General relativistic orbital decay in a seven-minute-orbital-period eclipsing binary system

Kevin B. Burdge; Michael W. Coughlin; Jim Fuller; Thomas Kupfer; Eric C. Bellm; Lars Bildsten; Matthew J. Graham; David L. Kaplan; Jan van Roestel; Richard G. Dekany; Dmitry A. Duev; Michael Feeney; Matteo Giomi; George Helou; Stephen Kaye; Russ R. Laher; Ashish A. Mahabal; Frank J. Masci; Reed Riddle; David L. Shupe; Maayane T. Soumagnac; Roger M. Smith; Paula Szkody; Richard Walters; S. R. Kulkarni; Thomas A. Prince

doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1403-0

General relativistic orbital decay in a seven-minute-orbital-period eclipsing binary system

Kevin B. Burdge, Michael W. Coughlin, Jim Fuller, Thomas Kupfer, Eric C. Bellm, Lars Bildsten, Matthew J. Graham, David L. Kaplan, Jan van Roestel, Richard G. Dekany, Dmitry A. Duev, Michael Feeney, Matteo Giomi, George Helou, Stephen Kaye, Russ R. Laher, Ashish A. Mahabal, Frank J. Masci, Reed Riddle, David L. ShupeMaayane T. Soumagnac, Roger M. Smith, Paula Szkody, Richard Walters, S. R. Kulkarni, Thomas A. Prince

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

99 Scopus citations

Abstract

General relativity¹ predicts that short-orbital-period binaries emit considerable amounts of gravitational radiation. The upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna² (LISA) is expected to detect tens of thousands of such systems³ but few have been identified⁴, of which only one⁵ is eclipsing—the double-white-dwarf binary SDSS J065133.338+284423.37, which has an orbital period of 12.75 minutes. Here we report the discovery of an eclipsing double-white-dwarf binary system, ZTF J153932.16+502738.8, with an orbital period of 6.91 minutes. This system has an orbit so compact that the entire binary could fit within the diameter of the planet Saturn. The system exhibits a deep eclipse, and a double-lined spectroscopic nature. We see rapid orbital decay, consistent with that expected from general relativity. ZTF J153932.16+502738.8 is a strong source of gravitational radiation close to the peak of LISA’s sensitivity, and we expect it to be detected within the first week of LISA observations, once LISA launches in approximately 2034.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	528-531
Number of pages	4
Journal	Nature
Volume	571
Issue number	7766
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1403-0
State	Published - Jul 25 2019
Externally published	Yes

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© 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

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Burdge, K. B., Coughlin, M. W., Fuller, J., Kupfer, T., Bellm, E. C., Bildsten, L., Graham, M. J., Kaplan, D. L., Roestel, J. V., Dekany, R. G., Duev, D. A., Feeney, M., Giomi, M., Helou, G., Kaye, S., Laher, R. R., Mahabal, A. A., Masci, F. J., Riddle, R., ... Prince, T. A. (2019). General relativistic orbital decay in a seven-minute-orbital-period eclipsing binary system. Nature, 571(7766), 528-531. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1403-0

Burdge, KB, Coughlin, MW, Fuller, J, Kupfer, T, Bellm, EC, Bildsten, L, Graham, MJ, Kaplan, DL, Roestel, JV, Dekany, RG, Duev, DA, Feeney, M, Giomi, M, Helou, G, Kaye, S, Laher, RR, Mahabal, AA, Masci, FJ, Riddle, R, Shupe, DL, Soumagnac, MT, Smith, RM, Szkody, P, Walters, R, Kulkarni, SR & Prince, TA 2019, 'General relativistic orbital decay in a seven-minute-orbital-period eclipsing binary system', Nature, vol. 571, no. 7766, pp. 528-531. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1403-0

