The discovery of a massive white dwarf in the peculiar binary system HD 49798/RX J0648.0-4418
Abstract
An XMM-Newton observation performed in May 2008 has confirmed that the 13 seconds pulsations in the X-ray binary HD49798/RX J0648.0-4418 are due to a rapidly rotating white dwarf. From the pulse time delays induced by the 1.55 days orbital motion, and the system's inclination, constrained by the duration of the X-ray eclipse discovered in this observation, we could derive a mass of 1.28+/-0.05 Msolar for the white dwarf. The future evolution of this post common envelope binary system will likely involve a new phase of mass accretion through Rochelobe overflow that could drive the already massive white dwarf above the Chandrasekhar limit and produce a Type Ia supernova.
- Publication:
-
X-ray Astronomy 2009; Present Status, Multi-Wavelength Approach and Future Perspectives
- Pub Date:
- July 2010
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.3475362
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0911.3809
- Bibcode:
- 2010AIPC.1248...85M
- Keywords:
-
- white dwarfs;
- supernovae;
- accretion;
- satellites;
- artificial;
- 97.20.Rp;
- 97.60.Bw;
- 98.62.Mw;
- 95.40.+s;
- Faint blue stars white dwarfs degenerate stars nuclei of planetary nebulae;
- Supernovae;
- Infall accretion and accretion disks;
- Artificial Earth satellites;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- Proceedings of the conference X-Ray Astronomy 2009, Present Status, multiwavelength approach and future perspectives, September 7 - 11, 2009, Bologna, Italy