Patrick Dufour
Study of the atmosphere of white dwarf stars
- Professeur titulaire
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Faculté des arts et des sciences - Département de physique
Complexe des sciences, room B-3009
Media
Profile
Research expertise
My research is oriented mainly toward the study of white dwarf atmospheres, from both the theoretical (detailed model atmosphere calculations) and observational (spectroscopic and photometric observations) viewpoints. White dwarfs are the remnants of low-mass stars that have used up their reserves of nuclear fuel. A typical white dwarf consists of a nucleus of carbon and oxygen representing over 99% of its mass, surrounded by a thin layer of helium that is itself surrounded, in about 80% of cases, by another thin layer of hydrogen. These layers, although thin, are optically opaque and regulate the rate at which the star loses energy (i.e. its cooling rate). To properly understand the evolution of white dwarfs, it is essential to understand the physical properties of these surface layers. The spectroscopic analysis of light from white dwarfs' atmospheres is the main technique used to gather information on the external parts of white dwarfs. My work is focussed on analyzing stars with traces of heavy elements (DZ and DQ spectral types) and stars with a carbon atmosphere.
Awards and recognitions
- 10 découvertes de l'année 2016 de la revue Québec Science
For more information…
- 02-01-2017 - La mort se voit si bien - 10 DÉCOUVERTES 2016
- 16-11-2012 - Sur les pistes d'une vie extraterrestre
- 10-12-2007 - Des étoiles à l’atmosphère de carbone pur
- 18-04-2011 - Cinq astrophysiciens québécois scrutent des étoiles naines blanches à atmosphère de carbone en utilisant le téle
- 09-09-2013 - L'astrophysicien accro de la poudre... de planètes!
- 10-09-2013 - Les nouveaux professeurs sont arrivés!
- 23-09-2013 - Pourquoi les étudiants évaluent-ils les enseignants?
- 21-10-2015 - Il pleut des astéroïdes... sur une naine blanche
- 10-02-2017 - Un objet similaire à une comète pollue l’atmosphère d’une naine blanche
- 09-07-2013 - Naines blanches et poussières de planète… Terre ?
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La mort au bout du télescope
Balado de l'Émission L’œuf ou la poule - Nous recevons Patrick Dufour du Département de physique de l'Université de Montréal. Il figure dans la liste des dix découvertes de l'année 2016 de Québec Science pour sa participation à l'observation d'un système planétaire en décomposition...!
Affiliations and responsabilities
Research affiliations
Research units
Membre
University service and activities
Activities within organizations or entities of the institution
- Membre de l'Institut de recherche sur les exoplanètes
Teaching and supervision
Teaching
Courses taught (current session only)
Programs
- 119010 – Baccalauréat en mathématiques
- 119020 – Majeure en mathématiques
- 119210 – Baccalauréat en mathématiques et physique
- 119210 – Baccalauréat en mathématiques et physique
- 120010 – Baccalauréat en physique
- 120020 – Majeure en physique
- 120040 – Mineure en physique
- 120510 – Baccalauréat en physique et informatique
- 120510 – Baccalauréat en physique et informatique
- 196710 – Programme d'accueil en sciences
Student supervision
Theses and dissertation supervision (Papyrus Institutional Repository)
Observations, modélisation, évolution et origines des naines blanches magnétiques
Cycle : Doctoral
Grade : Ph. D.
Analyse d’étoiles naines blanches riches en hélium contaminées par des éléments lourds à l’ère Gaia
Cycle : Master's
Grade : M. Sc.
Analyse de l'absorption circumstellaire de WD 1145+017
Cycle : Master's
Grade : M. Sc.
Modélisation des effets de haute densité à la photosphère des naines blanches froides
Cycle : Doctoral
Grade : Ph. D.
Modélisation d'étoiles naines blanches magnétiques éléments lourds
Cycle : Master's
Grade : M. Sc.
