Runaway accretion of metals from compact discs of debris on to white dwarfs

Abstract It was recently proposed that metal-rich white dwarfs (WDs) accrete their metals from compact discs of debris found to exist around more than a dozen of them. At the same time, elemental abundances measured in atmospheres of some WDs imply vigorous metal accretion at rates up to 1011 g s−1, far in excess of what can be supplied solely by Poynting–Robertson drag acting on such discs of debris. To explain this observation we propose a model, in which rapid transport of metals from the disc on to the WD naturally results from interaction between this particulate disc and a spatially coexisting disc of metallic gas. The latter is fed by evaporation of debris particles at the sublimation radius located at several tens of WD radii. Because of pressure support the gaseous disc orbits the WD slower than the particulate disc. Resultant azimuthal drift between them at speed ≲1 m s−1 causes aerodynamic drag on the disc of solids and drives inward migration of its constituent particles. Upon reaching the sublimation radius, particles evaporate, enhancing the density of the metallic gaseous disc and leading to positive feedback. Under favourable circumstances (low viscosity in the disc of metallic gas and efficient aerodynamic coupling between the discs) a system evolves in a runaway fashion, destroying the discs of debris on time-scale of ∼105 yr, and giving rise to high metal accretion rates up to g s−1, in agreement with observations.