303 research outputs found
The K-band spectrum of the Cataclysmic Variable RXJ 0502.8+1624 (Tau 4)
We present the K-band spectrum of the cataclysmic variable RXJ 0502.8+1624
(Tau 4). The spectrum shows a broad, smooth hump, with no absorption lines from
the secondary star visible. This result indicates that the infrared light of
this system is dominated by cyclotron emission, and, in combination with the
optical spectrum and X-ray properties, suggests that Tau 4 is a polar-type
cataclysmic variable (CV).
The system was chosen for study because the broadband JHK colours of Tau 4
are consistent with an L-type dwarf, suggesting that this system might harbour
an elusive sub-stellar secondary star. The result presented here, along with
the recent discovery of cyclotron emission in the cataclysmic variable EF Eri,
suggests that care must be taken when using the broadband JHK colours of CVs
when targeting searches for sub-stellar secondary starsComment: 4 pages, to appear as research note in A&
Nova-like Cataclysmic Variables in the Infrared
Novalike cataclysmic variables have persistently high mass transfer rates and prominent steady state accretion disks. We present an analysis of infrared observations of twelve novalikes obtained from the Two Micron All Sky Survey, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer All Sky Survey. The presence of an infrared excess at >3-5 microns over the expectation of a theoretical steady state accretion disk is ubiquitous in our sample. The strength of the infrared excess is not correlated with orbital period, but shows a statistically significant correlation (but shallow trend) with system inclination that might be partially (but not completely) linked to the increasing view of the cooler outer accretion disk and disk rim at higher inclinations. We discuss the possible origin of the infrared excess in terms of emission from bremsstrahlung or circumbinary dust, with either mechanism facilitated by the mass outflows (e.g., disk wind/corona, accretion stream overflow, and so on) present in novalikes. Our comparison of the relative advantages and disadvantages of either mechanism for explaining the observations suggests that the situation is rather ambiguous, largely circumstantial, and in need of stricter observational constraints.Peer reviewe
Cool Companions to White Dwarf Stars from the Two Micron All Sky Survey All Sky Data Release
We present the culmination of our near-infrared survey of the optically spectroscopically identified white dwarf stars from the McCook and Sion catalog, conducted using photometric data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey final All Sky Data Release. The color selection technique, which identifies candidate binaries containing a white dwarf and a low-mass stellar (or substellar) companion via their distinctive locus in the near-infrared color-color diagram, is demonstrated to be simple to apply and to yield candidates with a high rate of subsequent confirmation. We recover 105 confirmed binaries, and identify 27 firm candidates (19 of which are new to this work) and 21 tentative candidates (17 of which are new to this work) from the 2MASS data. Only a small number of candidates from our survey have likely companion spectral types later than M5, none of which is an obvious L-type (i.e., potential brown dwarf) companion. Only one previously known white dwarf + brown dwarf binary is detected. This result is discussed in the context of the 2MASS detection limits, as well as other recent observational surveys that suggest a very low rate of formation (or survival) for binary stars with extreme mass ratios
Boron Isotope Effect in Superconducting MgB
We report the preparation method of, and boron isotope effect for MgB, a
new binary intermetallic superconductor with a remarkably high superconducting
transition temperature (B) = 40.2 K. Measurements of both
temperature dependent magnetization and specific heat reveal a 1.0 K shift in
between MgB and MgB. Whereas such a high transition
temperature might imply exotic coupling mechanisms, the boron isotope effect in
MgB is consistent with the material being a phonon-mediated BCS
superconductor.Comment: One figure and related discussion adde
The fight for accretion: discovery of intermittent mass transfer in BB Doradus in the low state
Our long-term photometric monitoring of southern nova-like cataclysmic
variables with the 1.3-m SMARTS telescope found BB Doradus fading from V ~ 14.3
towards a deep low state at V ~ 19.3 in April 2008. Here we present
time-resolved optical spectroscopy of BB Dor in this faint state in 2009. The
optical spectrum in quiescence is a composite of a hot white dwarf with Teff =
30000 +- 5000 K and a M3-4 secondary star with narrow emission lines (mainly of
