Substellar companions and the formation of hot subdwarf stars
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Author
Geier, Stephan
Heber, Ulrich
Tillich, Alfred
Hirsch, Heiko
Kupfer, Thomas
Schaffenroth, Veronika
Classen, Lew
Maxted, Pierre F. L.
Ostensen, Roy H.
Barlow, Brad N.
Marsh, Tom R.
Gaensicke, Boris T.
Napiwotzki, Ralf
O'Toole, Simon J.
Guenther, Eike W.
Attention
2299/7090
Abstract
We give a brief review over the observational evidence for close substellar companions to hot subdwarf stars. The formation of these core helium-burning objects requires huge mass loss of their red giant progenitors. It has been suggested that besides stellar companions substellar objects in close orbits may be able to trigger this mass loss. Such objects can be easily detected around hot subdwarf stars by medium or high resolution spectroscopy with an RV accuracy at the km s(-1)-level. Eclipsing systems of Vir type stick out of transit surveys because of their characteristic light curves. The best evidence that substellar objects in close orbits around sdBs exist and that they are able to trigger the required mass loss is provided by the eclipsing system SDSS J0820+0008, which was found in the course of the MUCHFUSS project. Furthermore, several candidate systems have been discovered.