Searching for ZZ Ceti white dwarfs in the Gaia survey. Issue Volume 15:Issue S357(2019) (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vincent, Olivier; Bergeron, Pierre; Lafrenière, David
• Editors: Barstow, Martin A.; Kleinman, Scot J.; Provencal, Judith L.; Ferrario, Lilia
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 15:Issue S357(2019)
• Page Start: 123
• Page End: 126
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: white dwarfs, -- stars: variable, -- surveys, -- techniques: photometric; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921320000265
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

Abstract: The Gaia satellite recently released parallax measurements for nearly 400, 000 white dwarf stars, allowing for precise measurements of their physical parameters. By combining these parallaxes with Pan-STARRS and CFIS-u photometry, we measured the effective temperatures and surface gravities for all white dwarfs within 100 pc and identified a sample of ZZ Ceti white dwarf candidates within the instability strip. We report the results of a photometric follow-up, currently under way, aimed at identifying new ZZ Ceti stars among this sample using the PESTO camera attached to the 1.6-m telescope at the Mont Mégantic Observatory. Our goal is to verify that ZZ Ceti stars occupy a region in the logg - T eff plane where no nonvariable stars are found, supporting the idea that ZZ Ceti pulsators represent a phase through which all hydrogen-line (DA) white dwarfs must evolve.