S.-B. Qian et al 2009 ApJ 706 L96 doi:10.1088/0004-637X/706/1/L96
S.-B. Qian1,2,3, Z.-B. Dai1,2,3, W.-P. Liao1,2,3, L.-Y. Zhu1,2,3, L. Liu1,2,3 and E. G. Zhao1,2,3
Show affiliationsNN Ser is a short-period (P = 3.12 hr) close binary containing a very hot white dwarf primary with a mass of 0.535 M ☉ and a fully convective secondary with a mass of 0.111 M ☉. The changes in the orbital period of the eclipsing binary were analyzed based on our five newly determined eclipse times together with those compiled from the literature. A small-amplitude (0
00031) cyclic period variation with a period of 7.56 years was discovered to be superimposed on a possible long-term decrease. The periodic change was plausibly explained as the light-travel time effect via the presence of a tertiary companion. The mass of the tertiary companion is determined to be M 3sin i' = 0.0107(±0.0017) M ☉ when a total mass of 0.646 M ☉ for NN Ser is adopted. For orbital inclinations i' ≥ 49
56, the mass of the tertiary component was calculated to be M 3 ≤ 0.014 M ☉; thus it would be an extrasolar planet. The third body is orbiting the white dwarf-red dwarf eclipsing binary at a distance shorter than 3.29 AU. Since the observed decrease rate of the orbital period is about two orders larger than that caused by gravitational radiation, it can be plausibly interpreted by magnetic braking of the fully convective component, which is driving this binary to evolve into a normal cataclysmic variable.
binaries: close; binaries: eclipsing; stars: individual (NN Ser); stars: low-mass, brown dwarfs; white dwarfs
97.82.-j Extrasolar planetary systems
97.10.Wn Proper motions and radial velocities (line-of-sight velocities); space motions
Issue 1 (2009 November 20)
Received 2009 June 25, accepted for publication 2009 October 15
Published 2009 November 2
S.-B. Qian et al 2009 ApJ 706 L96
Hervé Cottin et al. 2003 ApJ 590 874
M. Brüggen et al 2005 ApJ 631 L21
E. Panko et al. 2009 The Astronomical Journal 138 1709
Changhui Li and Lihong V Wang 2009 Phys. Med. Biol. 54 R59
Ken B. Henisey et al. 2009 ApJ 706 705
Qizhou Zhang et al. 2005 ApJ 625 864
S Brian Edgar and José M M Senovilla 2004 Class. Quantum Grav. 21 L133
Laura Silva et al. 1998 ApJ 509 103
E Barrabés et al 2009 Nonlinearity 22 2901