V1500 Cygni - discovery of a magnetic nova

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/166652· OSTI ID:6696934

Stockman, H S; Schmidt, G D; Lamb, D Q

Polarimetric observations of V1500 Cygni, the remnant of Nova Cygni 1975, reveal periodic variations of optical circular polarization with semi-amplitudes of about + or - 1.5 pct. Measured over a six-month baseline, the period of variation, 0.137154 + or - 0.000004 days, is 1.8 percent shorter than the stable photometric period, 0.1396129 days, obtained by Patterson (1979), and refined by Kaluzny and Semeniuk (1987). The circular polarization is interpreted as high-harmonic optical cyclotron emission from an accreting, magnetic white dwarf primary. However, the dominant system light and photometric variability are due to the heated companion star. In this picture, the prenova system was a synchronized AM Herculis-type magnetic variable. During the outburst and subsequent dense-wind phase, coupling between the white dwarf and the expanded envelope and the interaction of the orbiting secondary star were responsible for the asynchronism of the current system and the remarkable photometric variations observed in 1975-1976. Other unusual characteristics of Nova Cygni 1975 are also explained by this model. 28 references.

• Research Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD (USA); Steward Observatory, Tucson, AZ (USA); Chicago Univ., IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6696934
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 332; 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
BINARY STARS
DWARF STARS
EMISSION SPECTRA
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
MAGNETIC STARS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NOVAE
POLARIZATION
SPECTRA
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
STAR ACCRETION
STAR EVOLUTION
STAR MODELS
STARS
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR WINDS
VARIABLE STARS
VARIATIONS
WHITE DWARF STARS