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arXiv, 2017

DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1704.01182

Oxford University Press (OUP), Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 3(468), p. 3109-3122

DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stx625

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PTF1 J085713+331843, a new post-common-envelope binary in the orbital period gap of cataclysmic variables

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This paper is available in a repository.

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Abstract

We report the discovery and analysis of PTF1 J085713+331843, a new eclipsing post common-envelope detached white-dwarf red-dwarf binary with a 2.5h orbital period discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory. ULTRACAM multicolour photometry over multiple orbital periods reveals a light curve with a deep flat-bottomed primary eclipse and a strong reflection effect. Phase-resolved spectroscopy shows broad Balmer absorption lines from the DA white dwarf and phase-dependent Balmer emission lines originating on the irradiated side of the red dwarf. The temperature of the DA white dwarf is $T_\mathrm{WD} = 25700 ± 400\,$K and the spectral type of the red dwarf is M3-5. A combined modelling of the light curve and the radial velocity variations results in a white dwarf mass of $M_\mathrm{WD} = 0.61^{+0.18}_{-0.17}\, \mathrm{M_{\odot}}$ and radius of $R_\mathrm{WD} = 0.0175^{+0.0012}_{-0.0011}\, \mathrm{R_{\odot}}$, and a red dwarf mass and radius of $M_\mathrm{RD} = 0.19^{+0.10}_{-0.08}\, \mathrm{M_{\odot}}$ and $R_\mathrm{RD} = 0.24^{+0.04}_{-0.04}\, \mathrm{R_{\odot}}$. The system is either a detached cataclysmic variable or has emerged like from the common envelope phase at nearly its current orbital period. In $∼70\,$Myr, this system will become a cataclysmic variable in the period gap.