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A Second Stellar Color Locus: a Bridge from White Dwarfs to M stars

V. Smolcic·Z. Ivezic·G. R. Knapp·R. H. Lupton·K. Pavlovski·S. Ilijic·D. Schlegel·J. A. Smith·P. M. McGehee·N. M. Silvestri·S. L. Hawley·C. Rockosi·J. E. Gunn·M. A. Strauss·X. Fan·D. Eisenstein·H. Harris
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Abstract

We report the discovery of a locus of stars in the SDSS g-r vs. u-g color-color diagram that connects the colors of white dwarfs and M dwarfs. While its contrast with respect to the main stellar locus is only ~1:2300, this previously unrecognized feature includes 863 stars from the SDSS Data Release 1. The position and shape of the feature are in good agreement with predictions of a simple binary star model that consists of a white dwarf and an M dwarf, with the components' luminosity ratio controlling the position along this binary system locus. SDSS DR1 spectra for 47 of these objects strongly support this model. The absolute magnitude--color distribution inferred for the white dwarf component is in good agreement with the models of Bergeron et al. (1995).

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V. Smolcic, Z. Ivezic, G. R. Knapp, R. H. Lupton, K. Pavlovski, S. Ilijic, D. Schlegel, J. A. Smith, P. M. McGehee, N. M. Silvestri, S. L. Hawley, C. Rockosi, J. E. Gunn, M. A. Strauss, X. Fan, D. Eisenstein, H. Harris. 2004-03-09. A Second Stellar Color Locus: a Bridge from White Dwarfs to M stars. https://doi.org/10.1086/426475

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