The miniJPAS survey: White dwarf science with 56 optical filters

DOI: 
10.1051/0004-6361/202243584
Publication date: 
08/09/2022
Main author: 
López-Sanjuan, C.
IAA authors: 
Guerrero, M. A.;Benítez, N.
Authors: 
López-Sanjuan, C.;Tremblay, P. -E.;Ederoclite, A.;Vázquez Ramió, H.;Cenarro, A. J.;Marín-Franch, A.;Varela, J.;Akras, S.;Guerrero, M. A.;Jiménez-Esteban, F. M.;Lopes de Oliveira, R.;Chies-Santos, A. L.;Fernández-Ontiveros, J. A.;Abramo, R.;Alcaniz, J.;Benítez, N.;Bonoli, S.;Carneiro, S.;Cristóbal-Hornillos, D.;Dupke, R. A.;Mendes de Oliveira, C.;Moles, M.;Sodré, L.;Taylor, K.
Journal: 
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
665
Pages: 
A151
Abstract: 
<BR /> Aims: We analyze the white dwarf population in miniJPAS, the first square degree observed with 56 medium-band, 145 Å in width optical filters by the Javalambre Physics of the accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS), to provide a data-based forecast for the white dwarf science with low-resolution (R ∼ 50) photo-spectra. <BR /> Methods: We define the sample of the bluest point-like sources in miniJPAS with r &lt; 21.5 mag, a point-like probability larger than 0.5, (u − r)&lt; 0.80 mag, and (g − i)&lt; 0.25 mag. This sample comprises 33 sources with spectroscopic information: 11 white dwarfs and 22 quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). We estimate the effective temperature (T<SUB>eff</SUB>), the surface gravity, and the composition of the white dwarf population by a Bayesian fitting to the observed photo-spectra. <BR /> Results: The miniJPAS data are sensitive to the Balmer series and the presence of polluting metals. Our results, combined with those from the Javalambre Photometric Local Universe Survey (J-PLUS) which has a lower spectral resolution but has already observed thousands of white dwarfs, suggest that J-PAS photometry would permit - down to r ∼ 21.5 mag and at least for sources with 7000 &lt; T<SUB>eff</SUB> &lt; 22 000 K - both the classification of the observed white dwarfs into H-dominated and He-dominated with 99% confidence and the detection of calcium absorption for equivalent widths larger than 15 Å. The effective temperature is estimated with a 2% uncertainty, which is close to the 1% from spectroscopy. A precise estimation of the surface gravity depends on the available parallax information. In addition, the white dwarf population at T<SUB>eff</SUB> &gt; 7000 K can be segregated from the bluest extragalactic QSOs, providing a clean sample based on optical photometry alone. <BR /> Conclusions: The J-PAS low-resolution photo-spectra would produce precise effective temperatures and atmospheric compositions for white dwarfs, complementing the data from Gaia. J-PAS will also detect and characterize new white dwarfs beyond the Gaia magnitude limit, providing faint candidates for spectroscopic follow-up.
Database: 
ADS
SCOPUS
URL: 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/2022A&A...665A.151L/abstract
ADS Bibcode: 
2022A&A...665A.151L
Keywords: 
white dwarfs;surveys;techniques: photometric;methods: statistical;Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics;Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies