# Phase-resolved far-ultraviolet HST spectroscopy of the peculiar magnetic white dwarf RE J0317-853

## 1 Introduction

RE J0317$``$853 is a highly unusual magnetic DA white dwarf, discovered by Barstow et al. (1995, hereafter B95) during the optical follow-up campaign to the ROSAT Wide Field Camera (WFC) all sky survey (Pounds et al., 1993). B95 compared the optical spectrum and a far-UV (FUV) spectrum obtained with IUE to synthetic spectra generated for a number of different field configurations, and found that it was best matched by a dipole model, with a polar field strength of $``$340 MG, but which is offset along the dipole axis by 0.2 stellar radii in the direction of the southern magnetic pole. In this model, the range of field strengths seen by an observer varies between $``$660 MG at the southern pole to $``$200 MG at the north pole. A later analysis of circular polarisation data by Ferrario et al. (1997, hereafter F97) produced a broadly similar best-fit model: $`B=450`$ MG, displaced by 35% of the stellar radius and viewed at an angle of $`30^{}60^{}`$ to the dipole axis.

Fixing the gravity at log g$`=`$8.0, the temperature was found, from the shape and slope of the continuum in the FUV spectrum, to be $`49,250_{1,200}^{+2,150}`$ K. Thus, not only is RE J0317$``$853 one of the most magnetic white dwarfs ever found, it is the hottest member of this subclass of degenerate objects.

This unique star set several other records for white dwarfs. The close proximity of an ordinary DA white dwarf, LB09802, just $`16^{\prime \prime }`$ away, allowed B95 to estimate the mass of RE J0317$``$853 at 1.35M, approaching the Chandrasekhar limit. In addition, the discovery that it was rapidly and regularly varying in the optical led B95 to conclude that it must be rotating with a period of just 725 seconds, making RE J0317$``$853 the most rapidly rotating isolated white dwarf ever found. Both the fast rotation and the high mass may be an indication that RE J0317$``$853 is the end product of a double degenerate merger.

Comparing models to the flux spectrum of a highly magnetic white dwarf can yield a variety of good, but not necessarily unique fits (Putney and Jordan, 1995). The optical and FUV flux spectra obtained by B95 for RE J0317$``$853 give the field strength over the whole star averaged out over several rotations. B95 had no direct information about, or a unique solution to, either the direction of the field or the orientation of the magnetic axis. Although F97 did attempt to add the circular polarisation spectra in phase, they had no knowledge prior to their observations of the optical period, and could not provide a detailed model of the field structure across the whole stellar surface.

In addition, the model described above does not fit the FUV IUE spectrum in detail. Here, in contrast to the complicated structure of the optical spectrum where the Balmer lines are shifted almost beyond recognition by thousands of Å, the mean FUV IUE spectrum is comparatively simple. Lyman $`\alpha `$ is split, with the redward shifted $`\sigma `$ ($`1s_02p_{+1}`$, in the field free notation) component being visible in the IUE SWP spectrum. The blueward shifted $`\sigma `$ component lies outside the range of this instrument. However, only one redward Lyman $`\alpha `$ component is predicted by the B95 and F97 models (at 1300Å), yet a second deep absorption features is present near 1340Å. Such a doublet structure could be explained if we are seeing two distinct regions with rather different field strengths.

This hypothesis could only be tested with the help of phase resolved spectroscopy, by which — depending on the angle between the observer and the rotational axis — a major part of the global field can be mapped. A ‘true’ field configuration is one that, when seen at different angles due to the rotational phase, matches the data at each observation. In this paper we present time-resolved FUV spectra of RE J0317$``$853 obtained with the Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS) of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to look for variations in the line positions and strengths of the Lyman $`\alpha `$ components, and try to determine the field morphology across the stellar surface by applying radiative transfer calculations.

## 2 HST Observations and Data Reduction

FUV observations were obtained across two orbits with FOS on 1996 November 26, using the blue filter, G130H grating and the $`1^{\prime \prime }`$ aperture, giving approximately 1Å resolution. A total of 142 $`\times `$35 second exposures were obtained in RAPID mode, 58 on the first orbit and 84 on the second. The use of RAPID mode allowed us to minimise the readout time between exposures, and maximise the phase coverage across the 725 second rotation period. The total exposure time was 4858.6 seconds. The data were extracted with standard IRAF/STSDAS routines, and binned into 12 equal phase intervals (Fig. 1). Distinct changes in the FUV spectrum are clearly visible across the rotation period. In particular, the position of the redward $`\sigma `$ Lyman $`\alpha `$ component appears to shift from $``$1340Å at phase 0.167 (phase=0 is defined by our first bin during the HST orbits) to $``$1300Å at phase 0.667, while the $`\pi `$ ($`1s_02p_0`$) Lyman $`\alpha `$ component is also seen to grow in strength to a maximum at phase 0.667. One other intriguing absorption feature at $``$1160Å is seen to grow in strength at later phases, in conjunction with the $``$1300Å and stationary Lyman $`\alpha `$ lines.

