Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2006-06-08
Astrophys.J.646:L65-L68,2006
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Accepted to ApJ Letters
Scientific paper
10.1086/506558
We present the first observations of magnetic cataclysmic variables with the Spitzer Space Telescope. We used the Infrared Array Camera to obtain photometry of the polars EF Eri, GG Leo, V347 Pav, and RX J0154.0-5947 at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0 $\mu$m. In all of our targets, we detect excess mid-infrared emission over that expected from the component stars alone. We explore the origin of this IR excess by examining bremsstrahlung, cyclotron emission, circumbinary dust, and L/T brown dwarf secondary stars. Bremsstrahlung and cyclotron emission appear unlikely to be significant contributors to the observed fluxes. At present, the most likely candidate for the excess emission is dust that is probably located in a circumbinary disk with an inner temperature near 800 K. However, a simple dust disk plus any reasonable low mass or brown dwarf-like secondary star is unable to fully explain the observed flux densities in the 3--8 $\mu$m region.
Beth Thomas Howard Chun
Brinkworth Carolyn
Ciardi David R.
Harrison Thomas
Hoard Donald Wayne
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