The TRENDS High-Contrast Imaging Survey. III. A Faint White Dwarf Companion Orbiting HD 114174

TL;DR

This paper reports the direct imaging and characterization of a white dwarf companion to HD 114174, combining imaging, astrometry, and dynamical analysis to determine its properties and evolutionary history.

Contribution

First direct imaging detection of a white dwarf companion to HD 114174, with detailed characterization and dynamical analysis linking its properties to stellar evolution.

Findings

Companion is a white dwarf with ~0.26 solar masses.

Effective temperature of the white dwarf is approximately 8160 K.

The white dwarf's age is consistent with the host star's age estimate.

Abstract

The nearby Sun-like star HD 114174 exhibits a strong and persistent Doppler acceleration indicating the presence of an unseen distant companion. We have acquired high-contrast imaging observations of this star using NIRC2 at Keck and report the direct detection of the body responsible for causing the "trend". HD 114174 B has a projected separation of 692+/-9 mas (18.1 AU) and is 10.75+/-0.12 magnitudes (contrast of 5x10{-5}) fainter than its host in the K-band, requiring aggressive point-spread function subtraction to identify. Our astrometric time baseline of 1.4 years demonstrates physical association through common proper motion. We find that the companion has absolute magnitude, M_J=13.97+/-0.11, and colors, J-K= 0.12+/-0.16 mag. These characteristics are consistent with an ~T3 dwarf, initially leading us to believe that HD 114174 B was a substellar object. However, a dynamical analysis that combines radial velocity measurements with available imaging data indicates a minimum mass of m=0.260+/-0.010Msun. We conclude that HD 114174 B must be a white dwarf. Assuming a hydrogen-rich composition, atmospheric and evolutionary model fits yield an effective temperature Teff = 8160+/-4000 K, surface gravity log g=8.90+/-0.02, and cooling age of t_c=3.4 Gyr, which is consistent with the 4.7+/-2.4 Gyr host star isochronal age estimate. HD 114174 B is a benchmark object located only d=26.1 pc from the Sun. It may be studied at a level of detail comparable to Sirius and Procyon, and used to understand the link between the mass of white dwarf remnants with that of their progenitors.