Detalles de publicación
PP 026035
WD 1054-226 revisited: a stable transiting debris system
(1)Observatoire Astronomique de l’Université de Genève; (2) Lund Observatory, Division of Astrophysics; (3)Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL); (4) Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias ; (5)McDonald Observatory
Context. A growing number of white dwarfs (WDs) exhibit one or more signs of remnant planetary systems, including transits, in-
frared excesses, and atmospheric metal pollution. WD 1054-226 stands out for its unique, highly structured, and persistent photometric
variability.
Aims. We aim to investigate the long-term stability and nature of the periodic signals observed in WD 1054-226 to better understand
the origin and evolution of its transiting material.
Methods. We analyse all available TESS light curves from Sectors 9, 36, 63, and 90 using Lomb–Scargle (LS), Box-Least-Squares
(BLS), and Gaussian process (GP) periodogram analyses. We complement these with multiband, high-cadence ground-based pho-
tometry from LCOGT, MuSCAT2, ALFOSC, and ProEM to test for colour dependence and confirm the periodicities.
Results. We confirm the persistence of the previously-reported 25.01 h and 23.1 min periodicities over a six-year baseline. The
25.01 h signal shows some temporal evolution, while the 23.1 min dips are highly coherent on long timescales. A transient 11.4 h
feature, previously reported, is detected only in early TESS sectors and is absent in recent data. No significant colour dependence is
found in the ground-based observations.
Conclusions. The stability of both the 25.01 h and 23.1 min signals indicates a long-lived, dynamically sculpted debris structure
around WD 1054-226. The lack of colour dependence implies high optical depth, consistent with an opaque, edge-on debris ring
rather than an optically thin dust population. This makes WD 1054-226 a key laboratory for testing models of remnant planetary
systems around white dwarfs.
frared excesses, and atmospheric metal pollution. WD 1054-226 stands out for its unique, highly structured, and persistent photometric
variability.
Aims. We aim to investigate the long-term stability and nature of the periodic signals observed in WD 1054-226 to better understand
the origin and evolution of its transiting material.
Methods. We analyse all available TESS light curves from Sectors 9, 36, 63, and 90 using Lomb–Scargle (LS), Box-Least-Squares
(BLS), and Gaussian process (GP) periodogram analyses. We complement these with multiband, high-cadence ground-based pho-
tometry from LCOGT, MuSCAT2, ALFOSC, and ProEM to test for colour dependence and confirm the periodicities.
Results. We confirm the persistence of the previously-reported 25.01 h and 23.1 min periodicities over a six-year baseline. The
25.01 h signal shows some temporal evolution, while the 23.1 min dips are highly coherent on long timescales. A transient 11.4 h
feature, previously reported, is detected only in early TESS sectors and is absent in recent data. No significant colour dependence is
found in the ground-based observations.
Conclusions. The stability of both the 25.01 h and 23.1 min signals indicates a long-lived, dynamically sculpted debris structure
around WD 1054-226. The lack of colour dependence implies high optical depth, consistent with an opaque, edge-on debris ring
rather than an optically thin dust population. This makes WD 1054-226 a key laboratory for testing models of remnant planetary
systems around white dwarfs.