The remarkable outburst of the highly evolved post-period-minimum dwarf nova SSS J122221.7-311525
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Anatoly S. Miroshnichenko, Professor (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Abstract: We report extensive 3-yr multiwavelength observations of the WZ Sge-type dwarf nova SSS J122221.7-311525 during its unusual double superoutburst, the following decline and in quiescence. The second segment of the superoutburst had a long duration of 33 d and a very gentle decline with a rate of 0.02 mag d-1, and it displayed an extended post-outburst decline lasting at least 500 d. Simultaneously with the start of the rapid fading from the superoutburst plateau, the system showed the appearance of a strong near-infrared excess resulting in very red colours, which reached extreme values (B - I ? 1.4) about 20 d later. The colours then became bluer again, but it took at least 250 d to acquire a stable level. Superhumps were clearly visible in the light curve from our very first time-resolved observations until at least 420 d after the rapid fading from the superoutburst. The spectroscopic and photometric data revealed an orbital period of 109.80 min and a fractional superhump period excess ?0.8 per cent, indicating a very low mass ratio q ? 0.045. With such a small mass ratio the donor mass should be below the hydrogen-burning minimum mass limit. The observed infrared flux in quiescence is indeed much lower than is expected from a cataclysmic variable with a near-main-sequence donor star. This strongly suggests a brown-dwarf-like nature for the donor and that SSS J122221.7-311525 has already evolved away from the period minimum towards longer periods, with the donor now extremely dim.
The remarkable outburst of the highly evolved post-period-minimum dwarf nova SSS J122221.7-311525
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Created on 12/21/2017
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 467(1), 597–618
- Language: English
- Date: 2017
- Keywords
- binaries: close, stars: evolution, stars: individual: SSS J122221.7-311525, novae, cataclysmic variables