Hot subdwarf stars with substellar companions from the MUCHFUSS project

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Stephan Geier
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2012 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 224973632

Our radial velocity survey of hot subdwarf stars from SDSS (MUCHFUSS) ledto the discovery of two very short period systems with most likely substellarcompanions. In the course of that survey we found more promising candidates. Theinteraction of planets and brown dwarfs with close-by main sequence stars may behighly important to understand the yet unclear origin of sdB stars, which are thestripped cores of red giants. Close binary interaction has been invoked to explain themassive loss of envelope necessary to form these compact, evolved stars. Whetherand under what conditions substellar companions are able to do the job is underdebate. Here we propose follow-up observations to obtain orbital parameters of ourcandidate short-period sdB binaries to discover more substellar companions.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants