Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
May 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007aas...210.0401p&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society Meeting 210, #04.01; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.99
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
Accreting close binaries containing a highly magnetic white dwarf, termed polars, can sometimes undergo prolonged periods of low accretion rates. The optical fluxes of such low-state polars are dimmer by several magnitudes; however, excess emission over that from the bare white dwarf and late type secondary is still typically seen from the IR to the X-ray. This excess emission has been successfully modeled by hot spots (10^4-10^5 K) near the white dwarf's magnetic poles in high states. In this poster, we present GALEX near and far ultraviolet light curves of 2 polars (EF ERI and SDSSJ155331+5516) taken during extremely low accretion rate stages. These UV data (supplemented with optical light curves) place strong constraints on the physical properties of EF ERI and SDSS1553. We discuss our results from hot spot modeling of these 2 systems, and we discuss alternative explanations for the excess UV radiation, such as emission of cyclotron harmonics, and heating via irradiation of the white dwarf atmosphere. Support for this research was provided by NASA GALEX grant NNG05GG46G.
Bianchi Luciana
Harrison Thomas E.
Howell Steve B.
Linnell Peter A.
Plotkin Richard M.
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