Constraining the origin of the planetary debris surrounding ZTF J0139+5245 through rotational fission of a triaxial asteroid

Abstract

White dwarfs containing orbiting planetesimals or their debris represent crucial benchmarks by which theoretical investigations of post-main-sequence planetary systems may be calibrated. The photometric transit signatures of likely planetary debris in the ZTF J0139+5245 white dwarf system has an orbital period of about 110 days. An asteroid which breaks up to produce this debris may spin itself to destruction through repeated close encounters with the star without entering its Roche radius and without influence from the white dwarf's luminosity. Here, we place coupled constraints on the orbital pericentre ($q$) and the ratio ($\beta$) of the middle to longest semiaxes of a triaxial asteroid which disrupts outside of this white dwarf's Roche radius ($r_{\mathrm{Roche}}$) soon after attaining its 110-day orbit. We find that disruption within tens of years is likely when $\beta \lesssim 0.6$ and $q\approx 1.0-2.0r_{\mathrm{Roche}}$, and when $\beta \lesssim 0.2$ out to $q\approx 2.5r_{\mathrm{Roche}}$. Analysing the longer-timescale disruption of triaxial asteroids around ZTF J0139+5245 is desirable but may require either an analytical approach relying on ergodic theory or novel numerical techniques.

Accepted for publication in MNRAS

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Cited by in corpus (8)

• Recurring Planetary Debris Transits and Circumstellar Gas around White Dwarf ZTF J0328$-$1219
• The lifetimes of planetary debris discs around white dwarfs
• The dynamical history of the evaporating or disrupted ice giant planet around white dwarf WD J0914+1914
• The entry geometry and velocity of planetary debris into the Roche sphere of a white dwarf
• White dwarf planetary debris dependence on physical structure distributions within asteroid belts
• Rapid destruction of planetary debris around white dwarfs through aeolian erosion
• Gyr-timescale destruction of high-eccentricity asteroids by spin and why 2006 HY51 has been spared
• Chaos over Order: Mapping 3D Rotation of Triaxial Asteroids and Minor Planets