List of exoplanets and planetary debris around white dwarfs

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This is a list of

white dwarfs
.

List of white dwarf exoplanets

List of confirmed exoplanets

System name Host star Mass of planet (MJ) Semi-major
axis (au)
Discovery method Discovery
year
Note Reference
WD 0806-661 single 1.5-8 2500 direct imaging 2011 WD 0806-661 B can be interpreted as either a sub-brown dwarf or an exoplanet. [1][2]
WD J0914+1914 metal-polluted single 0.070 to 0.074 detection of accreted planet material via spectroscopy 2019 likely ice giant [3]
WD 1856+534 single >0.84[4] 0.019 transiting 2020 the white dwarf co-moves with G 229-20 A/B [5][6][7]
MOA-2010-BLG-477L single 1.4±0.3 2.8±0.5 microlensing 2012/2021 a Jupiter-analogue [8]
KMT-2020-BLG-0414
single 0.0060±0.0006 2.1±0.2 microlensing 2021/2024 1.9 earth-mass planet, also has a brown dwarf at 22 au [9][10]
QZ Serpentis white dwarf+K5 star 0.63 0.019 detection via "very long photometric period" (VLPP) 2022 has an orbital period of 1 day. [11][12]

List of candidate exoplanets

System name Host star Status Mass of planet (MJ) Semi-major axis (au) Discovery method Discovery year Note Reference
GD 356 single rejected candidate <12 variability and missing IR-excess 2010 115 minute variability, iron-rich terrestrial planet was suspected to electromagnetically interacting with the white dwarf,[13] no orbiting body was detected, rejecting the idea of an unipolar inductor model[14] [13]
GD 140 single suspected 3.74+1.43
−0.90
anomaly in the Hipparcos-Gaia proper motion 2019 mass is estimated for separation of 5 AU, to be observed with JWST[15] [16][17]
LAWD 37
single suspected 0.60+0.23
−0.15
anomaly in the Hipparcos-Gaia proper motion 2019 mass is estimated for separation of 5 AU, to be observed with JWST[15] [16][17]
GD 394 metal-polluted single candidate EUV variability 2019 either a metal accretion spot that disappeared or an evaporating planet at a 1.15 day orbit, with a hydrogen-cloud around the planet transiting in front of the white dwarf[18] [18]
WD 0141-675 metal-polluted single candidate 9.26+2.64
−1.15
Gaia DR3 stellar multiples/
radial velocity
2023 rejected due to software error[19] 33.65 ± 0.05 day period. ESPRESSO radial velocity observations however possibly detects a planet with a 16 day period[20] [21]
WD 1202−232 (LP 852-7) metal-polluted single candidate 1–7 11.47 direct imaging 2024 similar to solar system giant planets in age and separation [22]
WD 2105−82 (LAWD 83) metal-polluted single candidate 1.4+0.4
−0.2
<4 infrared excess 2025 first multi-planet system if confirmed, emission by a disk possible, but planet interpretation is seen more likely [23]
candidate 1–2 34.62 direct imaging 2024 similar to solar system giant planets in age and separation [22]
GALEX J071816.4+373139 massive single candidate 3.6 infrared excess 2024 planet candidate has a temperature of about 400 K [24]
WD 0310-688 (CPD-69 177) metal-polluted single candidate 3.0+5.5
−1.9
0.1-2 infrared excess 2024 planet candidate has a temperature of 248+84
−61
K
[25]
HS 0209+0832 metal-polluted single candidate detection of accreted planet material via spectroscopy 2024 metals in agreement with giant planet (similar to WD J0914+1914), period of 4.4 days from TESS, first and currently only white dwarf with detection of zinc [26]
Sirius B white dwarf+A0V star candidate 1.5 0.9 astrometry 2024 has a mass range of 0.8-2.4 Jupiter masses. [27] [28]
WD 2226-210 single candidate 0.034 transiting 2024 orbits the central white dwarf of the Helix Nebula, has a radius of 1 RJ or 2.3 R🜨 [29]
candidate 1 0.004 accreted material from the planet 2025 X-ray signal might have a period of 2.9 hours. Estimated to have been Jupiter-like. Mid-IR excess was interpreted as a disk or cloud formed by disrupted comets in the past. [30]
WD 2149+021 (EGGR 150) metal-polluted single candidate 3+3
−2
<8 infrared excess 2025 emission by a disk possible, but planet interpretation is seen more likely [23]

List of exoplanets detected via timing

Circumbinary exoplanets found with eclipse timing variations are sometimes listed as confirmed planets. The models describing these planets do however often fail to predict eclipse timing and the timing variation could be caused by other effects, such as magnetic effects.[31] Due to the high number of objects detected via timing, this list was separated from the above lists.