the Balmer series and HeI) superposed. We associate these narrow profiles with
an origin on the donor star. Analysis of the radial velocity curve of the
H-alpha emission from the donor star allowed the measurement of an orbital
period of 0.154095 +- 0.000003 d (3.69828 +- 0.00007 h), different from all
previous estimates. We detected episodic accretion events which veiled the
spectra of both stars and radically changed the line profiles within a
timescale of tens of minutes. This shows that accretion is not completely
quenched in the low state. During these accretion episodes the line wings are
stronger and their radial velocity curve is delayed by ~ 0.2 cycle, similar to
that observed in SW Sex and AM Her stars in the high state, with respect to the
motion of the white dwarf. Two scenarios are proposed to explain the extra
emission: impact of the material on the outer edge of a cold, remnant accretion
disc, or the combined action of a moderately magnetic white dwarf (B1 <~ 5 MG)
and the magnetic activity of the donor star.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, accepted by MNRA
Structure and Colors of Diffuse Emission in the Spitzer Galactic First Look Survey
We investigate the density structure of the interstellar medium using new
high-resolution maps of the 8 micron, 24 micron, and 70 micron surface
brightness towards a molecular cloud in the Gum Nebula, made as part of the
Spitzer Space Telescope Galactic First Look Survey. The maps are correlated
with 100 micron images measured with IRAS. At 24 and 70 micron, the spatial
power spectrum of surface brightness follows a power law with spectral index
-3.5. At 24 micron, the power law behavior is remarkably consistent from the
0.2 degree size of our maps down to the 5 arcsecond spatial resolution. Thus,
the structure of the 24 micron emission is self-similar even at milliparsec
scales. The combined power spectrum produced from Spitzer 24 micron and IRAS 25
micron images is consistent with a change in the power law exponent from -2.6
to -3.5. The decrease may be due to the transition from a two-dimensional to
three-dimensional structure. Under this hypothesis, we estimate the thickness
of the emitting medium to be 0.3 pc.Comment: 13 Pages, 3 Figures, to be published in Astrophysical Journal
Supplement Series (Spitzer Special Issue), volume 154. Uses aastex v5.
Spitzer Space Telescope observations of magnetic cataclysmic variables: possibilities for the presence of dust in polars
We present Spitzer Space Telescope photometry of six short-period polars, EF
Eri, V347 Pav, VV Pup, V834 Cen, GG Leo, and MR Ser. We have combined the
Spitzer Infrared Array Camera (3.6 -8.0 microns) data with the 2MASS J, H, K_s
photometry to construct the spectral energy distributions of these systems from
the near- to mid-IR (1.235 - 8 microns). We find that five out of the six
polars have flux densities in the mid-IR that are substantially in excess of
the values expected from the stellar components alone. We have modeled the
observed SEDs with a combination of contributions from the white dwarf,
secondary star, and either cyclotron emission or a cool, circumbinary dust disk
to fill in the long-wavelength excess. We find that a circumbinary dust disk is
the most likely cause of the 8 micron excess in all cases, but we have been
unable to rule out the specific (but unlikely) case of completely optically
thin cyclotron emission as the source of the observed 8 micron flux density.
While both model components can generate enough flux at 8 microns, neither dust
nor cyclotron emission alone can match the excess above the stellar components
at all wavelengths. A model combining both cyclotron and dust contributions,
possibly with some accretion-generated flux in the near-IR, is probably
required, but our observed SEDs are not sufficiently well-sampled to constrain
such a complicated model. If the 8 micron flux density is caused by the
presence of a circumbinary dust disk, then our estimates of the masses of these
disks are many orders of magnitude below the mass required to affect CV
evolution.Comment: 58 pages, 14 figures, ApJ accepte
IRAS 06562-0337, The Iron Clad Nebula: A New Young Star Cluster
IRAS 06562-0337 has been the recent subject of a classic debate:
proto-planetary nebula or young stellar object? We present the first 2 micron
image of IRAS 06562-0337, which reveals an extended diffuse nebula containing
approximately 70 stars inside a 30 arcsec radius around a bright, possibly
resolved, central object. The derived stellar luminosity function is consistent
with that expected from a single coeval population, and the brightness of the
nebulosity is consistent with the predicted flux of unresolved low-mass stars.
