Program: GN-2017B-Q-23

White dwarf stars are now known to regularly accrete material from their extant planetary systems. We have identified a new polluted white dwarf star that appears to be accreting extremely iron-rich material, suggesting that it is being polluted by the core of a massive, differentiated rocky body. We propose Gemini NIRI near-infrared imaging photometry observations of SDSSJ1957+3404 that will allow us to ensure that infrared excess emission detected toward the white dwarf by Spitzer truly emanates from a disk orbiting it and to better constrain the disk properties. These observations will be an essential part of a greater program targeting this white dwarf that will address questions pertaining to terrestrial planet structure and formation processes and the question of what mixture of elements is responsible for Earth's under-dense outer core.