Model for eclipsing cataclysmic variables

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5364952

Magnuson, J A

A new and improved model was developed to derive the elements of eclipsing cataclysmic variables (CVs). Roche geometry was used to simulate the eclipse of a flat accretion disk, which was divided into multiple equipotential rings of black-body spectral contribution. The temperature of each ring was adjusted, using a chi-square fitting routine, until the data and the simulations achieved a best-fit value. Only the rising side of the eclipse light curve was used, in order to avoid asymmetries in the disk produced by the shock bulge and hot spot. Time-resolved spectroscopic data for two eclipsing cataclysmic variables (CVs), LX Serpentis and DQ Herculis, were obtained on the 1.3 meter McGraw-Hill telescope at Kitt Peak, Arizona. Seven sets of eclipse data for each star were phase binned in order to suppress the random variability common to such CV systems. The phase of the Balmer-line eclipse minimum leads photometric minimum by 0.0066 cycles for both CV systems. The phase of the Balmer-line minimum is used as the phase of conjunction in the model. From analysis of the data, a mass ratio of 1.06 +/- 0.1 and an inclination angle of 80 +/- 3/sup 0/ were found for LX Ser, while the results for DQ Her were 0.76 +/- 0.1 and 87 +/- 3/sup 0/, respectively. Two hot, roughly 9000/sup 0/K, rings were found in each accretion disk system.

• Research Organization: Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5364952
• 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
BLACKBODY RADIATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
INCLINATION
MASS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
RADIATIONS
STAR MODELS
STARS
VARIABLE STARS