A spectroscopic, photometric, and X-ray study of the DQ Herculis system 1H0542-407

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/167806· OSTI ID:5288820

Buckley, D A.H.; Tuohy, I R ^[1]

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1. Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories, Canberra (Australia)

Spectroscopic and photometric observations of the DQ Herculis binary 1H0542-407 are reported, and models are derived based on these and earlier observations. The system consists of a high-mass, about 1.3 solar mass white dwarf with a spin period of 1911 sec in a 5.7-h orbital period with about a 0.6 solar mass M0 dwarf secondary. The system is viewed at low inclination, so that only one accreting pole is observed. An accretion disk is disrupted by the white dwarf's magnetic field at a distance of about 20,000 km. The gas subsequently accretes along the field lines in the manner of an auroral curtain or arc. A strong shock is produced just above the surface, with the hot gas cooling via bremsstrahlung emission, producing a luminosity of (5-10) x 10 to the 34th ergs/sec. It is shown that the magnetospheric gating model is inapplicable to the star unless the magnetic field strength is inordinately high. 84 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5288820
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 344; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCRETION DISKS
BALMER LINES
BINARY STARS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
DWARF STARS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LUMINOSITY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC STARS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOTION
NOVAE
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORBITS
PHOTOMETRY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
ROTATION
SHOCK WAVES
SPECTROSCOPY
STAR MODELS
STARS
VARIABLE STARS
WHITE DWARF STARS
X RADIATION