Discovery of the Partially Eclipsing White Dwarf Binary SDSS J143547.87+373338.5

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery and initial analysis of a partially eclipsing white dwarf and M dwarf binary system with a 3.9-hour orbit, providing initial estimates of the stellar parameters and setting the stage for future detailed measurements.

Contribution

First identification of a partially eclipsing white dwarf-M dwarf binary with preliminary parameter estimates from photometry and spectroscopy.

Findings

Estimated M dwarf mass: 0.11-0.20 M_sun

Orbital period: 3 hours 54 minutes 41 seconds

No detectable ZZ Ceti pulsations at 4 mmag limit

Abstract

We have discovered a partially eclipsing white dwarf, low-mass M dwarf binary (3 hour 54.41 second orbital period), SDSS J143547.87+373338.5, from May 2007 observations at the WIYN telescope. Here we present blue band photometry of three eclipses. Eclipse fitting gives main sequence solutions to the M dwarf companion of $M_S=0.15-0.35 M_{\odot}$ and $R_S=0.17-0.32 R_{\odot}$. Analysis of the SDSS spectrum constrains the M dwarf further to be of type M4-M6 with $M_S=0.11-0.20 M_{\odot}$. Once full radial velocity curves are measured, high precision determinations of the masses and radii of both components will be easily obtained without any knowledge of stellar structure or evolution. ZZ Ceti pulsations from the white dwarf were not found at our 4 mmag detection limit.