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title = "General relativistic orbital decay in a seven-minute-orbital-period eclipsing binary system",

abstract = "General relativity1 predicts that short-orbital-period binaries emit considerable amounts of gravitational radiation. The upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna2 (LISA) is expected to detect tens of thousands of such systems3 but few have been identified4, of which only one5 is eclipsing—the double-white-dwarf binary SDSS J065133.338+284423.37, which has an orbital period of 12.75 minutes. Here we report the discovery of an eclipsing double-white-dwarf binary system, ZTF J153932.16+502738.8, with an orbital period of 6.91 minutes. This system has an orbit so compact that the entire binary could fit within the diameter of the planet Saturn. The system exhibits a deep eclipse, and a double-lined spectroscopic nature. We see rapid orbital decay, consistent with that expected from general relativity. ZTF J153932.16+502738.8 is a strong source of gravitational radiation close to the peak of LISA{\textquoteright}s sensitivity, and we expect it to be detected within the first week of LISA observations, once LISA launches in approximately 2034.",

author = "Burdge, {Kevin B.} and Coughlin, {Michael W.} and Jim Fuller and Thomas Kupfer and Bellm, {Eric C.} and Lars Bildsten and Graham, {Matthew J.} and Kaplan, {David L.} and Roestel, {Jan van} and Dekany, {Richard G.} and Duev, {Dmitry A.} and Michael Feeney and Matteo Giomi and George Helou and Stephen Kaye and Laher, {Russ R.} and Mahabal, {Ashish A.} and Masci, {Frank J.} and Reed Riddle and Shupe, {David L.} and Soumagnac, {Maayane T.} and Smith, {Roger M.} and Paula Szkody and Richard Walters and Kulkarni, {S. R.} and Prince, {Thomas A.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.",

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doi = "10.1038/s41586-019-1403-0",

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AU - Burdge, Kevin B.

AU - Coughlin, Michael W.

AU - Fuller, Jim

AU - Kupfer, Thomas

AU - Bellm, Eric C.

AU - Bildsten, Lars

AU - Graham, Matthew J.

AU - Kaplan, David L.

AU - Roestel, Jan van

AU - Dekany, Richard G.

AU - Duev, Dmitry A.

AU - Feeney, Michael

AU - Giomi, Matteo

AU - Helou, George

AU - Kaye, Stephen

AU - Laher, Russ R.

AU - Mahabal, Ashish A.

AU - Masci, Frank J.

AU - Riddle, Reed

AU - Shupe, David L.

AU - Soumagnac, Maayane T.

AU - Smith, Roger M.

AU - Szkody, Paula

AU - Walters, Richard

AU - Kulkarni, S. R.

AU - Prince, Thomas A.

PY - 2019/7/25

Y1 - 2019/7/25

N2 - General relativity1 predicts that short-orbital-period binaries emit considerable amounts of gravitational radiation. The upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna2 (LISA) is expected to detect tens of thousands of such systems3 but few have been identified4, of which only one5 is eclipsing—the double-white-dwarf binary SDSS J065133.338+284423.37, which has an orbital period of 12.75 minutes. Here we report the discovery of an eclipsing double-white-dwarf binary system, ZTF J153932.16+502738.8, with an orbital period of 6.91 minutes. This system has an orbit so compact that the entire binary could fit within the diameter of the planet Saturn. The system exhibits a deep eclipse, and a double-lined spectroscopic nature. We see rapid orbital decay, consistent with that expected from general relativity. ZTF J153932.16+502738.8 is a strong source of gravitational radiation close to the peak of LISA’s sensitivity, and we expect it to be detected within the first week of LISA observations, once LISA launches in approximately 2034.

AB - General relativity1 predicts that short-orbital-period binaries emit considerable amounts of gravitational radiation. The upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna2 (LISA) is expected to detect tens of thousands of such systems3 but few have been identified4, of which only one5 is eclipsing—the double-white-dwarf binary SDSS J065133.338+284423.37, which has an orbital period of 12.75 minutes. Here we report the discovery of an eclipsing double-white-dwarf binary system, ZTF J153932.16+502738.8, with an orbital period of 6.91 minutes. This system has an orbit so compact that the entire binary could fit within the diameter of the planet Saturn. The system exhibits a deep eclipse, and a double-lined spectroscopic nature. We see rapid orbital decay, consistent with that expected from general relativity. ZTF J153932.16+502738.8 is a strong source of gravitational radiation close to the peak of LISA’s sensitivity, and we expect it to be detected within the first week of LISA observations, once LISA launches in approximately 2034.

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ER -

General relativistic orbital decay in a seven-minute-orbital-period eclipsing binary system

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