Projects
Research projects
Centre de recherche en astrophysique du Québec - CRAQ
Detailed bulk composition analysis of extrasolar objects accreted at the surface of white dwarf stars
Centre de recherche en astrophysique du Québec (CRAQ)
Supplément COVID-19 CRSNG_Detailed bulk composition analysis of extrasolar objects accreted at the surface of white dwarf stars
ANALYSE DE NAINES BLANCHES A ATMOSPHERE DOMINEE PAR LE CARBONE
Centre de recherche en astrophysique du Québec (CRAQ)
Modélisation des étoiles naines blanches froides dans un régime à très grande densité
AUTOPSIES D'ANCIENS SYSTEMES PLANETAIRES À PARTIR DES ETOILES NAINES BLANCHES
CENTRE DE RECHERCHE EN ASTROPHYSIQUE DU QUEBEC
Outreach
Publications and presentations
Publications
Chapitre de livre
Stars with Unusual Compositions: Carbon and Oxygen in Cool White Dwarfs
P. Dufour (Chap. 3) “White Dwarf Atmosphere and Circumstellar Environments”, D. W. Hoard (Ed.), Wiley-VCH, ISBN 978-3-527-41031-6 (Amazon)
Articles avec comité de lecture (2013 à 2011)
44-SDSS J074511.56+194926.5: Discovery of a Metal-Rich and Tidally Distorted Extremely Low Mass White Dwarf
Gianninas, A.; Hermes, J. J.; Brown, Warren R.; Dufour, P.; Barber, Sara D.; Kilic, Mukremin; Kenyon, Scott J.; Harrold, Samuel T.
accepted for publication in ApJ (ADS)
43-Accretion and activity on the post-common-envelope binary RR Caeli
Ribeiro, T.; Baptista, R.; Kafka, S.; Dufour, P.; Gianninas, A.; Fontaine, G.
Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 556, 2013. (ADS)
42-SDSS J000555.90-100213.5: a hot, magnetic carbon-dominated atmosphere WD rotating with a 2.1 d period
Lawrie, K. A.; Burleigh, M. R.; Dufour, P.; Hodgkin, S. T.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Advance Access. 8 pp., 2013 (ADS)
41-Hubble Space Telescope Imaging of the Binary Nucleus of the Planetary Nebula EGB 6
Liebert, James; Bond, Howard E.; Dufour, P.; Ciardullo, Robin; Meakes, Michael G.; Renzini, Alvio; Gianninas, A.
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 769, Issue 1, 2013. (ADS)
40-Photometric variability in a warm, strongly magnetic DQ white dwarf, SDSS J103655.39+652252.2
Williams, Kurtis A.; Winget, D. E.; Montgomery, M. H.; Dufour, Patrick; Kepler, S. O.; Hermes, J. J.; Falcon, Ross E.; Winget, K. I.; Bolte, Michael; Rubin, K. H. R.
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 769, Issue 2, 2013 (ADS)
39-Orbital and Evolutionary Constraints on the Planet Hosting Binary GJ 86 from the Hubble Space Telescope
Farihi, J.; Bond, Howard E.; Dufour, P.; Haghighipour, N.; Schaefer, G. H.; Holberg, J. B.; Barstow, M. A.; Burleigh, M. R.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 430, 2013. (ADS)
38-SDSS DR7 White Dwarf Catalog
Kleinman, S. J.; Kepler, S. O.; Koester, D.; Pelisoli, Ingrid; Peçanha, Viviane; Nitta, A.; Costa, J. E. S.; Krzesinski, J.; Dufour, P.; Lachapelle, F.-R.; Bergeron, P.; Yip, Ching-Wa; Harris, Hugh C.; Eisenstein, Daniel; Althaus, L.; Córsico, A.
The Astrophysical Journal Supplement, Volume 204, Issue 1, 2013. (ADS)
37-The Frequency of Debris Disks at White Dwarfs
Barber, Sara D.; Patterson, Adam J.; Kilic, Mukremin; Leggett, S. K.; Dufour, P.; Bloom, J. S.; Starr, D. L.
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 760, Issue 1, 2012. (ADS)
36-Gaseous Material Orbiting the Polluted, Dusty White Dwarf HE1349-2305
Melis, Carl; Dufour, P.; Farihi, J.; Bochanski, J.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Parsons, S.; Gaensicke, B.; Koester, D.; Swift, Brandon
The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 751, Issue 1, 2012. (ADS)
35-A Multi-survey Approach to White Dwarf Discovery
Sayres, Conor; Subasavage, John P.; Bergeron, P.; Dufour, P.; Davenport, James R. A.; AlSayyad, Yusra; Tofflemire, Benjamin M.
