SDSS J124043.01+671034.68: The partially burned remnant of a low-mass
  white dwarf that underwent thermonuclear ignition?
  The white dwarf SDSS J124043.01+671034.68 (SDSS J1240+6710) was previously
found to have an oxygen-dominated atmosphere with significant traces of neon,
magnesium, and silicon. A possible origin via a violent late thermal pulse or
binary interactions have been suggested to explain this very unusual
photospheric composition. We report the additional detection of carbon, sodium,
and aluminium in far-ultraviolet and optical follow-up spectroscopy. No
iron-group elements are detected, with tight upper limits on iron, cobalt and
nickel, suggesting that the star underwent partial oxygen burning, but failed
to ignite silicon burning. Modelling the spectral energy distribution and
adopting the distance based on the Gaia parallax, we infer a low white dwarf
mass, M(wd)=0.41+/-0.05Msun. The large space velocity of SDSS J1240+6710,
computed from the Gaia proper motion and its radial velocity, is compatible
with a Galactic rest-frame velocity of ~250km/s in the opposite direction with
respect to the Galactic rotation, strongly supporting a binary origin of this
star. We discuss the properties of SDSS J1240+6710 in the context of the
recently identified survivors of thermonuclear supernovae, the D6 and LP 40-365
stars, and conclude that it is unlikely related to either of those two groups.
We tentatively suggest that SDSS J1240+6710 is the partially burned remnant of
a low-mass white dwarf that underwent a thermonuclear event.
