A Link Between White Dwarf Pulsars and Polars Multiwavelength Observations of the 9.36-minute Period Variable Gaia22ayj
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| Publication date | 02-2025 |
| Journal | Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific |
| Article number | 024202 |
| Volume | Issue number | 137 | 2 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
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| Abstract |
White dwarfs (WDs) are the most abundant compact objects, and recent surveys have suggested that over a third of WDs in accreting binaries host a strong (B ≳ 1 MG) magnetic field. However, the origin and evolution of WD magnetism remain under debate. Two WD pulsars, AR Sco and J191213.72-441045.1 (J1912), have been found, which are non-accreting binaries hosting rapidly spinning (1.97 minutes and 5.30 minutes, respectively) magnetic WDs. The WD in AR Sco is slowing down on a P / P ̇ ≈ 5.6 × 106 yr timescale. It is believed they will eventually become polars, accreting systems in which a magnetic WD (B ≈ 10−240 MG) accretes from a Roche lobe-filling donor spinning in sync with the orbit (≳78 minutes). Here, we present multiwavelength data and analysis of Gaia22ayj, which outbursted in 2022 March. We find that Gaia22ayj is a magnetic accreting WD that is rapidly spinning down ( P / P ̇ = 6.1+0.3−0.2 × 106 yr) like WD pulsars, but shows clear evidence of accretion, like polars. Strong linear polarization (40%) is detected in Gaia22ayj; such high levels have only been seen in the WD pulsar AR Sco and demonstrate the WD is magnetic. High speed photometry reveals a 9.36 minutes period accompanying a high amplitude (∼2 mag) modulation. We associate this with a WD spin or spin-orbit beat period, not an orbital period as was previously suggested. Fast (60 s) optical spectroscopy reveals a broad “hump,” reminiscent of cyclotron emission in polars, between 4000 and 8000 Å. We find an X-ray luminosity of LX = 2.7+6.2−0.8 + 6.2 × 1032 ergs−1 in the 0.3-8 keV energy range, while two very large array radio campaigns resulted in a non-detection with a Fr < 15.8 μJy 3σ upper limit. The shared properties of both WD pulsars and polars suggest that Gaia22ayj is a missing link between the two classes of magnetic WD binaries. |
| Document type | Article |
| Language | English |
| Published at | https://doi.org/10.1088/1538-3873/adb0f1 |
| Other links | https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/86000108596 |
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A Link Between White Dwarf Pulsars and Polars
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