NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2011B-0070
|
NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2011B-0070 |
|
PI: Carles Badenes, Weizmann Institute of Science, carles@astro.tau.ac.il
Address: Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Rehovot 76100, Israel
CoI: Mukremin Kilic, Harvard CfA
CoI: Thomas Matheson, NOAO
CoI: Susan Thompson, NASA Ames
CoI: Fergal Mullally, NASA Ames
Title: Spectroscopic follow-up of the SWARMS survey
Abstract:
We propose to continue the spectroscopic follow-up of short period
double white dwarf (WD) binaries discovered in the SDSS database by the
SWARMS survey. These systems might be progenitors of Type Ia Supernovae
(SNe), or end in accretion-induced collapse to a neutron star or a
massive WD, or lead to one of an emerging class of fast, faint
transients with low ejected mass like SN2002bj and SN2005E. Time
resolved spectroscopy is crucial to determine the radial velocity
curves, establish the periods, refine the mass estimates, discriminate
the likely final fates, and calculate the merging timescales. These
observations will allow us to derive a reliable rate for the merging of
binary WDs of different masses in the Galactic disk.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
|
NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2011B-0070 |
|