Published June 1, 2009 | Version v1
Journal article

SDSS DR4: Progress on the hot white dwarf luminosity function

  • 1. Mt. Suhora Observatory, Cracow Pedagogical University, ul. Podchorazych 2, 30-084 Cracow (Poland)
  • 2. Gemini Telescope, 670 N. A'Ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States)
  • 3. Institut fuer Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, D-37077 Goettingen (Germany)
  • 4. Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85726 (United States)
  • 5. U.S. Naval Observatory, PO Box 1149, Flagstaff, AZ 86002-1149 (United States)

Description

A large collection of white dwarf (WD) spectra from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data release 4 (DR4) WD catalog data allowed us to obtain a luminosity function (LF) for the hottest WDs. The LF was calculated basing on spectra of the WDs from a special class of SDSS objects called hot standards (HS), for which the WD sample completeness can be estimated. WD distances were determined from the observed and absolute SDSS g filter magnitudes derived from WD stellar atmosphere model fits to the SDSS spectra. The result LF covers -0.5 up to 7 absolute bolometric magnitude range. It shows a slight disagreement at the cold end comparing to the literature LFs but it can be due to some problems with HS WD sample completeness estimations. It is clearly visible that the LF has unexpected plateau between 1.5 and 4 absolute bolometric magnitudes. There is nothing similar visible in a LF built only for non-DA WDs. The plateau might be real but we are concern that its existence can be connected to the problems with spectra calibration of the blue objects in SDSS DR4 data and lack of good stellar atmosphere models for the hottest DA white dwarfs.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/172/1/012002

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Physics. Conference Series (Online)
Journal Volume
172
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
[4 p.]
ISSN
1742-6596

Conference

Title
16. European White Dwarf Workshop
Acronym
EuroWD08
Dates
30 Jun - 4 Jul 2008
Place
Barcelona (Spain)

INIS

Country of Publication
United Kingdom
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
41106728
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Resource subtype / Literary indicator
Conference
Descriptors DEI
ASTROPHYSICS; BOLOMETERS; CALIBRATION; DISTANCE; ENERGY SPECTRA; LUMINOSITY; STAR MODELS; STELLAR ATMOSPHERES; WHITE DWARF STARS
Descriptors DEC
ATMOSPHERES; DWARF STARS; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; OPTICAL PROPERTIES; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; PHYSICS; SPECTRA; STARS