The Hidden Population of AM CVn Binaries in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Authors

  • P. J. Carter Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL
  • T. R. Marsh Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL
  • D. Steeghs Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL
  • E. Breedt Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL
  • C. M. Copperwheat Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, IC2, Liverpool Science Park, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF
  • B. T. Gansicke Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL
  • P. J. Groot Department of Astrophysics/IMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands
  • G. Nelemans Department of Astrophysics/IMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands Institute for Astronomy, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Leuven, Belgium

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14311/APP.2015.02.0178

Abstract

We present results from a spectroscopic survey designed to uncover AM Canum Venaticorum (AM CVn) binaries hidden in the photometric database of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The discovery of only 7 new AM CVns in the observed part of our sample suggests a lower space density than previously predicted. Based on the complete g≤19 sample, we calculate an observed space density for AM CVns of (5 ± 3) × 10−7 pc−3. We also compare the cataclysmic variables (CVs) discovered via this survey to those found in the SDSS spectroscopy, and we discuss SBSS 1108+574, an unusually helium-rich CV that has a spectroscopically confirmed orbital period of 55 minutes, well below the CV period minimum (~80 min). SBSS 1108+574 may represent an AM CVn forming via the ‘evolved CV’ formation channel.

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Published

2015-02-23

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2015): THE GOLDEN AGE OF CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES AND RELATED OBJECTS - II

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Articles

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