The Relative Abundances of Carbon and its Isotopes in Cataclysmic Variables

Details The Relative Abundances of Carbon and its Isotopes in Cataclysmic Variables The Relative Abundances of Carbon and its Isotopes in Cataclysmic Variables

Feb 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002noao.prop....4h&link_type=abstract

NOAO Proposal ID #2002A-0004

Physics

Scientific paper

We have an NSF-funded program to investigate the chemical and isotopic abundances of carbon in the photospheres of the secondary stars of cataclysmic variables. We propose to use OSIRIS on the CTIO 4 m to obtain medium resolution K-band spectra of a sample of ~ 15 cataclysmic variables (CVs). We will use these spectra to examine the chemical and isotopic abundances of carbon in the photospheres of their secondary stars. Models of close binary star evolution predict that both the abundance and isotopic ratio (^12C/^13C) decrease as the secondary star losses mass. Observations we have obtained using CRSP on the KPNO 2.1m confirm this scenario for a number of longer- period CV systems. We propose to observe a larger sample of CVs covering the entire observed range in orbital period to determine if the model predictions are correct. In addition, the chemical and isotopic abundances depend on the evolutionary history of the CV. Models by Marks & Sarna (1998) predict that if the CV accreted significant material from the common envelope phase, or from earlier classical novae eruptions, the chemical and isotopic abundances will be different from scenarios where this did not occur. To examine this, we will observe a few classical novae to investigate whether their secondary stars reveal evidence for this isotopic enrichment. Our program requires two nights with OSIRIS on the CTIO 4m in 2002A.

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