Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
1998-05-31
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
5 pages, incl. 4 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS
Scientific paper
We consider a recently-proposed alternative explanation of the CV period gap in terms of a revised mass-radius relation for the lower main sequence. We show that no such thermal-equilibrium relation is likely to produce a true gap. Using population synthesis techniques we calculate a model population that obeys the claimed equilibrium mass-radius relation. A theoretical period histogram obtained from this population shows two prominent period spikes rather than a gap. We consider also recent arguments suggesting that the period gap itself may not be real. We argue that, far from demonstrating a weakness of the interrupted-braking picture, the fact that most CV subtypes prefer one side of the gap or the other is actually an expected consequence of it.
King Andrew R.
Kolb Ulrich
Ritter Hans
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