System name Host star Mass of planet (MJ) Semi-major
axis (au)
Discovery method Discovery
year
Note Reference
PSR B1620-26 white dwarf+pulsar 2.5±1 23 pulsar timing 1993 [32]
DP Leonis white dwarf+donor star 6.28 8.19 eclipse timing variations 2009 has a size of 1.14 RJ [33]
NN Serpentis PCEB: white dwarf+red dwarf 6.91±0.54 5.38±0.20 eclipse timing variation 2010 PCEB is surrounded by a dusty disk,[34] might be only one planet[35] [36]
2.28±0.38 3.39±0.10
UZ Fornacis white dwarf+red dwarf 6.3 5.9 eclipse timing variations 2011 planet b & c [37][38]
7.7 2.8
HU Aquarii white dwarf+M4.5V star 5.9 3.6 eclipse timing variations 2011 planet b & c [39][40]
4.5 5.4
RR Caeli (AB) white dwarf+dM star 3.0 5.2 eclipse timing variations 2021 planet b [41]
2.7 9.7 planet c
SDSS J1208+3550 single 9.5 0.00213 timing 2013 orbits its star in slightly less than an hour [42]
SDSS J1730+5545 single 6 0.00139 timing 2014 orbits its star in 35 minutes. [43] [44]
DE Canum Venaticorum white dwarf+M3V star 12.0293 5.75 eclipse timing variations 2018 has a size of 1.1 RJ [45] [46]
Candidates
LX Serpentis (AB) white dwarf+M3V star 7.5 9.1 timing 2016 also known as Stepanian's Star [47][48] [49]
DW Ursae Majoris white dwarf+M3V star 10.06 5.8 timing 2016 accretion disk in the system [50]
GK Virginis white dwarf+red dwarf 0.95 7.38 timing 2020
eclipsing binary
[51]
KPD 0005+5106 X-ray single 1 timing 2021 Jupiter-analogue, has the same exact size and mass of Jupiter. [52]
PSR J0337+1715 (AB) b pulsar+2 white dwarfs 0.03 pulsar timing 2022 probably similar to Neptune or Uranus. [53]

List of transiting debris or minor planets

System name Metal
pollution
Type of
transiting object
Semi-major
axis (R)
Discovery method Discovery
Year
Note Ref.
WD 1145+017 yes minor planet 1.16[54] transiting 2015 [55]
SDSS J1228+1040
yes no transiting object 0.73 variable Calcium absorption line 2019 planetesimal might orbit within the debris disk of the white dwarf [56]
WD 0145+234 yes no transiting object 1.29[57] tidal disruption event 2019 one asteroid disrupted in 2018 [58]
ZTF J0139+5245 yes debris cloud 77.4 transiting 2020 highly eccentric orbit (e>0.97)[59] [60][61]
ZTF J0328-1219 yes 2 debris clumps b: 2.11
c: 2.28
transiting 2021 [62][63]
SDSS J0107+2107 yes debris transiting 2021 [62]
ZTF J0347−1802 debris transiting 2021 transit duration of about 70 days [62]
ZTF J0923+4236 debris transiting 2021 period in the order of days, variation in the order of hours, vast long-term variation of transit numbers and depth [62][64]
SBSS 1232+563 yes debris transiting 2021 deep, but sporadic dips, had an about 8-month long nearly 50% deep transit for most of 2023, orbital period of debris might be 14.8 hours [62][65]
WD 1054-226 yes many debris clouds 3.69 transiting 2022 disk detected in transit, variable with a period of 25.02 hours [66]
WD J0923+7326 yes debris transiting 2025 Long and short-term variability with the strongest variability in the sample. [67]
WD J1013−0427 yes fine grained debris transiting 2025 Also shows calcium emission lines, indicative of a thick eccentric gas disk. Also shows reddening during the dip, indicative of small grain dust grains (radius ≤0.3 μm). One long dip, lasting two years. Recurrence of the transit limited to 20 years. Transit either caused by the collision of two planets at 6 AU or a precessing disk (similar to SDSS J1228+1040). Helium-dominated atmosphere, with H, Ca, Si and Mg. Will be studied in another paper in detail. [67]
WD J1237+5937 yes debris from asteroid-fragment collision? transiting 2025 One long-timescale dip, lasting 4 months. No variability in the high-speed follow-up. The researchers suggest that the transit was caused by the collision of two asteroid fragments on an eccentric orbit, producing debris on a long-term orbit. Several metal absorption lines: Ca, Mg, Fe, Al. [67]
WD J1302+1650 yes debris transiting 2025 One long-lasting dip feature and nearly continuous and irregular variability in follow-up (similar to WD 1054−226). Shows also hydrogen in a helium-dominated atmosphere. [67]
WD J1650+1443 yes debris transiting 2025 Low-amplitude variability. [67]
WD J1944+4557 yes debris transiting 2025 Sporadic, but prominent dips. Will be studied in an upcoming paper. [67]

