2 research outputs found
Evidence for large superhumps in TX Col and V4742 Sgr
Since the discovery of the largest positive superhump period in TV Col, we
have started a program to search for superhumps in CVs with large orbital
periods. Here, we summarize preliminary results of TX Col and V4742 Sgr. TX Col
is an intermediate polar with a 5.7-h orbital period. V4742 Sgr is a recent
nova with no known periods. CCD unfiltered continuous photometry of these 2
objects was carried out during 56 nights in 2002-3. In TX Col, in addition to
the orbital period of 5.7 h, we found peaks at 7.1 h and 5.0 h. These are
interpreted as positive and negative superhumps correspondingly, although the
effects of the quasi-periodic oscillations at about 2 h were not taken into
consideration. In the light curve of V4742 Sgr 2 long periods are detected --
6.1 and 5.4 h as well as a short-term period at 1.6 h. This result suggests
that V4742 Sgr is an intermediate polar candidate and a permanent superhump
system with a large orbital period (5.4 h) and a superhump period excess of 13
percent. If these results are confirmed, TX Col, V4742 Sgr and TV Col form a
group of intermediate polars with extremely large superhump periods. There
seems to be now growing evidence that superhumps can occur in intermediate
polars with long orbital periods, which is very likely inconsistent with the
theoretical prediction that superhumps can only occur in systems with mass
ratios below 0.33. Alternatively, if the mass ratio in these systems is
nevertheless below the theoretical limit, they should harbour undermassive
secondaries and massive white dwarfs, near the Chandrasekhar limit, which would
make them excellent candidates for progenitors of supernovae type Ia.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, 3 sty files, To appear in the proceedings of IAU
JD5, `White Dwarfs: Galactic and Cosmological Probes', eds. Ed Sion, Stephane
Vennes and Harry Shipman, Full abstract in pape