which are new. The total number of spectroscopic SDSS WDMS binaries increases to 3294. This is by far the largest and most homogeneous sample of compact binaries currently available. We use a decomposition/fitting routine to derive the stellar parameters of all systems identified here (white dwarf effective temperatures, surface gravities and masses, and secondary star spectral types). The analysis of the corresponding stellar parameter distributions shows that the SDSS WDMS binary population is seriously affected by selection effects. We also measure the NaI 8183.27, 8194.81 absorption doublet and Halpha emission radial velocities (RV) from all SDSS WDMS binary spectra identified in this work. 98 objects are found to display RV variations, 62 of which are new. The RV data are sufficient enough to estimate the orbital periods of three close binaries.

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An independent test of the photometric selection of white dwarf candidates using LAMOST DR3

In Gentile Fusillo et al. (2015) we developed a selection method for white dwarf candidates which makes use of photometry, colours and proper motions to calculate a probability of being a white dwarf (Pwd). The application of our method to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data release 10 resulted in nearly 66,000 photometrically selected objects with a derived Pwd, approximately 21000 of which are high confidence white dwarf candidates. Here we present an independent test of our selection method based on a sample of spectroscopically confirmed white dwarfs from the LAMOST (Large Sky Area Multi-Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope) survey. We do this by cross matching all our $\sim$66,000 SDSS photometric white dwarf candidates with the over 4 million spectra available in the third data release of LAMOST. This results in 1673 white dwarf candidates with no previous SDSS spectroscopy, but with available LAMOST spectra. Among these objects we identify 309 genuine white dwarfs. We find that our Pwd can efficiently discriminate between confirmed LAMOST white dwarfs and contaminants. Our white dwarf candidate selection method can be applied to any multi-band photometric survey and in this work we conclusively confirm its reliability in selecting white dwarfs without recourse to spectroscopy. We also discuss the spectroscopic completeness of white dwarfs in LAMOST, as well as deriving effective temperatures, surface gravities and masses for the hydrogen-rich atmosphere white dwarfs in the newly identified LAMOST sample.

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Fourteen new eclipsing white dwarf plus main-sequence binaries from the SDSS and Catalina surveys

We report on the search for new eclipsing white dwarf plus main-sequence (WDMS) binaries in the light curves of the Catalina surveys. We use a colour selected list of almost 2000 candidate WDMS systems from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, specifically designed to identify WDMS systems with cool white dwarfs and/or early M type main-sequence stars. We identify a total of 17 eclipsing systems, 14 of which are new discoveries. We also find 3 candidate eclipsing systems, 2 main-sequence eclipsing binaries and 22 non-eclipsing close binaries. Our newly discovered systems generally have optical fluxes dominated by the main-sequence components, which have earlier spectral types than the majority of previously discovered eclipsing systems. We find a large number of ellipsoidally variable binaries with similar periods, near 4 hours, and spectral types M2--3, which are very close to Roche-lobe filling. We also find that the fraction of eclipsing systems is lower than found in previous studies and likely reflects a lower close binary fraction among WDMS binaries with early M-type main-sequence stars due to their enhanced angular momentum loss compared to fully convective late M type stars, hence causing them to become cataclysmic variables quicker and disappear from the WDMS sample. Our systems bring the total number of known detached, eclipsing WDMS binaries to 71.

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M dwarf catalog of LAMOST pilot survey

We present a spectroscopic catalog of 67082 M dwarfs from the LAMOST pilot survey. For each spectrum of the catalog, spectral subtype, radial velocity, equivalent width of H$α$, a number of prominent molecular band indices and the metal sensitive parameter $ζ$ are provided . Spectral subtype have been estimated by a remedied Hammer program (Original Hammer: Covey et al. 2007), in which indices are reselected to obtain more accurate auto-classified spectral subtypes. All spectra in this catalog have been visually inspected to confirm the spectral subtypes. Radial velocities have been well measured by our developed program which uses cross-correlation method and estimates uncertainty of radial velocity as well. We also examine the magnetic activity properties of M dwarfs traced by H$α$ emission line. The molecular band indices included in this catalog are temperature or metallicity sensitive and can be used for future analysis of the physical properties of M dwarfs. The catalog is available on the website \url{http://sciwiki.lamost.org/MCatalogPilot/}.

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