Orbital Decay in a 20 Minute Orbital Period Detached Binary with a Hydrogen Poor Low Mass White Dwarf

Abstract

We report the discovery of a detached double white dwarf binary with an orbital period of $\approx 20.6\mathrm{minutes}$, PTF J053332.05+020911.6. The visible object in this binary, PTF J0533+0209B, is a $\approx 0.17M_{\odot }$ mass white dwarf with a helium-dominated atmosphere containing traces of hydrogen (DBA). This object exhibits ellipsoidal variations due to tidal deformation, and is the visible component in a single-lined spectroscopic binary with a velocity semi-amplitude of $K_B=618.7\pm 6.9\mathrm{km}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. We have detected significant orbital decay due to the emission of gravitational radiation, and we expect that the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will detect this system with a signal to noise of $8.4_{-3.0}^{+4.2}$ after four years of operation. Because this system already has a well determined orbital period, radial velocity semi-amplitude, temperature, atmospheric composition, surface gravity, and orbital decay rate, a LISA signal will help fully constrain the properties of this system by providing a direct measurement of its inclination. Thus, this binary demonstrates the synergy between electromagnetic and gravitational radiation for constraining the physical properties of an astrophysical object.

12 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables. Published online by the Astrophysical Journal Letters November 15, 2019

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