List of planetary debris around white dwarfs

About 6% of white dwarfs show infrared excess due to a disk around a white dwarf.[68] In the past only a relative small sample of white dwarf disks was known.[69] Due to advances in white dwarf detection (e.g. with Gaia or LAMOST) and improvement of WISE infrared catalogs with unWISE/CatWISE, the number has increased to hundreds of candidates.[70][71][68] Therefore this list will be limited to disks with metal gas emission and notable systems.

Notable systems with planetary debris

System name Host
temperature
(K)
Likely planetary
body accreted
Infrared
excess
Metal absorption lines Discovery year Notes and References
van Maanen 2 6,130 no Ca, Fe, Mg 1917 [72] first metal absorption line (calcium) discovered[73] in a white dwarf
G 29-38 11,600 chondritic object yes C, O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, silicates 1987/2005 [69][74][75][76] first confirmed disk
GD 362 9,740 asteroid with earth/Moon-like composition yes Ca, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Sr 2005 [69][77][78][79] second confirmed disk
WD 1425+540 14,490 exo-Kuiper Belt Object no C, N, O, Mg, Si, S, Ca, Fe, Ni 2017 [80] first nitrogen detected in a white dwarf, likely an exo-KBO
SDSS 1557 21,800 object larger than 4 km yes Mg, Ca, Si 2011/2017 [81] white dwarf with a brown dwarf in a ultra-short orbit (2.27 hrs) and a circumbinary disk around the binary
WD J2356−209 4,040 sodium-rich body? no Na, Mg, Ca, Fe 2001/2019 [82][83] strong and broad sodium feature
WD J1644–0449 3,830 meteoritic composition, except for Lithium no Li, Na, K, Ca 2021 [84] one of the first detection of lithium and potassium in a white dwarf, similar discoveries at the same time
WD 2317+1830 4,210 or 4,557 primitive planetesimal[85] yes Li, Na, Ca 2021 [86] Coldest and oldest (9.5 Gyrs) white dwarf with a detected disk. Also one of the most massive white dwarfs with a disk. A newer work[87] finds higher temperature and lower age (6.4 Gyrs).
LSPM J0207+3331 6,120 2 minor planets yes 2021 [88] disk with two components around cold white dwarf
GALEX J2339–0424 13,735 exomoon no Be, O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe 2021 [73][89] one of two white dwarfs with the first detection of beryllium, possibly due to exomoon accretion
GD 424 16,560 CI crondrite + water-rich body no O, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni 2021 [90] mainly polluted by a rocky body, but also shows a large amount of trace-hydrogen, which could have come from a past accretion of a water-rich body
G238-44 20,000 iron-rich Mercury-like object + Kuiper Belt Object no C, N, O, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Ca, Fe 2022 [91] unusual composition, showing that it accreted an iron-rich Mercury-like object and an icy KBO
WD 1054–226 7,910 no Mg, Al, Ca, Fe 2022 [66] disk detected in transit
WD J2147–4035 3,048 no Na, K, Li, C? 2022 [92] coldest white dwarf with metal-pollution, with a cooling age of 10 Gyrs, magnetic white dwarf
WD 0956+5912 8,720 Moon-sized object no Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni 2023 [93] recent accretion of a Moon-sized object
PHL 5038 7,525 no Ca 2009/2024 brown dwarf around the white dwarf is likely responsible for scattering a minor planet towards the white dwarf, first such system discovered
WD 0816–310 6,250 Vesta-sized object, likely chrondritic no Na, Mg, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni 2024 [94] First observation of metals being guided by magnetic fields towards the magnetic poles
SBSS 1612+554 (J1613+5521) 12,000 3x1019 g of material (about the mass of 243 Ida) yes silicates 2019/2025 [95][96] Strongest silicate feature around any star or white dwarf detected (as of January 2025). Ongoing collisions must produce sub-micron sized particles to explain the feature.
GD 85 (J0719+4021) 17,000 yes possibly Ca?, glassy silica 1988/2025
SiO
gas.
UCAC4 077-007106 (J0707−7438) 17,000 yes iron?, alloys? 2025 [96] Probably dominated by metallic iron and alloys. One of the hottest debris with a temperature of 2040 Kelvin.

