Planetary Accretion Is Less Frequent in Wide Binaries: Evidence from Metal-enriched White Dwarfs in DESI DR1
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Binary stars are common in the Galaxy, and understanding how stellar binarity influences the formation and evolution of planetary systems is an active area of research. In this study, we use metal-enriched white dwarfs in wide binaries as tracers of long-lived planetary systems. With Data Release 1 from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), we find that the fraction of cool metal-enriched white dwarfs in wide binaries is 9.8% ± 2.1%, significantly lower (4.7 σ ) than the 20.5% ± 0.9% in a control sample of single systems. Furthermore, we identify a tentative dependence of metal enrichment on projected separation and white dwarf effective temperature, where enrichment fraction decreases at smaller separations and lower temperatures. These findings indicate that, compared to single stars, binary systems either start with smaller initial planetary reservoirs due to suppressed planetesimal formation or undergo more rapid depletion of planetary material during the initial part of the white dwarf stage.
Source: The Astrophysical Journal
Authors: Siyi 偲艺 Xu 许, Laura. K. Rogers, Joan Najita, Boris T. Gänsicke, Paula Izquierdo, Sergey E. Koposov, Christopher J. Manser, Andrew Swan, Sandford Nathan, Wang Wenting, J. Aguilar, S. Ahlen, C. Allende Prieto, D. Bianchi, D. Brooks, T. Claybaugh, A. de la Macorra, J. E. Forero-Romero, Satya Gontcho A Gontcho, G. Gutierrez, R. Joyce, M. Landriau, L. Le Guillou, A. Meisner, R. Miquel, W. J. Percival, F. Prada, I. Pérez-Ràfols, G. Rossi, E. Sanchez, D. Schlegel, J. Silber, G. Tarlé, B. A. Weaver, R. Zhou
Institutions: NSF NOIRLab, International Gemini Observatory, University of Warwick, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London, University of Toronto, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Boston University, Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, University of Milan, Brera Astronomical Observatory, National Institute for Astrophysics, University College London, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Universidad de Los Andes, University of Virginia, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Sorbonne Université, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Institute for High Energy Physics, University of Waterloo, Perimeter Institute, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Sejong University, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, University of Michigan
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,499
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Space Telescope Science Institute, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, European Commission, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Office of Science, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Division of Astronomical Sciences
Awards: G1044631029, G1105844351, G1175115578, G1272900390, G1286236842, G1632040200, G1813527838, G1863003419, G2257393230, G2262748287, G24120701, G2601397997, G294895050, G300979063, G3452655474, G3480869486, G3681454997, G4042783231, G419881185, G425668148, G42916606, G433322167, G4501827968, G4518818167, G4821157849, G491712853, G498139845, G5080475149, G5195188938, G526230902, G5635532810, G58316358, G593054264, G6273510985, G6652958823, G6756316859, G6876926712, G6972301876, G7084143925, Management and Operations of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, G7395345766, G767601387, G7805626310, G7863371703, G8185622842, G8210229802, G8345352404, G8497050386, G8667377315, G9000451760
OpenAlex ID: W7212270357