## 3 Analysis and Results

The observed spectrum and wavelength dependent polarisation of magnetic white dwarfs, described by the four Stokes parameters, can be analysed by simulating the transport of polarized radiation through a magnetized stellar atmosphere (e.g. Jordan, 1992, Putney & Jordan, 1995). However, in previous analyses it was extremely time consuming to calculate new synthetic spectra for every variation of the magnetic field geometry. In particular, when it comes to phase resolved spectroscopy, a different approach is necessary, which we have adopted for the first time here.

We calculated a library of synthetic spectra for a given effective temperature (40 000 K), for different field strengths between 100 and 900 MG (in steps of 1 MG) and for nine different angles (equidistant in the cosine) between the magnetic field and the observer. Limb darkening was taken into account by a linear approximation based on an interpolation between model spectra: $`I(\mu )=(0.7+0.3\mu )I(\mu =1)`$ (Euchner, 1998).

In describing the magnetic field geometry we utilised two different approaches: (i) pure dipole models with the ability to offset the dipole center relative to the center of the star, and (ii) a more general approach involving an expansion into spherical harmonics.

For a clearly rotating magnetic star, different spectra are observed depending on the relative contribution of the magnetic field, and the angles between the observer and the magnetic field at a given phase. After prescribing a specific global magnetic field, three additional free parameters are needed to calculate a synthetic spectrum for a given phase: (i) the angle $`90^{}i`$ between the rotational axis and the observer, (ii) the angle $`\beta `$ between the rotational axis and the magnetic ($`z`$) axis (relative to which the coordinate system of the offset dipoles or the spherical harmonics have been defined), and (iii) the phase at which the magnetic pole passes the meridian between the rotational axis and the center of the visible hemisphere.

The “best” model is found by minimizing the $`\mathrm{\Delta }\chi ^2`$ between the predicted flux and the observations for all the different phases into which the HST observations have been binned. The solution is then found by varying the free parameters in a systematic way, using the “Amoeba” downhill simplex method in multidimensions (Nelder & Mead, 1965, Press et al., 1986).

In our current analysis we did not vary the effective temperature, although we know from the optical ($`\mathrm{\Delta }m_V=\pm 0\stackrel{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{.}}1`$, see B95) and our UV data ($`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{\text{1500\hspace{0.17em}Å}}=\pm 0\stackrel{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{.}}1`$) that the surface brightness is changing with the rotational phase. This effect may be due to the influence of magnetic pressure on the structure of the atmosphere, but has not been taken into account here. Since the fit was slightly better with $`T_{\mathrm{eff}}=40000`$ K than with 30000 or 50000 K we fixed that value and adjusted the theoretical and observed flux to the same value at 1500 Å.

Our first attempt was to fit the data with a centered dipole. We were able to roughly fit the data with a polar field strength of 220 MG at phase=0.167 or with 450 MG at phase=0.667, but not for all phases simultaneously. The next step was the introduction of an offset along the magnetic $`z`$ axis. A reasonable fit was found for a dipole field strength of 363 MG, $`z_{\mathrm{off}}=0.19`$ stellar radii, $`i=39^{}`$ and $`\beta =20^{}`$, very consistent with the solution inferred from the (phase averaged) discovery spectrum in B95.

A slightly better solution was obtained by additional offsets perpendicular to the $`z`$ axis (see Fig. 1a in Putney & Jordan, 1995): $`x_{\mathrm{off}}=0.057`$, $`y_{\mathrm{off}}=0.04`$, $`z_{\mathrm{off}}=0.220`$. In this case the angles were different, resulting in $`i=40^{}`$ and $`\beta =42^{}`$ (leading to a visible range of surface field strengths between 140 and 730 MG); the differences caused by the perpendicular offsets were partly compensated by the $`\beta `$ angle. Since the fit was not perfect in either case (reduced $`\chi ^24`$ and $`3`$, respectively), we could conclude that there is no contradiction to the assumption of a purely axis-symmetrical field.

