Disappearance of periodic x-ray minima in AM Her

Technical Report · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6846022

Priedhorsky, W; Marshall, F J; Hearn, D R

Optical, soft x-ray, and medium energy x-ray measurements taken during an unusual high state of AM Her are reported. The x-ray and secondary optical minima disappeared from the light curve. The x-ray flux varied periodically. In each x-ray band, the flux during the expected phase of minimum was approximately the same as the average during the rest of the cycle. The optical and medium energy x-ray fluxes were at all-time highs; however, the soft x-ray flux was low by a factor of 3 compared to the nominal high state. This change in the ratio of medium to soft x-ray flux is difficult to fit into the standard scenario for AM Her, where soft x-rays are interpreted as reprocessed optical and medium energy x-ray flux. The peculiar light curve of AM Her was probably caused by a small shift in the position of the accretion column with respect to the rotation axis, so that the normal grazing eclipse of the accretion column did not take place.

• Research Organization: Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik und Astrophysik, Garching (Germany, F.R.)
• OSTI ID: 6846022
• Report Number(s): MPE-PREPRINT-2; ETN-86-98212
• 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
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
ACCRETION DISKS
DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUX DENSITY
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
SPECTRA
STELLAR RADIATION
VARIATIONS
X-RAY SPECTRA