Superhump-like variation during the anomalous state of SU UMa

We observed an anomalously outbursting state of SU UMa which occurred in 1992. Time-resolved photometry revealed the presence of signals with a period of 0.0832 +/- 0.0019 d, which is 3.6 sigma longer than the orbital period (0.07635 d) of this system. We attributed this signal to superhumps, based on its deviation from the orbital period and its characteristic profile. During this anomalous state of SU UMa, normal outbursts were almost suppressed, in spite of relatively regular occurrences of superoutbursts. We consider that an ensuing tidally unstable state following the preceding superoutburst can be a viable mechanism to effectively suppress normal outbursts, resulting in an anomalously outbursting state.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Changing Supercycle of the ER UMa-Type Star V1159 Ori

We examined the VSNET light curve of the ER UMa-type star V1159 Ori. We detected a large variation of the supercycle (the interval between successive superoutbursts) between extremes of 44.6 and 53.3 d. The outburst activity was also found to decrease when the supercycle was long. The observed variation of the supercycle corresponds to a variation of ~40 % of the mass-transfer rate from the secondary star, totally unexpected for this class of objects. We also detected a hint of ~1800 d periodicity in the variation, whose period is close to what has been suggested for solar-type cycles for cataclysmic variables (CVs). If this periodicity is caused by the magnetic activity of the secondary star, this detection constitutes the first clear evidence of continuing magnetic activity in CV evolution, even after crossing the period gap. This activity may partly explain still poorly understood origins of the high mass-transfer rates in ER UMa-type stars.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, using a non-standard style fil

Analysis of a Kepler Light Curve of the Novalike Cataclysmic Variable KIC 8751494

We analyzed a Kepler light curve of KIC 8751494, a recently recognized novalike cataclysmic variable in the Kepler field. We detected a stable periodicity of 0.114379(1) d, which we identified as being the binary's orbital period. The stronger photometric period around 0.12245 d, which had been detected from the ground-based observation, was found to be variable, and we identified this period as being the positive superhump period. This superhump period showed short-term (10-20 d) and strong variations in period most unexpectedly when the object entered a slightly faint state. The fractional superhump excess varied as large as ~30%. The variation of the period very well traced the variation of the brightness of the system. The time-scales of this variation of the superhump period was too slow to be interpreted as the variation caused by the change in the disk radius due to the thermal disk instability. We interpreted that the period variation was caused by the varying pressure effect on the period of positive superhumps. This finding suggests that the pressure effect, in at least novalike systems, plays a very important (up to ~30% in the precession rate) role in producing the period of the positive superhumps. We also described a possible detection of the negative superhumps with a varying period of 0.1071-0.1081 d in the Q14 run of the Kepler data. We also found that the phase of the velocity variation of the emission lines reported in the earlier study is compatible with the SW Sex-type classification. Further, we introduced a new two-dimentional period analysis using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) and showed superior advantage of this method.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in PASJ, minor correcrtion

The Cause of the Superoutburst in SU UMa Stars is Finally Revealed by Kepler Light Curve of V1504 Cygni

We have studied the SC (short cadence) Kepler light curve of an SU UMa star, V1504 Cyg, which extends for a period of about 630 d. All superoutbursts in V1504 Cyg have turned out to be of the precursor-main type and the superhump first appears near the maximum of the precursor. The superhumps grow smoothly from the precursor to the main superoutburst showing that the superoutburst is initiated by the tidal instability (as evidenced by growing superhump) as envisioned in the thermal-tidal instability (TTI) model proposed by Osaki (1989). We have performed power spectral analysis of the light curve of V1504 Cyg. One of outstanding features is an appearance of a negative superhump extending for around 300 d, well over a supercycle. We have found that an appearance of the negative superhump tends to reduce the frequency of occurrence of normal outbursts. Two types of supercycles are recognized in V1504 Cyg, which are similar to those of the Type L and S supercycles in the light curve of VW Hyi, a prototype SU UMa star, introduced by Smak (1985). It is found that the Type L supercycle is the one accompanied with the negative superhump and the Type S is that without the negative superhump. If we adopt a tilted disk as an origin of the negative superhump, two types of the supercycles are understood to be due to a difference in outburst intervals, which is in turn caused by a difference in mass supply from the secondary to different parts of the disk. The frequency of the negative superhump varies systematically during a supercycle in V1504 Cyg. This variation can be used as an indicator of the disk radius variation and we have found that observed disk radius variation in V1504 Cyg fits very well with a prediction of the TTI model.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in PASJ, minor correction