Gaseous disks

System name Host
temperature (K)
Disk inner
radius (radius white dwarf = Rwd)
Disk outer
radius (Rwd)
Infrared excess Metal absorption lines Metal emission lines Disk
discovery
year
Notes and References
WD 1226+110 22,020 26 93 yes Mg, Ca, Si, O, C Ca, Fe 2006/2009 [98][99][100][69] has minor planet
WD 1041+091 17,912 18 38 yes C, O, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Ca, Fe, Ni Ca 2007 [101][69][102] possibly differentiated carbonate-rich body
WD 0738+1835 13,600 12 21 yes O, Na, Mg, Si, Ca, Fe Ca 2010 [103][104][69] Ceres-sized body with bulk-earth composition
WD 0842+231 18,600 13 187 yes H, C, O, Si, Fe, Mg, Al, Ca, Cr, Mn, Ni Ca 2010 [105][106][69] object enhanced in iron, nickel, and maybe carbon, at least 100 km in diameter, eccentric disk, possibly maintained by a planet
WD 0959-0200 13,280 10 25 yes Mg, Ca Ca 2012 [107][69]
WD 1349-230 17,000 13 35 yes Ca Ca 2012 [108][109][104][69]
WD 1617+1620 13,432 9 20 yes Ca 2012 [110][104][69]
WD 1344+0324 26,071 90 105 yes Ca 2017 [111] coldest debris disk discovered at the time
WD 0145+234 13,000 13? 24? yes Ca,
carbonates
?
2019 [112][58][113] TDE of a minor planet, might had water in the past
WD 0006+2858 26,000 20 64 yes C, O, S, P, Mg, Al, Si, Ca Ca, O, Fe, Mg, Fe, Si 2020 [112][114][115]
WD 0347+1624 20,620 yes Ca, Mg, Al Ca, O, Fe 2020 [116][114]
WD 0510+2315 21,700 yes O, S, Mg, Al, Si, Ca O, Mg, Ca, Fe 2020 [112][114]
WD 0611-6931 16,550 10 165 yes Ca, C, O, S, P, Mg, Al, Si, Fe, Ni Ca, O, Fe, Si, Na, Mg 2020 [116][112][114]
WD 0644-0352 20,850 yes Ca, H, O, Mg, Al, Si, Ti, Cr, Fe Ca 2020 [116][114][112] possibly some water in the parent body
WD 1622+5840 19,560 yes Ca, H, C, O, S, P, Mg, Al, Si, Fe, Ni Ca, O, Fe 2020 [116][112][114]
WD 2100+2122 25,320 33 57 yes Ca, Mg, Al, Si, Fe Ca, Fe, O, Mg, Si 2020 [116][114][115]
WD 0846+5703 17,803 yes Si, Mg Ca, Mg, Fe 2021 [117] exceptionally strong infrared excess
WD 0234-0406 12,454 yes Mg, O, Ca, Al, Ti, Fe Ca, Mg/Fe 2021 [117] possibly water containing object accreted
WD 0529-3401 23,197 yes Mg, Si, Ca H, Ca, Mg, O, Fe 2021 [117] strong suggestion of water-containing body due to emission of H, O
WD 1930-5028 13,306 yes Mg, Ca Ca, Mg, Fe 2021 [117]
WD 2133+2428 29,282 yes Ca, O 2021 [117] hottest white dwarf with a gaseous disk
WD 2212-1352 13,454 yes Mg, Si, C, Ca, Al, Fe Ca, Mg, Fe 2021 [117]
WD J1013−0427 21,900 18.2 47.9 no H, Ca, Si, Mg Ca 2025 [67] Also shows transiting debris.

See also

References

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