Astronomers determine the fate of a double white dwarf binary
Why it matters: This research predicts the specific fate of ATLAS J1138-5139, evolving into an AM CVn system in 6.3 million years.
- Chinese astronomers utilized the MESA stellar evolution code to investigate the evolution of ATLAS J1138-5139.
- ATLAS J1138-5139, an ultra-compact double white dwarf binary discovered in 2024, is located about 1,800 light-years away and has an orbital period of roughly 27.86 minutes.
- The study predicts that the helium white dwarf will undergo two phases of mass transfer, first of hydrogen-rich material and then helium-dominated accretion, as its orbital period decreases due to gravitational wave radiation.
- Jing-Qi Chen's team aimed to explore the binary's evolution to understand its gravitational wave emission characteristics.
Chinese astronomers, using the MESA stellar evolution code, have determined the future of the ultra-compact double white dwarf binary ATLAS J1138-5139, predicting it will evolve into an AM Canum Venaticorum (AM CVn) system in approximately 6.3 million years. This system, one of the shortest-period DWDs known, is also a prime target for gravitational wave observations due to its compact orbit.
