Abstract
We present multiwavelength, ground-based follow-up photometry of the white dwarf WD 1145+017, which has recently been suggested to be orbited by up to six or more short-period, low-mass, disintegrating planetesimals. We detect nine significant dips in flux of between 10% and 30% of the stellar flux in our ∼32 hr of photometry, suggesting that WD 1145+017 is indeed being orbited by multiple, short-period objects. Through fits to the asymmetric transits that we observe, we confirm that the transit egress is usually longer than the ingress, and that the transit duration is longer than expected for a solid body at these short periods, all suggesting that these objects have cometary tails streaming behind them. The precise orbital periods of the planetesimals are unclear, but at least one object, and likely more, have orbital periods of ∼4.5 hr. We are otherwise unable to confirm the specific periods that have been reported, bringing into question the long-term stability of these periods. Our high-precision photometry also displays low-amplitude variations, suggesting that dusty material is consistently passing in front of the white dwarf, either from discarded material from these disintegrating planetesimals or from the detected dusty debris disk. We compare the transit depths in the V- and R-bands of our multiwavelength photometry, and find no significant difference; therefore, for likely compositions, the radius of single-size particles in the cometary tails streaming behind the planetesimals must be ∼0.15 μm or larger, or ∼0.06 μm or smaller, with 2σ confidence.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 82 |
| Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
| Volume | 836 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 10 2017 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science
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Multiwavelength Transit Observations of the Candidate Disintegrating Planetesimals Orbiting WD 1145+017. / Croll, Bryce; Dalba, Paul A.; Vanderburg, Andrew; Eastman, Jason; Rappaport, Saul; Devore, John; Bieryla, Allyson; Muirhead, Philip S.; Han, Eunkyu; Latham, David W.; Beatty, Thomas; Wittenmyer, Robert A.; Wright, Jason; Johnson, John Asher; McCrady, Nate.
In: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 836, No. 1, 82, 10.02.2017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Multiwavelength Transit Observations of the Candidate Disintegrating Planetesimals Orbiting WD 1145+017
AU - Croll, Bryce
AU - Dalba, Paul A.
AU - Vanderburg, Andrew
AU - Eastman, Jason
AU - Rappaport, Saul
AU - Devore, John
AU - Bieryla, Allyson
AU - Muirhead, Philip S.
AU - Han, Eunkyu
AU - Latham, David W.
AU - Beatty, Thomas
AU - Wittenmyer, Robert A.
AU - Wright, Jason
AU - Johnson, John Asher
AU - McCrady, Nate
PY - 2017/2/10
Y1 - 2017/2/10
N2 - We present multiwavelength, ground-based follow-up photometry of the white dwarf WD 1145+017, which has recently been suggested to be orbited by up to six or more short-period, low-mass, disintegrating planetesimals. We detect nine significant dips in flux of between 10% and 30% of the stellar flux in our ∼32 hr of photometry, suggesting that WD 1145+017 is indeed being orbited by multiple, short-period objects. Through fits to the asymmetric transits that we observe, we confirm that the transit egress is usually longer than the ingress, and that the transit duration is longer than expected for a solid body at these short periods, all suggesting that these objects have cometary tails streaming behind them. The precise orbital periods of the planetesimals are unclear, but at least one object, and likely more, have orbital periods of ∼4.5 hr. We are otherwise unable to confirm the specific periods that have been reported, bringing into question the long-term stability of these periods. Our high-precision photometry also displays low-amplitude variations, suggesting that dusty material is consistently passing in front of the white dwarf, either from discarded material from these disintegrating planetesimals or from the detected dusty debris disk. We compare the transit depths in the V- and R-bands of our multiwavelength photometry, and find no significant difference; therefore, for likely compositions, the radius of single-size particles in the cometary tails streaming behind the planetesimals must be ∼0.15 μm or larger, or ∼0.06 μm or smaller, with 2σ confidence.
AB - We present multiwavelength, ground-based follow-up photometry of the white dwarf WD 1145+017, which has recently been suggested to be orbited by up to six or more short-period, low-mass, disintegrating planetesimals. We detect nine significant dips in flux of between 10% and 30% of the stellar flux in our ∼32 hr of photometry, suggesting that WD 1145+017 is indeed being orbited by multiple, short-period objects. Through fits to the asymmetric transits that we observe, we confirm that the transit egress is usually longer than the ingress, and that the transit duration is longer than expected for a solid body at these short periods, all suggesting that these objects have cometary tails streaming behind them. The precise orbital periods of the planetesimals are unclear, but at least one object, and likely more, have orbital periods of ∼4.5 hr. We are otherwise unable to confirm the specific periods that have been reported, bringing into question the long-term stability of these periods. Our high-precision photometry also displays low-amplitude variations, suggesting that dusty material is consistently passing in front of the white dwarf, either from discarded material from these disintegrating planetesimals or from the detected dusty debris disk. We compare the transit depths in the V- and R-bands of our multiwavelength photometry, and find no significant difference; therefore, for likely compositions, the radius of single-size particles in the cometary tails streaming behind the planetesimals must be ∼0.15 μm or larger, or ∼0.06 μm or smaller, with 2σ confidence.
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U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/836/1/82
DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/836/1/82
M3 - Article
VL - 836
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
SN - 0004-637X
IS - 1
M1 - 82
ER -