Decihertz gravitational waves from double white dwarf merger remnants

Abstract

Close binaries of double white dwarfs (DWDs) inspiral and merge by emitting gravitational wave (GW). Orbital motion of some of these binaries are expected to be observed at low frequency band by space-borne laser interferometric detectors of GW. The merger remnant may suffer thermonuclear runaway and explode as type Ia supernova if they are massive enough. As GW sources the remnants have so far been scarcely studied. Here we propose a new mechanism of GW emission from DWD merger remnants which may be observed by planned GW detectors in decihertz frequency band. A remnant is temporarily expected to have a high degree of differential rotation as a consequence of merger process. It is then unstable to oscillation modes whose azimuthal pattern speed coincides with the stellar rotation. We solve eigenvalue problem of differentially rotating remnants and identify unstable eigenmodes which may be categorized to inertial modes. The estimate of characteristic strain of GW shows that they may be detectable within the distance of the Virgo cluster by planned gravitational wave observatories targeting the decihertz band.

23 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ

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• Merging White Dwarf Binaries Produce Type Ia Supernovae in Elliptical Galaxies
• Identifying Disappearance of a White Dwarf Binary with LISA
• A numerical modeling of rotating substellar objects up to mass-shedding limits
• Detecting White Dwarf Binary Mergers with Gravitational Waves
• Revisiting constraints on asymmetric dark matter from collapse in white dwarf stars