[103.07] The Structure and Stability of Semi-Detached Double White Dwarfs

AAS 205th Meeting, 9-13 January 2005
Session 103 White Dwarfs
Poster, Wednesday, January 12, 2005, 9:20am-6:30pm, Exhibit Hall

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[103.07] The Structure and Stability of Semi-Detached Double White Dwarfs

X. Peng, V. M. Gokhale, J. Frank, M. C. R. D'Souza, J. E. Tohline (Louisiana State University)

We present an analytic and numerical study of the evolution of semi-detached ultra-compact double-degenerate binaries. Considering the effects of direct impact and non-conservative accretion, we compute the mass transfer rate and investigate the structure and stability of these systems. We find that these systems arrive to evolutionary cross-roads as they come into contact at very short orbital periods driven by gravitational radiation. Their fate is decided in a rapid evolutionary phase leading to a merger, or tidal disruption of the donor in most cases. However, some of the unstable mass transfer cases may undergo a separation "bounce" and survive as AM CVn binaries after a rapid mass transfer phase.

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