The stars and nebulosity are spatially coincident with strong CO line emission.
We therefore identify IRAS 06562-0337 as a new young star cluster embedded in
its placental molecular cloud. The central object is likely a Herbig Be star, M
approx 20 M_sun, which may be seen in reflection. We present medium resolution,
high S/N, 1997 epoch optical spectra of the central object. Comparison with
previously published spectra shows new evidence for time variable permitted and
forbidden line emission, including SiII, FeII, [FeII], and [OI]. We suggest the
origin is a dynamic stellar wind in the extended, stratified atmosphere of the
massive central star in IRAS 06562-0337.Comment: 25 pages (4 figures) using aaspp4.sty. Accepted for publication in A
The galactic first-look survey with the Spitzer space telescope
The galactic first look survey (GFLS) of the Spitzer space telescope was executed during 1â11 December 2003 as one of the first science observations during nominal operations. The aim of the FLS is to provide a characteristic âfirst-lookâ at the mid-and far-infrared sky at sensitivities that allow the detection of point sources â100 times fainter than those in previous systematic large-area surveys. The whole program took 35.5 h to complete and consisted of the following elements:
â˘Galactic longitudinal strips of size 15Ⲡà 1° with IRAC and MIPS at l = 105.6° and 254.4° and various galactic latitudes.
â˘10Ⲡà 10ⲠIRAC maps at l = 97.5° and b = 0°, Âą4°, and +16°.
â˘Coverage of L1228 with 2° scan maps.
Even at these large distances from the galactic center, confusion sets a limit to the detection of point sources in the galactic plane for IRAC channel 1 (3.6 Îźm) at 100 ÎźJy â 16.1^m. As positive galactic latitudes were mainly sampled at l = 97.5° and 105.6° and negative latitudes at 254.4° galactic longitude, the observations are well suited to derive information on the warp of the galactic disk. In order to reproduce the source counts from the GFLS we had to assume an amplitude of the warp within 20% of that derived from 2MASS. The whole survey is included in the Spitzer science archive which opened in April 2004
Chandra Observation of V426 Oph: Weighing the Evidence for a Magnetic White Dwarf
We report the results of a 45 ks Chandra observation of the cataclysmic
variable V426 Ophiuchus. The high resolution spectrum from the high-energy
transmission grating spectrometer is most consistent with a cooling flow model,
placing V426 Oph among the group of CVs including U Gem and EX Hya. An
uninterrupted lightcurve was also constructed, in which we detect a significant
4.2 hr modulation together with its first harmonic at 2.1 hrs. Reanalysis of
archival Ginga, and ROSAT X-ray lightcurves also reveals modulations at periods
consistent with 4.2 and/or 2.1 hrs. Furthermore, optical photometry in V,
simultaneous with the Chandra observation, indicates a modulation
anti-correlated with the X-ray, and later more extensive R band photometry
finds a signal at ~2.1 hrs. The earlier reported X-ray periods at ~0.5 and 1
hrs appear to be only transient and quasi-periodic in nature. In contrast, the
4.2 hr period or its harmonic are stable and persistent in X-ray/optical data
from 1988 to 2003. This periodicity is clearly distinct from the 6.85 hr orbit,
and could be due to the spin of the white dwarf. If this is the case, V426 Oph
would be the first long period intermediate polar with a ratio P_spin/P_orb of
0.6. However, this interpretation requires unreasonable values of magnetic
field strength and mass accretion rate.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journal (to appear August 2004
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