Optical studies of the X-ray transient XTE J2123-058 -I. Photometry

We present optical photometry of the X-ray transient XTE J2123-058, obtained in July-October 1998. The light curves are strongly modulated on the 5.95hrs orbital period, and exhibit dramatic changes in amplitude and form during the decline. We used synthetic models which include the effect of partial eclipses and X-ray heating effects, to estimate the system parameters, and we constrain the binary inclination to be i=73+-4 degrees. The model is successful in reproducing the light curves at different stages of the decay by requiring the accretion disc to become smaller and thinner by 30% as the system fades by 1.7 mags in the optical. From Aug 26 the system reaches quiescence with a mean magnitude of R=21.7+-0.1 and our data are consistent with the optical variability being dominated by the companion's ellipsoidal modulation.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of Three Long Period Nova-Like Variables

We have selected three nova-like variables at the long period extreme of nova-like orbital periods: V363 Aur, RZ Gru and AC Cnc, all with IUE archival far ultraviolet spectra. All are UX UMa type nova-like variables and all have $P_{orb} > 7$h. V363 Aur is a bona fide SW Sex star, and AC Cnc is a probable one, while RZ Gru has not proven to be a member of the SW Sex subclass. We have carried out the first synthetic spectral analysis of far ultraviolet spectra of the three systems using state-of-the-art models both of accretion disks and white dwarf photospheres. We find that the FUV spectral energy distribution of both V363 Aur and RZ Gru are in agreement with optically thick steady state accretion disk models in which the luminous disk accounts for 100% of the FUV light. We present accretion rates and model-derived distances for V363 Aur and RZ Gru. For AC Cnc, we find that a hot accreting white dwarf accounts for $\sim$ 60% of the FUV light with an accretion disk providing the rest. We compare our accretion rates and model-derived distances with estimates in the literature.Comment: Accepted for publication in the PASP (February 2012 issue

The path to Z And-type outbursts: The case of V426 Sagittae (HBHA 1704-05)

Context. The star V426 Sge (HBHA 1704-05), originally classified as an emission-line object and a semi-regular variable, brightened at the beginning of August 2018, showing signatures of a symbiotic star outburst. Aims. We aim to confirm the nature of V426 Sge as a classical symbiotic star, determine the photometric ephemeris of the light minima, and suggest the path from its 1968 symbiotic nova outburst to the following 2018 Z And-type outburst. Methods. We re-constructed an historical light curve (LC) of V426 Sge from approximately the year 1900, and used original low- (R ∼ 500-1500; 330-880 nm) and high-resolution (R ∼ 11 000-34 000; 360-760 nm) spectroscopy complemented with Swift-XRT and UVOT, optical UBVRCIC and near-infrared JHKL photometry obtained during the 2018 outburst and the following quiescence. Results. The historical LC reveals no symbiotic-like activity from ∼1900 to 1967. In 1968, V426 Sge experienced a symbiotic nova outburst that ceased around 1990. From approximately 1972, a wave-like orbitally related variation with a period of 493.4 ± 0.7 days developed in the LC. This was interrupted by a Z And-type outburst from the beginning of August 2018 to the middle of February 2019. At the maximum of the 2018 outburst, the burning white dwarf (WD) increased its temperature to ? 2 × 105 K, generated a luminosity of ∼7 × 1037 (d/3.3 kpc)2 erg s-1 and blew a wind at the rate of ∼3 × 10-6 M yr-1. Our spectral energy distribution models from the current quiescent phase reveal that the donor is a normal M4-5 III giant characterised with Teff ∼ 3400 K, RG ∼ 106 (d/3.3 kpc) R and LG ∼ 1350 (d/3.3 kpc)2 L and the accretor is a low-mass ∼0.5 M WD. Conclusions. During the transition from the symbiotic nova outburst to the quiescent phase, a pronounced sinusoidal variation along the orbit develops in the LC of most symbiotic novae. The following eventual outburst is of Z And-type, when the accretion by the WD temporarily exceeds the upper limit of the stable burning. At this point the system becomes a classical symbiotic star.Fil: Skopal, A.. Astronomical Institute Slovak Academy Of Sciences; EslovaquiaFil: Shugarov, S. Y.. Lomonosov Moscow State University; Rusia. Astronomical Institute Slovak Academy Of Sciences; EslovaquiaFil: Munari, U.. Osservatorio Astronomico Di Padova; ItaliaFil: Masetti, N.. Inaf Istituto Di Astrofisica Spaziale E Fisica Cosmica, Bologna; Italia. Universidad Andrés Bello; ChileFil: Marchesini, Ezequiel Joaquín. Università di Torino; Italia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Komzík, R. M.. Astronomical Institute Slovak Academy Of Sciences; EslovaquiaFil: Kundra, E.. Astronomical Institute Slovak Academy Of Sciences; EslovaquiaFil: Shagatova, N.. Astronomical Institute Slovak Academy Of Sciences; EslovaquiaFil: Tarasova, T. N.. Crimean Astrophysical Observatory Ras; RusiaFil: Buil, C.. Castanet Tolosan Observatory; FranciaFil: Boussin, C.. Observatoire de L'eridan Et de la Chevelure de Bérénice; FranciaFil: Shenavrin, V. I.. Lomonosov Moscow State University; RusiaFil: Hambsch, F. J.. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; ItaliaFil: Dallaporta, S.. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; ItaliaFil: Frigolé, Cecilia Andrea. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; ItaliaFil: Gardey, Juan Cruz. Observatoire de la Tourbière; FranciaFil: Zubareva, A.. Institute Of Astronomy Of The Russian Academy Of Sciences; Rusia. Lomonosov Moscow State University; RusiaFil: Dubovský, P. A.. Vihorlat Observatory; EslovaquiaFil: Kroll, P.. Sonneberg Observatory; Alemani

