* Astronomy

Title: SDSS J000555.90-100213.5: a hot, magnetic carbon-atmosphere WD rotating with a 2.1 day period
Authors: K. A. Lawrie, M. R. Burleigh, P. Dufour, S. T. Hodgkin

A surprisingly large fraction (70%) of hot, carbon dominated atmosphere (DQ) white dwarfs are magnetic and/or photometrically variable on short timescales up to ~1000 s. However, here we show that the hot DQ magnetic white dwarf SDSS J000555.90-100213.5 is photometrically variable by 11% on a longer timescale, with a period of 2.110 ± 0.045 days. We find no evidence of the target fluctuating on short timescales at an amplitude of <±0.5%. Short period hot DQ white dwarfs have been interpreted as non-radial pulsators, but in the case of SDSS J0005-1002, it is more likely that the variability is due to the magnetic hot DQ white dwarf rotating. We suggest that some hot DQ white dwarfs, varying on short timescales, should be more carefully examined to ascertain whether the variability is due to rotation rather than pulsation. All hot DQs should be monitored for long period modulations as an indicator of rotation and magnetism.

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