Analysis of DQZ White Dwarf Evolution through Procyon

The Procyon system is of vital importance towards understanding of how evolution occurs in non-interacting binaries. Yet despite how well-studied Procyon system is, there are uncertainties with regards to the age of the system and other derived physical properties. We created a model grid using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics to constrain the evolution of Procyon A and B. We systematically vary the initial parameters to match the stars’ positions on the H-R Diagram. We constrain our model to the dynamical masses, as well as spectroscopic determinations of effective temperature, luminosity, amongst other quantities, to ensure the physicality of the models. We use our results to create a theoretical initial-to-final-mass-relation (IFMR) for low mass white dwarfs. After testing this relationship, we find that the lFMR is somewhat sensitive to initial metallicity, but insensitive to the mass of the convective core at low masses. Additionally, we aim to study the discrepancies in the age of the system from independent studies through the modification of the convective core. Lastly, we explore evidence of infrared excess in the spectrum of Procyon B and model the possibility of there being a circumbinary disc or planetesimal contributing to its metal pollution. From simulations using PHANTOM, a smoothed particle hydrodynamical code, we study the stability of the system over many orbital periods.