Dynamically Forming Extremely Low-Mass White Dwarf Binaries in Wide Orbits

TL;DR

This paper proposes a new formation channel for wide-orbit extremely low-mass white dwarf binaries through binary-binary encounters in star clusters, explaining observed systems that challenge traditional formation models.

Contribution

It introduces a dynamical formation mechanism via binary-binary encounters that can produce wide EW binaries, expanding understanding beyond traditional mass transfer models.

Findings

Binary-binary encounters can produce wide EW binaries with orbital periods of hundreds of days.

The bimodal distribution of EW binary periods includes a mode matching observed wide systems.

Estimated galactic formation rate of wide EW binaries is approximately 4,160 per billion years.

Abstract

The detection of a 0.2 Msun extremely low-mass white dwarf (EW) in a wide orbit (Porb about 450 days) with a 1.1 Msun main-sequence (MS) companion, KIC 8145411, challenges our current understanding of how EWs form. The traditional channel for EW formation, via mass transfer from the WD progenitor, is expected to form EW binaries in tight orbits. Indeed, the majority of known EWs are found in tight binaries with a median Porb about 5.4 hrs. Using numerical scattering experiments, we find that binary-binary strong encounters in star clusters can sufficiently widen the orbit of a typical EW binary, to explain the observed wide orbit of the KIC 8145411 system. The Porb distribution for EW binaries produced through binary-binary encounters is bimodal: one mode corresponds to the initial orbital period of the EW binary, while the other is near Porb about a few 100 days, similar to the orbital period of the KIC 8145411 system. We find that the production of wide EW binaries that are also ejected from the cluster peaks at a star cluster mass of about 10^5 Msun with a rate of about 10^{-3} Gyr^{-1}. Assuming that 50% of all stars form in star clusters and an initial cluster mass function proportional to m^{-2}, we estimate a galactic formation rate of about 4.16 x 10^3 Gyr^{-1} for wide EW binaries.