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LP 400-22, A very low-mass and high-velocity white dwarf

Adela Kawka, Stephane Vennes, Terry D. Oswalt, J. Allyn Smith, Nicole M. Silvestri

astro-pharXiv:astro-ph/0604470

Abstract

We report the identification of LP 400-22 (WD 2234+222) as a very low-mass and high-velocity white dwarf. The ultraviolet GALEX and optical photometric colors and a spectral line analysis of LP 400-22 show this star to have an effective temperature of 11080+/-140 K and a surface gravity of log g = 6.32+/-0.08. Therefore, this is a helium core white dwarf with a mass of 0.17 Msolar. The tangential velocity of this white dwarf is 414+/-43 km/s, making it one of the fastest moving white dwarfs known. We discuss probable evolutionary scenarios for this remarkable object.

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