467 research outputs found
The accretion flow in the discless intermediate polar V2400 Ophiuchi
RXTE observations confirm that the X-ray lightcurve of V2400 Oph is pulsed at
the beat cycle, as expected in a discless intermediate polar. There are no
X-ray modulations at the orbital or spin cycles, but optical line profiles vary
with all three cycles. We construct a model for line-profile variations in a
discless accretor, based on the idea that the accretion stream flips from one
magnetic pole to the other, and show that this accounts for the observed
behaviour over the spin and beat cycles. The minimal variability over the
orbital cycle implies that 1) V2400 Oph is at an inclination of only ~10 deg,
and 2) much of the accretion flow is not in a coherent stream, but is circling
the white dwarf, possibly as a ring of denser, diamagnetic blobs. We discuss
the light this sheds on disc formation in intermediate polars.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, To appear in MNRAS, includes low-res figures to
reduce siz
Why do some intermediate polars show soft X-ray emission? A survey of XMM-Newton spectra
We make a systematic analysis of the XMM-Newton X-ray spectra of intermediate
polars (IPs) and find that, contrary to the traditional picture, most show a
soft blackbody component. We compare the results with those from AM Her stars
and deduce that the blackbody emission arises from reprocessing of hard X-rays,
rather than from the blobby accretion sometimes seen in AM Hers. Whether an IP
shows a blackbody component appears to depend primarily on geometric factors: a
blackbody is not seen in those that have accretion footprints that are always
obscured by accretion curtains or are only visible when foreshortened on the
white-dwarf limb. Thus we argue against previous suggestions that the blackbody
emission characterises a separate sub-group of IPs which are more akin to AM
Hers, and develop a unified picture of the blackbody emission in these stars.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
CC Sculptoris: A superhumping intermediate polar
We present high speed optical, spectroscopic and Swift X-ray observations
made during the dwarf nova superoutburst of CC Scl in November 2011. An orbital
period of 1.383 h and superhump period of 1.443 h were measured, but the
principal new finding is that CC Scl is a previously unrecognised intermediate
polar, with a white dwarf spin period of 389.49 s which is seen in both optical
and Swift X-ray light curves only during the outburst. In this it closely
resembles the old nova GK Per, but unlike the latter has one of the shortest
orbital periods among intermediate polars.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS; 11 pages, 19 figure
Periodicities In The X-Ray Intensity Variations of TV Columbae: An Intermediate Polar
We present results from a temporal analysis of the longest and the most
sensitive X-ray observations of TV Columbae--an intermediate polar. The
observations were carried out with the RXTE PCA, ROSAT PSPC, and ASCA. Data
were analyzed using a 1-dimensional CLEAN and Bayesian algorithms. The presence
of a nearly sinusoidal modulation due to the spin of the white dwarf is seen
clearly in all the data, confirming the previous reports based on the EXOSAT
data. An improved period of 1909.7+/-2.5s is derived for the spin from the RXTE
data.The binary period of 5.5hr is detected unambiguously in X-rays for the
first time. Several side-bands due to the interaction of these periods are
observed in the power spectra, thereby suggesting contributions from both the
disk-fed and the stream-fed accretion for TV Col. The accretion disk could
perhaps be precessing as side-bands due to the influence of 4 day period on the
orbital period are seen. The presence of a significant power at certain
side-bands of the spin frequency indicates that the emission poles are
asymmetrically located. The strong power at the orbital side-bands seen in both
the RXTE and ROSAT data gives an indication for an absorption site fixed in the
orbital frame. Both the spin and the binary modulation are found to be
energy-dependent. Increased hardness ratio during a broad dip in the intensity
at binary phase of 0.75--1.0 confirms the presence of a strong attenuation due
to additional absorbers probably from an impact site of the accretion stream
with the disk or magnetosphere. Hardness ratio variations and the energy
dependent modulation depth during the spin modulation can be explained by
partially covered absorbers in the path of X-ray emission region in the
accretion stream.Comment: 34 pages, including 12 figures, Accepted for publication in
Astronomical Journal, scheduled for January 2004 issue (vol. 127
Simultaneous X-ray and Optical Observations of EX Hydrae
The intermediate polar, EX Hydrae, was the object of a large simultaneous
multiwavelength observational campaign during 2000 May - June. Here we present
the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer photometry and optical photometry and
spectroscopy from ground-based observatories obtained as part of this campaign.
