Abstract

Two Candidate Type Ia Progenitors in the Open Cluster NGC 6633

Kurtis Williams (Texas A&M University-Commerce)

Subho Chakraborty, Wood, Matt A. (TAMU-C)

We present the results of a spectroscopy study of two candidate double degenerate Type Ia progenitors in the intermediate-age open star cluster NGC 6633. The candidates were selected as they are both relatively massive compared to the field WD population and are almost 0.75 mag overluminous for cluster member white dwarfs. We discuss potential reasons to search for DD Type Ia progenitors in open star clusters, our observations, whether these two objects are indeed Type Ia progenitors (no), and the implications for future searches.

Mode of presentation: oral