Cyclotron spectra from inhomogeneous accretion columns

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/166605· OSTI ID:6696741

Wu, K; Chanmugam, G

The cyclotron emission from infinite plasma cylinders with uniform magnetic fields, and temperatures, but with a variety of axially symmetric electron density profiles, is calculated. Such inhomogeneous plasmas are shown to be able to produce relatively flat spectra which cannot be produced by homogeneous models. Fits to the optical and infrared continua of the AM Herculis systems ST LMi, V834 Cen, and EF Eri are presented. For ST LMi and V834 Cen, good fits are obtained using a two-core model in which a dense inner cylindrical core with a temperature of 10 keV produces most of the observed X-rays, and both this core and the less dense outer shell produce the optical continuum. For EF Eri, the corresponding temperature is about 15 keV. The average value of the dimensionless plasma parameter Lambda is about 10 to the 6th - 10 to the 7th. 30 references.

• Research Organization: Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6696741
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 331; ISSN ASJOA
• 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
BINARY STARS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
CYCLOTRON RADIATION
DWARF STARS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON DENSITY
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
INTERSTELLAR MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
MOTION
PLASMA
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RADIATIONS
ROTATION
STARS
VARIABLE STARS
WHITE DWARF STARS