Discovery of a WZ Sge-Type Dwarf Nova, SDSS J102146.44+234926.3: Unprecedented Infrared Activity during a Rebrightening Phase

Several SU UMa-type dwarf novae, in particular, WZ Sge-type stars tend to exhibit rebrightenings after superoutbursts. The rebrightening phenomenon is problematic for the disk instability theory of dwarf novae since it requires a large amount of remnant matter in the disk even after superoutbursts. Here, we report our optical and infrared observations during the first-ever outburst of a new dwarf nova, SDSS J102146.44+234926.3. During the outburst, we detected superhumps with a period of 0.056281 +/- 0.000015 d, which is typical for superhump periods in WZ Sge stars. In conjunction with the appearance of a long-lived rebrightening, we conclude that the object is a new member of WZ Sge stars. Our observations, furthermore, revealed infrared behaviors for the first time in the rebrightening phase of WZ Sge stars. We discovered prominent infrared superhumps. We calculate the color temperature of the infrared superhump source to be 4600-6400 K. These temperatures are too low to be explained with a fully-ionized disk appearing during dwarf nova outbursts. We also found a Ks-band excess over the hot disk component. These unprecedented infrared activities provide evidence for the presence of mass reservoir at the outermost part of the accretion disk. We propose that a moderately high mass-accretion rate at this infrared active region leads to the long-lived rebrightening observed in SDSS J102146.44+234926.3.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in PAS

OT J002656.6+284933 (CSS101212:002657+284933): An SU UMa-type dwarf nova with the longest superhump period

© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Astronomical Society of Japan. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email:. We observed the 2016 outburst of OT J002656.6+284933 (CSS101212:002657+284933) and found that it has the longest recorded [0.13225(1) d on average] superhumps among SU UMa-type dwarf novae. The object is the third known SU UMa-type dwarf nova above the period gap. The outburst, however, was unlike ordinary long-period SU UMa-type dwarf novae in that it s howed two post-outburst rebrightenings. It showed superhump evolution similar to short-period SU UMa-type dwarf novae. We could constrain the mass ratio to less than 0.15 (most likely between 0.10 and 0.15) by using superhump periods in the early and post-superoutburst stages. These results suggest the possibility that OT J002656.6+284933 has an anomalously undermassive secondary and it should have followed a different evolutionary track from the standard one

Survey of period variations of superhumps in SU UMa-type dwarf novae. VIII. The eighth year (2015-2016)

