August 11-15, 2014

Abstract

New light on interior processing of failed core-collapse supernovae

JJ Hermes (University of Warwick)

Boris Gaensicke (U. of Warwick), Detlev Koester (U. Kiel), S. O. Kepler (UFRGS), Barbara G. Castanheira (UT-Austin), A. Gianninas (U. of Oklahoma), D. E. Winget (UT-Austin), M. H. Montgomery (UT-Austin), Warren R. Brown (SAO), and Samuel T. Harrold (UT-Austin)

We discuss new observations to constrain the interiors of ultramassive white dwarfs. We have recently discovered the most massive pulsating white dwarf, roughly 1.2 Msun, which can be investigated using the tools of asteroseismology. We have also undertaken a high-resolution, multi-wavelength study of a unique cool white dwarf with a very large photospheric O/C abundance ratio, which is most likely a naked ONe core. Both objects will uniquely test our understanding of the interior processing of the most massive progenitors that avoid core-collapse.

Mode of presentation: oral