Open-cluster DA white dwarf IFMR sample Virtual Observatory Resource

Authors
  1. Miller D.R.
  2. Caiazzo I.
  3. Heyl J.
  4. Richer H.B.
  5. Hollands M.A.,Tremblay P.-E.
  6. El-badry K.
  7. Rodriguez A.C.
  8. Vanderbosch Z.P.
  9. Published by
    CDS
Abstract

The initial-final mass relation (IFMR) links a star's birth mass to the mass of its white dwarf (WD) remnant, providing key constraints on stellar evolution. Open clusters offer the most straightforward way to empirically determine the IFMR, as their well-defined ages allow for direct progenitor lifetime estimates. We construct the most comprehensive open cluster WD IFMR to date by combining new spectroscopy of 22 WDs with an extensive literature review of WDs with strong cluster associations. To minimize systematics, we restrict our analysis to spectroscopically confirmed hydrogen-atmosphere (DA) WDs consistent with single-stellar origins. We separately analyze a subset with reliable Gaia-based astrometric membership assessments, as well as a full sample that adds WDs with strong cluster associations whose membership cannot be reliably assessed with Gaia. The Gaia-based sample includes 69 spectroscopically confirmed DA WDs, more than doubling the sample size of previous Gaia-based open cluster IFMRs. The full sample, which includes 53 additional literature WDs, increases the total number of cluster WDs by over 50% relative to earlier works. We provide functional forms for both the Gaia-based and full-sample IFMRs. The Gaia-based result useful for Mi>=2.67_{sun}_ is Mf=0.179-0.100H(Mi-3.84M}_{sun}_x(Mi-3.84M_{sun}_)+0.628M_{sun}_, where H(x) is the Heaviside step function. Comparing our IFMR to recent literature, we identify significant deviations from best-fit IFMRs derived from both Gaia-based volume-limited samples of field WDs and double WD binaries, with the largest discrepancy occurring for initial masses of about 5M_{sun}_.

Keywords
  1. open-star-clusters
  2. white-dwarf-stars
  3. spectroscopy
  4. visible-astronomy
Bibliographic source Bibcode
2026ApJ...996...69M
See also HTML
https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/ApJ/996/69
IVOA Identifier IVOID
ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/996/69

Access

Web browser access HTML
https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/ApJ/996/69
https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/ApJ/996/69
http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/ApJ/996/69
IVOA Table Access TAP
https://tapvizier.cds.unistra.fr/TAPVizieR/tap
Run SQL-like queries with TAP-enabled clients (e.g., TOPCAT).
IVOA Cone Search SCS
For use with a cone search client (e.g., TOPCAT).
https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/996/69/ifmr_wds?
https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/996/69/ifmr_wds?
http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/996/69/ifmr_wds?
IVOA Cone Search SCS
For use with a cone search client (e.g., TOPCAT).
https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/996/69/clusters?
https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/996/69/clusters?
http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/conesearch/J/ApJ/996/69/clusters?

History

2026-03-26T09:22:25Z
Resource record created
2026-03-26T08:34:00Z
Updated
2026-03-26T09:22:25Z
Created

Contact

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CDS support team
Postal Address
CDS, Observatoire de Strasbourg, 11 rue de l'Universite, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
E-Mail
cds-question@unistra.fr