© The Author 2016.Continuing the project described by Kato et al. (2009, PASJ, 61, S395), we collected times of superhump maxima for 128 SUUMa-type dwarf novae observed mainly during the 2015-2016 season and characterized these objects. The data have improved the distribution of orbital periods, the relation between the orbital period and the variation of superhumps, and the relation between period variations and the rebrightening type in WZSge-type objects. Coupled with new measurements of mass ratios using growing stages of superhumps, we now have a clearer and statistically greatly improved evolutionary path near the terminal stage of evolution of cataclysmic variables. Three objects (V452 Cas, KK Tel, and ASASSN-15cl) appear to have slowly growing superhumps, which is proposed to reflect the slow growth of the 3 : 1 resonance near the stability border. ASASSN-15sl, ASASSN-15ux, SDSSJ074859.55+312512.6, and CRTS J200331.3-284941 are newly identified eclipsing SUUMa-type (or WZ Sge-type) dwarf novae. ASASSN- 15cy has a short (0.050 d) superhump period and appears to belong to EI Psc-type objects with compact secondaries having an evolved core. ASASSN-15gn, ASASSN- 15hn, ASASSN-15kh, and ASASSN-16bu are candidate period bouncers with superhump periods longer than 0.06 d. We have newly obtained superhump periods for 79 objects and 13 orbital periods, including periods from early superhumps. In order that future observations will be more astrophysically beneficial and rewarding to observers, we propose guidelines on how to organize observations of various superoutbursts

Survey of period variations of superhumps in SU UMa-type dwarf novae. VI. The sixth year (2013-2014)

© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Astronomical Society of Japan. All rights reserved. Continuing the project undertaken by Kato et al. (2009), we collected times of superhump maxima for 56 SU UMa-type dwarf novae mainly observed during the 2013-2014 season and characterized these objects. We detected negative superhumps in VW Hyi and indicated that the low number of normal outbursts in some supercycles can be interpreted as a result of disk tilt. This finding, combined with the Kepler observation of V1504 Cyg and V344 Lyr, suggests that disk tilt is responsible for modulating the outburst pattern in SU UMa-type dwarf novae. We also studied the deeply eclipsing WZ Sge-type dwarf nova MASTER OT J005740.99+443101.5 and found evidence of a sharp eclipse during the phase of early superhumps. The profile can be reproduced by a combination of the eclipse of the axisymmetric disk and the uneclipsed light source of early superhumps. This finding shows the lack of evidence for a greatly enhanced hot spot during the early stage of WZ Sge-type outburst. We detected growing (stage A) superhumps in MN Dra and give a suggestion that some of SU UMa-type dwarf novae situated near the critical condition of tidal instability may show long-lasting stage A superhumps. The large negative period derivatives reported in such systems can be understood as a result of the combination of stage A and B superhumps. Two WZ Sge-type dwarf novae, AL Com and ASASSN-13ck, showed a long-lasting (plateau-type) rebrightening. In the early phase of their rebrightenings, both objects showed a precursor-like outburst, suggesting that the long-lasting rebrightening is triggered by a precursor outburst

Survey of period variations of superhumps in SU UMa-type dwarf novae. VII. the seventh year (2014-2015)

© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Astronomical Society of Japan. All rights reserved. Continuing the project described by Kato et al. (2009, PASJ, 61, S395), we collected times of superhump maxima for 102 SU UMa-type dwarf novae, observed mainly during the 2014-2015 season, and characterized these objects. Our project has greatly improved the statistics of the distribution of orbital periods, which is a good approximation of the distribution of cataclysmic variables at the terminal evolutionary stage, and has confirmed the presence of a period minimum at a period of 0.053 d and a period spike just above this period. The number density monotonically decreased toward the longer period and there was no strong indication of a period gap. We detected possible negative superhumps in Z Cha. It is possible that normal outbursts are also suppressed by the presence of a disk tilt in this system. There was no indication of enhanced orbital humps just preceding the superoutburst, and this result favors the thermal-tidal disk instability as the origin of superoutbursts. We detected superhumps in three AM CVn-type dwarf novae. Our observations and recent other detections suggest that 8% of objects showing dwarf nova-type outbursts are AM CVn-type objects. AM CVn-type objects and EI Psc-type objects may be more abundant than previously recognized. OT J213806, a WZ Sge-type object, exhibited remarkably different features between the 2010 and 2014 superoutbursts. Although the 2014 superoutburst was much fainter, the plateau phase was shorter than the 2010 one, and the course of the rebrightening phase was similar. This object indicates that the O - C diagrams of superhumps can indeed be variable, at least in WZ Sge-type objects. Four deeply eclipsing SU UMa-type dwarf novae (ASASSN-13cx, ASASSN-14ag, ASASSN-15bu, and NSV 4618) were identified. We studied long-term trends in supercycles in MM Hya and CY UMa and found systematic variations of supercycles of ∼20%