Balmer line radial velocities and Doppler maps provide evidence for an extended
bulge along the outer edge of the accretion disk and some form of
extended/overflowing material originating from the hot spot. In addition, the
optical binary eclipse possesses an extended egress shoulder, an indication
that an additional source (other than the white dwarf) is coming out of
eclipse. We also compare the X-ray and optical results with the results
obtained from the EUV and UV observations from the multiwavelength data set.Comment: to appear in the Astronomical Journal, April 200
X-ray Observations of INTEGRAL Discovered Cataclysmic Variable IGR J17195-4100
We present analysis of archival X-ray data obtained with the XMM-Newton and
Suzaku for a new Intermediate Polar identified as a counterpart of an INTEGRAL
discovered gamma-ray source, IGR J17195-4100. We report a new period of
1053.7\pm12.2 s in X-rays. A new binary orbital period of 3.52+1.43-0.80 h is
strongly indicated in the power spectrum of the time series. An ephemeris of
the new period proposed as the spin period of the system has also been
obtained. The various peaks detected in the power spectrum suggest a probable
disc-less accretion system. The soft X-rays (<3 keV) dominate the variability
seen in the X-ray light curves. The spin modulation shows energy dependence
suggesting the possibility of a variable partial covering accretion column. The
averaged spectral data obtained with XMM-Newton EPIC cameras show a multi
temperature spectra with a soft excess. The latter can be attributed to the
varying coverage of accretion curtains.Comment: LaTeX 10 pages, 7 figures and 4 tables, accepted publication in MNRA
Le micocoulier : de l'arbre au fouet
Cet article expose le procédé (peu connu) de fabrication des cravaches et fouets d'attelage à partir de micocoulier du Roussillon, patrimoine mis en valeur de façon traditionnell
ORFEUS II and IUE Spectroscopy of EX Hydrae
Using ORFEUS-SPAS II FUV spectra, IUE UV spectra, and archival EUVE deep
survey photometry, we present a detailed picture of the behavior of the
magnetic cataclysmic variable EX Hydrae. Like HUT spectra of this source, the
FUV and UV spectra reveal broad emission lines of He II, C II-IV, N III and V,
O VI, Si III-IV, and Al III superposed on a continuum which is blue in the UV
and nearly flat in the FUV. Like ORFEUS spectra of AM Her, the O VI doublet is
resolved into broad and narrow emission components. Consistent with its
behavior in the optical, the FUV and UV continuum flux densities, the FUV and
UV broad emission line fluxes, and the radial velocity of the O VI broad
emission component all vary on the spin phase of the white dwarf, with the
maximum of the FUV and UV continuum and broad emission line flux light curves
coincident with maximum blueshift of the broad O VI emission component. On the
binary phase, the broad dip in the EUV light curve is accompanied by strong
eclipses of the UV emission lines and by variations in both the flux and radial
velocity of the O VI narrow emission component. The available data are
consistent with the accretion funnel being the source of the FUV and UV
continuum and the O VI broad emission component, and the white dwarf being the
source of the O VI narrow emission component.Comment: 21 pages, 10 Postscript figures; LaTeX format, uses aaspp4.sty;
table2.tex included separately because it must be printed sideways - see
instructions in the file; accepted on 1999 Feb 20 for publication in The
Astrophysical Journa
Constraints on Thermal Emission Models of Anomalous X-ray Pulsars
Thermal emission from the surface of an ultramagnetic neutron star is
believed to contribute significantly to the soft X-ray flux of the Anomalous
X-ray Pulsars. We compare the detailed predictions of models of the surface
emission from a magnetar to the observed properties of AXPs. In particular, we
focus on the combination of their luminosities and energy-dependent pulsed
fractions. We use the results of recent calculations for strongly magnetized
atmospheres to obtain the angle- and energy-dependence of the surface emission.
We include in our calculations the effects of general relativistic photon
transport and interstellar extinction. We find that the combination of the
large pulsed fractions and the high luminosities of AXPs cannot be accounted
for by surface emission from a magnetar with two antipodal hot regions or a
temperature distribution characteristic of a magnetic dipole. This result is
robust for reasonable neutron star radii, for the range of magnetic field
strengths inferred from the observed spin down rates, and for surface
temperatures consistent with the spectral properties of AXPs. Models with a
single hot emitting region can reproduce the observations, provided that the
distance to one of the sources is ~30% less than the current best estimate, and
allowing for systematic uncertainties in the spectral fit of a second source.
Finally, the thermal emission models with antipodal emission geometry predict a
characteristic strong increase of the pulsed fraction with photon energy, which
is apparently inconsistent with the current data. The energy-dependence of the
pulsed fraction in the models with one hot region shows a wider range of
behavior and can be consistent with the existing data. Upcoming high-resolution
observations with Chandra and XMM-Newton will provide a conclusive test.Comment: 25 preprint pages, 7 color figures, ApJ, in pres
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