359 research outputs found
Cataclysmic Variables from SDSS: A Review and A Look Forward to LSST
The past and current projects of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey are reviewed in the context of applicability and results for cataclysmic variables. Ongoing and future time domain surveys that will have impact on the field are also briefly discussed
GALEX and Optical Light Curves of WX LMi, SDSSJ103100.5+202832.2 and SDSSJ121209.31+013627.7
{\it GALEX} near ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) light curves of
three extremely low accretion rate polars show distinct modulations in their UV
light curves. While these three systems have a range of magnetic fields from 13
to 70 MG, and of late type secondaries (including a likely brown dwarf in
SDSSJ121209.31+013627.7), the accretion rates are similar, and the UV
observations imply some mechanism is operating to create enhanced emission
zones on the white dwarf. The UV variations match in phase to the two magnetic
poles viewed in the optical in WX LMi and to the single poles evident in the
optical in SDSSJ1212109.31+013627.7 and SDSSJ103100.55+202832.2. Simple spot
models of the UV light curves show that if hot spots are responsible for the UV
variations, the temperatures are on the order of 10,000-14,000K. For the single
pole systems, the size of the FUV spot must be smaller than the NUV and in all
cases, the geometry is likely more complicated than a simple circular spot.Comment: 29 pages, 4 tables, 10 figures, Astrophysical Journal, accepte
A New Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy : RXJ1236.9+2656
We report identification of a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy RXJ1236.9+2656.
X-ray emission from the NLS1 galaxy undergoes long-term variability with
0.1--2.0 keV flux changing by a factor of 2 within about 3 yr. The ROSAT PSPC
spectrum of RXJ1236.9+2656 is well represented by a power-law of Gamma = 3.7
absorbed by matter in our own Galaxy (N_H = 1.33X10^20 cm**-2). Intrinsic soft
X-ray luminosity of the NLS1 galaxy is estimated to be 1.5X10^43 erg/s in the
energy band of 0.1-2.0 keV. The optical spectrum of RXJ1236.9+2656 is typical
of NLS1 galaxies and shows narrow Balmer emission lines (1100 km/s < FWHM <
1700 km/s) of Hbeta, Halpha, and forbidden lines of [O III] and [N II]. Fe II
multiplets, usually present in optical spectra of NLS1 galaxies, are also
detected in RXJ1236.9+2656.Comment: 4 pages, A&A style Latex, To apear in A&A as a research not
The anomalous accretion disk of the Cataclysmic Variable RW Sextantis
Synthetic spectra covering the wavelength range 900\AA~to 3000\AA~provide an
accurate fit, established by a analysis, to a combined
observed spectrum of RW Sextantis. Two separately calibrated distances to the
system establish the synthetic spectrum comparison on an absolute flux basis
but with two alternative scaling factors, requiring alternative values of
for final models. Based on comparisons for a range of
values, the observed spectrum does not follow the standard model. Rather than
the exponent 0.25 in the expression for the radial temperature profile, a value
close to 0.125 produces a synthetic spectrum with an accurate fit to the
combined spectrum. A study of time-series spectra shows that a proposed
warped or tilted disk is not supported by the data; an alternative proposal is
that an observed non-axisymmetric wind results from an interaction with the
mass transfer stream debris.Comment: 56 pages, 15 figures, 11 tables. Accepted for The Astrophysical
Journa
V3885 Sagittarius: a Comparison with a Range of Standard Model Accretion Disks
A analysis of standard model accretion disk synthetic
spectrum fits to combined and STIS spectra of V3885 Sagittarius, on an
absolute flux basis, selects a model that accurately represents the observed
SED. Calculation of the synthetic spectrum requires the following system
parameters. The cataclysmic variable secondary star period-mass relation
calibrated by Knigge in 2007 sets the secondary component mass. A mean white
dwarf (WD) mass from the same study, that is consistent with an
observationally-determined mass ratio, sets the adopted WD mass of
, and the WD radius follows from standard theoretical models. The
adopted inclination, i=65{\arcdeg}, is a literature consensus, and is
subsequently supported by analysis. The mass transfer rate
is the remaining parameter to set the accretion disk profile, and
the parallax constrains that parameter to
by a comparison
with observed spectra. The fit to the observed spectra adopts the contribution
of a K WD. The model thus provides realistic constraints on
and for a large system above the period gap.Comment: 41 pages, 7 figures, 9 tables. Astrophysical Journal (accepted
What’s Cool About Hot Stars? Cataclysmic Variables in the Mid-Infrared
We review recent results from mid-infrared observations of cataclysmic variables with the Spitzer Space Telescope. In general, these observations have revealed mid-infrared excesses, above the level expected from the stellar and accretion components, in numerous systems. This excess can be modeled as originating from circumstellar and/or circumbinary dust. We present an overview of spectral energy distributions spanning the ultraviolet to the mid-infrared, as well as mid-infrared light curves, of disk-accreting and magnetic cataclysmic variables. Physically realistic models constructed to reproduce these data indicate that the mid-infrared luminosity of many cataclysmic variables is dominated by emission from warm (T < 2000 K) dust. The presence and characteristics of dust in cataclysmic variables has potentially important implications for the secular evolution scenario for interacting binary stars
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