This conclusion could also be drawn from an expansion of the surface magnetic fields into:

$$\begin{array}{ccc}B_r=\hfill & _{l=1}^{\mathrm{}}_{m=0}^l(l+1)(g_l^m\mathrm{cos}m\varphi +h_l^m\mathrm{sin}m\varphi )\hfill & \\ & P_l^m(\mathrm{cos}\theta )& \\ B_\theta =+\hfill & _{l=1}^{\mathrm{}}_{m=0}^l(g_l^m\mathrm{cos}m\varphi +h_l^m\mathrm{sin}m\varphi )\hfill & \\ & dP_l^m(\mathrm{cos}\theta )/d\theta & \\ B_\varphi =\hfill & _{l=1}^{\mathrm{}}_{m=0}^lm(g_l^m\mathrm{cos}m\varphi +h_l^m\mathrm{sin}m\varphi )\hfill & \\ & dP_l^m(\mathrm{cos}\theta )/d\mathrm{sin}\theta & \end{array}$$

with the associated Legendre polynomials $`P_l^m`$.

For this paper we limited ourselves to $`l3`$, i.e. to 15 free parameters. The twelve parameters with $`0<m<l`$, and therefore $`B_\varphi `$, were very small ($`<10`$ MG) compared to the axial symmetric contributions from $`m=0`$ ($`g_1^0=206`$ MG , $`g_2^0=+77`$ MG, $`g_3^0=39`$ MG). Possibly, slightly better fits can be obtained by including $`l>3`$. However, this does not yet seem to be reasonable since we can expect systematic errors introduced by our assumptions (e.g. constant effective temperature).

In this model (with $`\beta =29^{}`$ and $`i=34^{}`$) the field strengths cover the range 180-800 MG. However, it is not quite clear whether fields up to 800 MG are indeed present, since the the $`1s_02p_{+1}`$ component has a maximum (1343 Å) at 470 MG, so that higher and lower field strengths lead to the same shift. However, both the B95 and F97 analyses of the optical and polarimetric data indicate rather strong fields (200-660 MG, and 180-1600 MG, respectively).

Qualitatively, the bimodal behaviour of RE J0317$``$853 can be understood in the following way: during the “low field” phases (when $`B<210`$ MG dominates, see Fig. 4) the $`1s_02p_0`$ and $`1s_02p_{+1}`$ components are centered at about 1195 Å and 1303 Å, respectively. When the “high” magnetic fields ($`B>280`$ MG) become more important, the $`1s_02p_0`$ is shifted to smaller wavelengths, out of the HST range, and $`1s_02p_{+1}`$ is close to its maximum at 1343 Å.

One unexpected feature, not recognized in the IUE spectrum, is an additional absorption line at $`1160`$ Å. This appears during the “low field” phase, whenever $`1s_02p_0`$ is visible as well. In the dense atmosphere of magnetic white dwarf stars, mean electric field strengths up to $`10^7`$ V/m can be induced by free electrons and ions. The hydrogen atom can experience, due to thermal motion, an additional Lorentzian electric field up to $`10^7\mathrm{}10^9`$ V/m, perpendicular to the magnetic field (Mathys, 1989). This gives rise to the motional Stark effect. Without additional electric fields, the magnetic quantum number m and the z-parity $`\pi _z`$ are conserved. For parallel electric and magnetic fields, only the magnetic quantum number $`m`$ is conserved, and for perpendicular electric and magnetic fields only the $`z`$-parity. In contrast, no discrete symmetry is left in arbitrarily oriented fields. Therefore, in combined electric and magnetic fields, additional allowed dipole transitions occur (e.g. $`1s_02s_0`$, which gains oscillator strength at the expense of the $`1s_02p_0`$) compared to the diamagnetic system, where only three transitions ($`1s_02p_{1,0,+1}`$) are dipole allowed. Recognizing this possibility, we included the “forbidden” $`1s_02s_0`$ in our calculations and, consequently, could reproduce the peculiar feature found at 1160 Å.

Our model for the magnetic field is based on the three visible Lyman $`\alpha `$ components (including the “forbidden” one) only. As we have seen, different assumptions about the field geometry lead to fits of similar quality. Although the basic properties of the offset dipole model and the expansion into spherical harmonics are the same we expect that we will be able to constrain the global magnetic field much better when we include, in the near future, phase resolved spectropolarimetric data.

We acknowledge the support of PPARC, UK, DFG (Ko 738/7-1) and DLR (50 OR 97042).