Ultraviolet and Optical Spectroscopy of AL Comae 1 Year after Superoutburst

Details Ultraviolet and Optical Spectroscopy of AL Comae 1 Year after Superoutburst Ultraviolet and Optical Spectroscopy of AL Comae 1 Year after Superoutburst

Apr 1998

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1998apj...497..928s&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal v.497, p.928

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

24

Stars: Novae, Cataclysmic Variables, Stars: Individual Constellation Name: Al Comae, Ultraviolet: Stars, Stars: White Dwarfs

Scientific paper

We present Hubble Space Telescope (HST) ultraviolet spectra of AL Com obtained with the Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS) during four epochs 10-14 months following its 1995 April superoutburst. During our 1996 observations, the continuum fluxes underwent a slow decline of 20%, while the spectrum showed Ly alpha and Si II absorption features indicative of a 20,000 K white dwarf. The cooling sequence in AL Com is found to be about half as long as that of WZ Sge. This timescale is what is predicted for an outburst that was half the duration of WZ Sge, if shear mixing and angular momentum result in nonspherical accretion into an equatorial belt. Our longest data set (1996 June) showed spectral line variations on the orbital period with C IV in emission for about one-third of the orbit but revealed no orbital variability in the continuum. Ground-based optical spectra obtained close in time to our February HST data also show stronger line emission for one-third of an orbit and highly variable broad absorption from the secondary star. The spectral variations may be due to the changing visibility of a nonuniform disk or of a secondary star irradiated by the hot white dwarf.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Ultraviolet and Optical Spectroscopy of AL Comae 1 Year after Superoutburst does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Ultraviolet and Optical Spectroscopy of AL Comae 1 Year after Superoutburst, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ultraviolet and Optical Spectroscopy of AL Comae 1 Year after Superoutburst will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1602758