New evidence on the nature of the soft X-ray source in AM Herculis from HEAO 1

Details New evidence on the nature of the soft X-ray source in AM Herculis from HEAO 1 New evidence on the nature of the soft X-ray source in AM Herculis from HEAO 1

Nov 1978

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1978apj...226l..17t&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal, Part 2 - Letters to the Editor, vol. 226, Nov. 15, 1978, p. L17-L20.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

63

Astronomical Spectroscopy, Binary Stars, Ultraviolet Astronomy, X Ray Stars, Black Body Radiation, Heao 1, Light Curve, Luminous Intensity, White Dwarf Stars

Scientific paper

Results are reported for scanning observations of AM Herculis from HEAO 1 during the period September 22-October 12, 1977. The soft X-ray light curve constructed from the observations shows considerable scatter in intensity, together with clear evidence for a residual flux during X-ray minimum. At X-ray maximum the flux in the energy range 0.15-0.5 keV is typically 8 x 10 to the -10th power erg/sq cm per sec. The spectrum of AM Her is characterized by a sharp turnover at 0.2 keV and is well described by a blackbody model with absorption. There is no appreciable change in the spectrum with binary phase. The present observations, when combined with theoretical models, imply that the soft X-rays are produced by the heated surface of the degenerate dwarf component, and that the surface has a temperature of approximately 400,000 K and a luminosity about 30 times that observed at optical or hard X-ray wavelengths. AM Her is predicted to be a spectacular UV source, with an intrinsic UV luminosity comparable to that in soft X-rays.

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