General relativistic orbital decay in a seven-minute-orbital-period eclipsing binary system

Kevin B. Burdge (), Michael W. Coughlin, Jim Fuller, Thomas Kupfer, Eric C. Bellm, Lars Bildsten, Matthew J. Graham, David L. Kaplan, Jan van Roestel, Richard G. Dekany, Dmitry A. Duev, Michael Feeney, Matteo Giomi, George Helou, Stephen Kaye, Russ R. Laher, Ashish A. Mahabal, Frank J. Masci, Reed Riddle, David L. Shupe, Maayane T. Soumagnac, Roger M. Smith, Paula Szkody, Richard Walters, S. R. Kulkarni and Thomas A. Prince
Additional contact information
Kevin B. Burdge: California Institute of Technology
Michael W. Coughlin: California Institute of Technology
Jim Fuller: California Institute of Technology
Thomas Kupfer: University of California Santa Barbara
Eric C. Bellm: University of Washington
Lars Bildsten: University of California Santa Barbara
Matthew J. Graham: California Institute of Technology
David L. Kaplan: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Jan van Roestel: California Institute of Technology
Richard G. Dekany: California Institute of Technology
Dmitry A. Duev: California Institute of Technology
Michael Feeney: California Institute of Technology
Matteo Giomi: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
George Helou: California Institute of Technology
Stephen Kaye: California Institute of Technology
Russ R. Laher: California Institute of Technology
Ashish A. Mahabal: California Institute of Technology
Frank J. Masci: California Institute of Technology
Reed Riddle: California Institute of Technology
David L. Shupe: California Institute of Technology
Maayane T. Soumagnac: Weizmann Institute of Science
Roger M. Smith: California Institute of Technology
Paula Szkody: University of Washington
Richard Walters: California Institute of Technology
S. R. Kulkarni: California Institute of Technology
Thomas A. Prince: California Institute of Technology

Nature, 2019, vol. 571, issue 7766, 528-531

Abstract: Abstract General relativity1 predicts that short-orbital-period binaries emit considerable amounts of gravitational radiation. The upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna2 (LISA) is expected to detect tens of thousands of such systems3 but few have been identified4, of which only one5 is eclipsing—the double-white-dwarf binary SDSS J065133.338+284423.37, which has an orbital period of 12.75 minutes. Here we report the discovery of an eclipsing double-white-dwarf binary system, ZTF J153932.16+502738.8, with an orbital period of 6.91 minutes. This system has an orbit so compact that the entire binary could fit within the diameter of the planet Saturn. The system exhibits a deep eclipse, and a double-lined spectroscopic nature. We see rapid orbital decay, consistent with that expected from general relativity. ZTF J153932.16+502738.8 is a strong source of gravitational radiation close to the peak of LISA’s sensitivity, and we expect it to be detected within the first week of LISA observations, once LISA launches in approximately 2034.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1403-0

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