Observed binary populations reflect the Galactic history. Explaining the orbital period-mass ratio relation in wide hot subdwarf binaries.
Vos, Joris ; Bobrick, Alexey LU
and Vuckovic, Maja
(2020)
In Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Abstract
- Context. Wide hot subdwarf B (sdB) binaries with main-sequence companions are outcomes of stable mass transfer from evolved red giants. The orbits of these binaries show a strong correlation between their orbital periods and mass ratios. The origins of this correlation have, so far, been lacking a conclusive explanation.
Aims. We aim to find a binary evolution model which can explain the observed correlation.
Methods. Radii of evolved red giants, and hence the resulting orbital periods, strongly depend on their metallicity. We performed a small but statistically significant binary population synthesis study with the binary stellar evolution code MESA. We used a standard model for binary mass loss and a standard... (More) - Context. Wide hot subdwarf B (sdB) binaries with main-sequence companions are outcomes of stable mass transfer from evolved red giants. The orbits of these binaries show a strong correlation between their orbital periods and mass ratios. The origins of this correlation have, so far, been lacking a conclusive explanation.
Aims. We aim to find a binary evolution model which can explain the observed correlation.
Methods. Radii of evolved red giants, and hence the resulting orbital periods, strongly depend on their metallicity. We performed a small but statistically significant binary population synthesis study with the binary stellar evolution code MESA. We used a standard model for binary mass loss and a standard metallicity history of the Galaxy. The resulting sdB systems were selected based on the same criteria as was used in observations and then compared with the observed population.
Results. We have achieved an excellent match to the observed period-mass ratio correlation without explicitly fine-tuning any parameters. Furthermore, our models produce a very good match to the observed period-metallicity correlation. We predict several new correlations, which link the observed sdB binaries to their progenitors, and a correlation between the orbital period, metallicity, and core mass for subdwarfs and young low-mass helium white dwarfs. We also predict that sdB binaries have distinct orbital properties depending on whether they formed in the Galactic bulge, thin or thick disc, or the halo.
Conclusions. We demonstrate, for the first time, how the metallicity history of the Milky Way is imprinted in the properties of the observed post-mass transfer binaries. We show that Galactic chemical evolution is an important factor in binary population studies of interacting systems containing at least one evolved low-mass (Minit < 1.6 M⊙) component. Finally, we provide an observationally supported model of mass transfer from low-mass red giants onto main-sequence stars. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/9fae528b-ef47-4833-b73d-8b3631bfb766
- author
- Vos, Joris
; Bobrick, Alexey
LU
and Vuckovic, Maja
- organization
- publishing date
- 2020
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- article number
- A163
- publisher
- EDP Sciences
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85092207261
- ISSN
- 1432-0746
- DOI
- 10.1051/0004-6361/201937195
- project
- Interacting Giants and Compact Stars
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 9fae528b-ef47-4833-b73d-8b3631bfb766
- alternative location
- https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020arXiv200305665V/abstract
- date added to LUP
- 2020-07-04 22:57:18
- date last changed
- 2024-02-16 18:36:14
@article{9fae528b-ef47-4833-b73d-8b3631bfb766,
abstract = {{Context. Wide hot subdwarf B (sdB) binaries with main-sequence companions are outcomes of stable mass transfer from evolved red giants. The orbits of these binaries show a strong correlation between their orbital periods and mass ratios. The origins of this correlation have, so far, been lacking a conclusive explanation.<br>
<br>
Aims. We aim to find a binary evolution model which can explain the observed correlation.<br>
<br>
Methods. Radii of evolved red giants, and hence the resulting orbital periods, strongly depend on their metallicity. We performed a small but statistically significant binary population synthesis study with the binary stellar evolution code MESA. We used a standard model for binary mass loss and a standard metallicity history of the Galaxy. The resulting sdB systems were selected based on the same criteria as was used in observations and then compared with the observed population.<br>
<br>
Results. We have achieved an excellent match to the observed period-mass ratio correlation without explicitly fine-tuning any parameters. Furthermore, our models produce a very good match to the observed period-metallicity correlation. We predict several new correlations, which link the observed sdB binaries to their progenitors, and a correlation between the orbital period, metallicity, and core mass for subdwarfs and young low-mass helium white dwarfs. We also predict that sdB binaries have distinct orbital properties depending on whether they formed in the Galactic bulge, thin or thick disc, or the halo.<br>
<br>
Conclusions. We demonstrate, for the first time, how the metallicity history of the Milky Way is imprinted in the properties of the observed post-mass transfer binaries. We show that Galactic chemical evolution is an important factor in binary population studies of interacting systems containing at least one evolved low-mass (Minit < 1.6 M⊙) component. Finally, we provide an observationally supported model of mass transfer from low-mass red giants onto main-sequence stars.}},
author = {{Vos, Joris and Bobrick, Alexey and Vuckovic, Maja}},
issn = {{1432-0746}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{EDP Sciences}},
series = {{Astronomy and Astrophysics}},
title = {{Observed binary populations reflect the Galactic history. Explaining the orbital period-mass ratio relation in wide hot subdwarf binaries.}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201937195}},
doi = {{10.1051/0004-6361/201937195}},
year = {{2020}},
}