THE GEOMETRY AND IONIZATION STRUCTURE OF THE WIND IN THE ECLIPSING NOVA-LIKE VARIABLES RW TRI AND UX UMa

Journal Article · Fri Aug 20 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/719/2/1932· OSTI ID:21457045

Noebauer, Ulrich M; Long, Knox S ^[1]; Sim, Stuart A ^[2]; Knigge, Christian ^[3]

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1. Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
2. Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, 85748 Garching (Germany)
3. Department of Physics, University of Southampton, Southampton, S017 1BJ (United Kingdom)

The UV spectra of nova-like variables are dominated by emission from the accretion disk, modified by scattering in a wind emanating from the disk. Here, we model the spectra of RW Tri and UX UMa, the only two eclipsing nova-like variables which have been observed with the Hubble Space Telescope in the far-ultraviolet, in an attempt to constrain the geometry and the ionization structure of their winds. Using our Monte Carlo radiative transfer code, we computed spectra for simply parameterized axisymmetric biconical outflow models and were able to find plausible models for both systems. These reproduce the primary UV resonance lines-N V, Si IV, and C IV-in the observed spectra in and out of eclipse. The distribution of these ions in the wind models is similar in both cases as is the extent of the primary scattering regions in which these lines are formed. The inferred mass-loss rates are 6%-8% of the mass accretion rates for the systems. We discuss the implication of our point models for our understanding of accretion disk winds in cataclysmic variables.

• OSTI ID: 21457045
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 719, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/719/2/1932; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ACCRETION DISKS
AXIAL SYMMETRY
ECLIPSE
FAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
IONIZATION
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NOVAE
TELESCOPES
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA
BINARY STARS
CALCULATION METHODS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
STARS
SYMMETRY
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VARIABLE STARS