Population synthesis of triple systems in the context of mergers of carbon–oxygen white dwarfs

Hamers, Adrian S.; Pols, O. R.; Claeys, J. S. W.; Nelemans, G.

doi:10.1093/mnras/stt046

Cited by 116 publications

(152 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Finally, we do not consider triple star evolution, which produces double WD mergers in eccentric orbits (Hamers et al 2013) and, according to Rosswog et al (2009), is an alternative scenario to produce SNe Ia. Even though we do not investigate the rate of these channels, it is expected that similar uncertainties to those discussed in this work influence the rate.…”

Section: Other Uncertainties In the Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Theoretical uncertainties of the Type Ia supernova rate

Claeys

Pols

Izzard

et al. 2014

A&A

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It is thought that Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are explosions of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs (CO WDs). Two main evolutionary channels are proposed for the WD to reach the critical density required for a thermonuclear explosion: the single degenerate (SD) scenario, in which a CO WD accretes from a non-degenerate companion, and the double degenerate (DD) scenario, in which two CO WDs merge. However, it remains difficult to reproduce the observed SN Ia rate with these two scenarios. With a binary population synthesis code we study the main evolutionary channels that lead to SNe Ia and we calculate the SN Ia rates and the associated delay-time distributions. We find that the DD channel is the dominant formation channel for the longest delay times. The SD channel with helium-rich donors is the dominant channel at the shortest delay times. Our standard model rate is a factor of five lower than the observed rate in galaxy clusters. We investigate the influence of ill-constrained aspects of single-and binary-star evolution and uncertain initial binary distributions on the rate of Type Ia SNe. These distributions, as well as uncertainties in both helium star evolution and common envelope evolution, have the greatest influence on our calculated rates. Inefficient common envelope evolution increases the relative number of SD explosions such that for α ce = 0.2 they dominate the SN Ia rate. Our highest rate is a factor of three less than the galaxy-cluster SN Ia rate, but compatible with the rate determined in a field-galaxy dominated sample. If we assume unlimited accretion onto WDs, to maximize the number of SD explosions, our rate is compatible with the observed galaxy-cluster rate.

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Section: Other Uncertainties In the Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Theoretical uncertainties of the Type Ia supernova rate

Claeys

Pols

Izzard

et al. 2014

A&A

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280

326

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“…This is a consequence of many initially highly inclined systems that due to the LK mechanism merge or undergo a phase of mass transfer before the three BHs are formed. This effect, similarly occurring in the evolution of lower-mass triples (Hamers et al 2013), reduces the number of BH triple systems with high inclination which can lead to a BH binary merger, lowering the overall BH merger rate compared to what we would obtain by assuming an initially random distribution of inclinations (e.g., Silsbee & Tremaine 2016). Figure 2 shows that the I distribution of BH triples with initially larger semi-major axis is closer to isotropic.…”

Section: Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 84%

Binary Black Hole Mergers from Field Triples: Properties, Rates, and the Impact of Stellar Evolution

Antonini

Toonen

Hamers

2017

ApJ

314

273

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We consider the formation of binary black hole mergers through the evolution of field massive triple stars. In this scenario, favorable conditions for the inspiral of a black hole binary are initiated by its gravitational interaction with a distant companion, rather than by a common-envelope phase invoked in standard binary evolution models. We use a code that follows self-consistently the evolution of massive triple stars, combining the secular triple dynamics (Lidov-Kozai cycles) with stellar evolution. After a black hole triple is formed, its dynamical evolution is computed using either the orbit-averaged equations of motion, or a high-precision direct integrator for triples with weaker hierarchies for which the secular perturbation theory breaks down. Most black hole mergers in our models are produced in the latter non-secular dynamical regime. We derive the properties of the merging binaries and compute a black hole merger rate in the range (0.3 − 1.3) Gpc −3 yr −1 , or up to ≈ 2.5 Gpcif the black hole orbital planes have initially random orientation. Finally, we show that black hole mergers from the triple channel have significantly higher eccentricities than those formed through the evolution of massive binaries or in dense star clusters. Measured eccentricities could therefore be used to uniquely identify binary mergers formed through the evolution of triple stars. While our results suggest up to ≈ 10 detections per year with Advanced-LIGO, the high eccentricities could render the merging binaries harder to detect with planned space based interferometers such as LISA.

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“…coredegenerate mergers (Kashi & Soker 2011), double detonating sub-Chandrasekhar accretors (see e.g. Kromer et al 2010) or Kozai oscillations in triple systems (Shappee & Thompson 2012;Hamers et al 2013). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single degenerate supernova type Ia progenitors

Bours

Toonen

Nelemans

2013

A&A

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Context. There is general agreement that supernovae Ia correspond to the thermonuclear runaway of a white dwarf that is part of a compact binary, but the details of the progenitor systems are still unknown and much debated. One of the proposed progenitor theories is the single-degenerate channel in which a white dwarf accretes from a companion, grows in mass, reaches a critical mass limit, and is then consumed after thermonuclear runaway sets in. However, there are major disagreements about the theoretical delay time distribution and the corresponding time-integrated supernova Ia rate from this channel. Aims. We investigate whether the differences are due to the uncertainty in the common envelope phase and the fraction of transferred mass that is retained by the white dwarf. This so-called retention efficiency may have a strong influence on the final amount and timing of supernovae Ia. Methods. Using the population synthesis code SeBa, we simulated large numbers of binaries for various assumptions on common envelopes and retention efficiencies. We compare the resulting supernova Ia rates and delay time distributions with each other and with those from the literature, including observational data. Results. For the three assumed retention efficiencies, the integrated rate varies by a factor 3−4 to even more than a factor 100, so in extreme cases, the retention efficiency strongly suppresses the single-degenerate channel. Our different assumptions for the common envelope phase change the integrated rate by a factor 2−3. Although our results do recover the trend in the theoretical predictions from different binary population synthesis codes, they do not fully explain the large disagreement among them.

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Population synthesis of triple systems in the context of mergers of carbon–oxygen white dwarfs

Cited by 116 publications

References 53 publications

Theoretical uncertainties of the Type Ia supernova rate

Theoretical uncertainties of the Type Ia supernova rate

Binary Black Hole Mergers from Field Triples: Properties, Rates, and the Impact of Stellar Evolution

Single degenerate supernova type Ia progenitors

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