Identifying close binary central stars of PN with Kepler

TL;DR

This study uses Kepler data to identify and analyze close binary central stars in planetary nebulae, revealing diverse variability behaviors and suggesting many more binaries may be detectable with high-precision photometry.

Contribution

First application of Kepler data to identify and characterize close binary central stars of planetary nebulae, uncovering new binary systems and variability phenomena.

Findings

One binary exhibits relativistic beaming effects.

Detection of semi-periodic variability possibly related to binarity.

Many central stars show variability undetectable from ground observations.

Abstract

Six planetary nebulae (PN) are known in the Kepler space telescope field of view, three newly identified. Of the 5 central stars of PN with useful Kepler data, one, J193110888+4324577, is a short-period, post common envelope binary exhibiting relativistic beaming effects. A second, the central star of the newly identified PN Pa5, has a rare O(He) spectral type and a periodic variability consistent with an evolved companion, where the orbital axis is almost aligned with the line of sight. The third PN, NGC~6826 has a fast rotating central star, something that can only be achieved in a merger. Fourth, the central star of the newly identified PN Kn61, has a PG1159 spectral type and a mysterious semi-periodic light variability which we conjecture to be related to the interplay of binarity with a stellar wind. Finally, the central star of the circular PN A61 does not appear to have a photometric variability above 2 mmag. With the possible exception of the variability of Kn61, all other variability behaviour, whether due to binarity or not, would not easily have been detected from the ground. We conclude, based on very low numbers, that there may be many more close binary or close binary products to be discovered with ultra-high precision photometry. With a larger number of high precision photometric observations we will be able to determine how much higher than the currently known 15 per cent, the short period binary fraction for central stars of PN is likely to be.