The AM CVn binary SDSS J173047.59+554518.5

Abstract

The AM Canum Venaticorum (AM CVn) binaries are a rare group of hydrogen-deficient, ultra-short period, mass-transferring white dwarf binaries, and are possible progenitors of type Ia supernovae. We present time-resolved spectroscopy of the recently-discovered AM CVn binary SDSS J173047.59+554518.5. The average spectrum shows strong double-peaked helium emission lines, as well as a variety of metal lines, including neon; this is the second detection of neon in an AM CVn binary, after the much brighter system GP Com. We detect no calcium in the accretion disc, a puzzling feature that has been noted in many of the longer-period AM CVn binaries. We measure an orbital period, from the radial velocities of the emission lines, of 35.2 +/- 0.2 minutes, confirming the ultra-compact binary nature of the system. The emission lines seen in SDSS J1730 are very narrow, although double-peaked, implying a low inclination, face-on accretion disc; using the measured velocities of the line peaks, we estimate i < 11 degrees. This low inclination makes SDSS J1730 an excellent system for the identification of emission lines.

8 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

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Cited by in corpus (14)

• The Evolution of Compact Binary Star Systems
• The physical properties of AM CVn stars: new insights from Gaia DR2
• Long-term Photometric Behavior of Outbursting AM CVn Systems
• Spectral separation of the stochastic gravitational-wave background for LISA in the context of a modulated Galactic foreground
• Survey of Period Variations of Superhumps in SU UMa-Type Dwarf Novae. VII: The Seventh Year (2014-2015)
• UVES and X-Shooter spectroscopy of the emission line AM CVn systems GP Com and V396 Hya
• Hunting For Eclipses: High Speed Observations of Cataclysmic Variables
• A systematic search for outbursting AM CVn systems with the Zwicky Transient Facility
• The OmegaWhite Survey for short period variable stars II: An overview of results from the first four years
• A 15.7-Minute AM CVn Binary Discovered in K2
• Two new AM Canum Venaticorum binaries from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III
• A Catalogue of Ultracompact Mass-Transferring White Dwarf Binaries
• Spectroscopy of the helium-rich binary ES Ceti reveals accretion via a disc and evidence for eclipse
• Detectability of continuous gravitational waves from planetary-mass companions orbiting compact stars