The Astronomical Journal, Volume 143, Issue 4, 2012. (ADS)
34-Know Your Neighborhood: A Detailed Model Atmosphere Analysis of Nearby White Dwarfs
Giammichele, N.; Bergeron, P.; Dufour, P.
The Astrophysical Journal Supplement, Volume 199, Issue 2, 2012. (ADS)
33-Detailed compositional analysis of the heavily polluted DBZ white dwarf SDSS J073842.56+183509.06: A window on planet formation?
Dufour, P.; Kilic, M.; Fontaine, G.; Bergeron, P.; Melis, C.; Bochanski, J.
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 749, Issue 1, 2012. (ADS)
32-The Discovery of a Debris Disk Around the DAV White Dwarf PG 1541+651
Kilic, Mukremin; Patterson, Adam J.; Barber, Sara; Leggett, S. K.; Dufour, P.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, Volume 419, Issue 1, pp. L59-L63, 2012. (ADS)
31-Stark Broadening of Carbon and Oxygen Lines in Hot DQ White Dwarf Stars: Recent Results and Applications
Dufour, P.; Ben Nessib, N.; Sahal-Bréchot, S.; Dimitrijević, M. S.
Baltic Astronomy, Vol. 20, p. 511-515 (ADS)
30-An aluminum/calcium-rich, iron-poor, white dwarf star: evidence for an extrasolar planetary lithosphere?
Zuckerman, B.; Koester, D.; Dufour, P.; Melis, Carl; Klein, B.; Jura, M.
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 739, Issue 2, 2011. (ADS)
29-A Comprehensive Spectroscopic Analysis of DB White Dwarfs
Bergeron, P.; Wesemael, F.; Dufour, Pierre; Beauchamp, A.; Hunter, C.; Saffer, Rex A.; Gianninas, A.; Ruiz, M. T.; Limoges, M. -M.; Dufour, Patrick; Fontaine, G.; Liebert, James
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 737, Issue 1, 2011. (ADS)
28-Cool DZ white dwarfs in the SDSS
Koester, D.; Girven, J.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Dufour, P.
Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 530, 2011. (ADS)
27-Taking Advantage of the COS Time-Tag Capability: Observations of Pulsating Hot DQ White Dwarfs and Discovery of a New One
Dufour, P.; Béland, S.; Fontaine, G.; Chayer, P.; Bergeron, P.
The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 733, Issue 2, 2011. (ADS)
26-Accretion of a Terrestrial-Like Minor Planet by a White Dwarf
Melis, Carl; Farihi, J.; Dufour, P.; Zuckerman, B.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Bergeron, P.; Bochanski, J.; Simcoe, R.
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 732, Issue 2, 2011. (ADS)
25-The Magnetic and Metallic Degenerate G77-50
Farihi, J.; Dufour, P.; Napiwotzki, R.; Koester, D.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2011 (ADS)
24-Discovery of a new AM CVn system with the Kepler satellite
Fontaine, G.;Brassad, P.; Green, E.M.; Charpinet, S.; Dufour, P.; Hubeny, I.; Steeghs, D.; Aerts, C.; Randall, S.K.; Bergeron, P.; Guvenen, B.; O'Malley, C.J.; Van Grootel, V.; Ostensen, R.H.; Bloemen, S.; Silvotti, R.; Howell, S.B.; Baran, A.; Kepler, S.O.; Marsh, T.R.; Montgomery, M.H.; Oreiro, R.; Provencal, J.; Telting, J.; Winget, D.E.; Zima, W.; Christensen-Dalsgaard, J.; Kjeldsen, H.
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 726, Issue 2, 2011. (ADS)
Disciplines
- Physics
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
Areas of expertise
- Fundamental astronomy
- Photography and photometry
- Spectroscopy and spectrophotometry
- Pulsations, oscillations, and stellar seismology
- Stellar characteristics and properties
- Stellar atmospheres
- Radiative transfer
- Opacity and line formation
- Abundance, chemical composition
- Stellar structure, interiors, evolution, nucleosynthesis, ages
- Faint blue stars, White dwarfs, degenerate stars, nuclei of planetary nebulae
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