White dwarf pollution in wide binaries: the role of planetary mass

Atmospheric pollution in white dwarfs is interpreted as evidence for the accretion of rocky material from remnant planetary systems. In wide binaries, these reservoirs can be influenced by planetary perturbers. Here, we investigate how planetary mass affects the survival and delivery of planetesimals onto an evolving white dwarf. We perform N-body simulations incorporating time-dependent stellar evolution and a stellar companion, varying planetary masses and following the evolution of a planetesimal disc. We find that lower-mass planets perturb the planetesimal reservoir less efficiently, allowing more planetesimals to survive longer. Consequently, delivery onto the white dwarf can persist into the cool white dwarf phase, whereas high-mass planets deplete the reservoir earlier, preventing sustained pollution at late stages. Our results show that planetary mass regulates the timescale over which rocky material remains available for accretion, while the planet's location has minor impact. Pollution is more frequent in binaries with lower inclinations and eccentricities.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
arXiv (Cornell University)
Published
2026-11-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2611.03291
Primary Topic
Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
Type
preprint
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
preprint

White dwarf pollution in wide binaries: the role of planetary mass

Claudia Aguilera-Gómez, Carolina Charalambous, Constanza Norambuena
arXiv (Cornell University)
Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
preprint

White dwarf pollution in wide binaries: the role of planetary mass

Claudia Aguilera-Gómez, Carolina Charalambous, Constanza Norambuena
preprint en

Abstract

Atmospheric pollution in white dwarfs is interpreted as evidence for the accretion of rocky material from remnant planetary systems. In wide binaries, these reservoirs can be influenced by planetary perturbers. Here, we investigate how planetary mass affects the survival and delivery of planetesimals onto an evolving white dwarf. We perform N-body simulations incorporating time-dependent stellar evolution and a stellar companion, varying planetary masses and following the evolution of a planetesimal disc. We find that lower-mass planets perturb the planetesimal reservoir less efficiently, allowing more planetesimals to survive longer. Consequently, delivery onto the white dwarf can persist into the cool white dwarf phase, whereas high-mass planets deplete the reservoir earlier, preventing sustained pollution at late stages. Our results show that planetary mass regulates the timescale over which rocky material remains available for accretion, while the planet's location has minor impact. Pollution is more frequent in binaries with lower inclinations and eccentricities.

arXiv (Cornell University)
Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Laika access coming soon