Bibcode
Schreiber, M. R.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Rebassa-Mansergas, A.; Nebot Gomez-Moran, A.; Southworth, J.; Schwope, A. D.; Müller, M.; Papadaki, C.; Pyrzas, S.; Rabitz, A.; Rodríguez-Gil, P.; Schmidtobreick, L.; Schwarz, R.; Tappert, C.; Toloza, O.; Vogel, J.; Zorotovic, M.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 513, id.L7
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4
2010
Journal
Citations
91
Refereed citations
77
Description
Context. The standard prescription of angular momentum loss in compact
binaries assumes magnetic braking to be very efficient as long as the
secondary star has a radiative core, but to be negligible if the
secondary star is fully convective. This prescription has been developed
to explain the orbital period gap observed in the orbital period
distribution of cataclysmic variables but has so far not been
independently tested. Because the evolutionary time-scale of post common
envelope binaries (PCEBs) crucially depends on the rate of angular
momentum loss, a fundamental prediction of the disrupted magnetic
braking theory is that the relative number of PCEBs should dramatically
decrease for companion-star masses exceeding the mass that corresponds
to the fully-convective boundary. Aims: We present the results of
a large survey of PCEBs among white dwarf/main sequence (WDMS) binaries
that allows us to determine the fraction of PCEBs as a function of
secondary star mass and therewith to ultimately test the disrupted
magnetic braking hypothesis. Methods: We obtained multiple
spectroscopic observations spread over at least two nights for 670 WDMS
binaries. Systems showing at least 3σ radial velocity variations
are considered to be strong PCEB candidates. Taking into account
observational selection effects we compare our results with the
predictions of binary population simulations. Results: Among the
670 WDMS binaries we find 205 strong PCEB candidates. The fraction of
PCEBs among WDMS binaries peaks around Msec ~ 0.25
M&sun; and steeply drops towards higher mass secondary stars
in the range of Msec = 0.25-0.4 M&sun;.
Conclusions: The decrease of the number of PCEBs at the fully convective
boundary strongly suggests that the evolutionary time scales of PCEBs
containing fully convective secondaries are significantly longer than
those of PCEBs with secondaries containing a radiative core. This is
consistent with significantly reduced magnetic wind braking of fully
convective stars as predicted by the disrupted magnetic braking
scenario.
RV tables are only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous
ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/513/L7
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