Evolutionary timescale of the pulsating white dwarf G117-B15A: The most stable optical clock known

Authors
Kepler, SO Mukadam, A Winget, DE Nather, RE Metcalfe, TS Reed, MD Kawaler, SD Bradley, PA
Citation
So. Kepler et al., Evolutionary timescale of the pulsating white dwarf G117-B15A: The most stable optical clock known, ASTROPHYS J, 534(2), 2000, pp. L185-L188
Citations number
33
Categorie Soggetti
Space Sciences
Journal title
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
ISSN journal
0004637X → ACNP
Volume
534
Issue
2
Year of publication
2000
Part
2
Pages
L185 - L188
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-637X(20000510)534:2<L185:ETOTPW>2.0.ZU;2-C
Abstract
We observe G117-B15A, the most precise optical clock known, to measure the rate of change of the main pulsation period of this blue-edge DAV white dwa rf. Even though the obtained value is only within 1 sigma, (P)over dot = (2 .3 +/- 1.4) x 10(-15) s s(-1), it is already constraining the evolutionary timescale of this cooling white dwarf star.