Phase-Resolved UV Spectroscopy of V834 Cen and MR Ser in High and Intermediate States

Abstract

We present a spectroscopic study of two polar systems, V834 Cen and MR Ser observed with IUE (International Ultraviolet Explorer) obtained during the period 1982-1991 and 1982-1987 for both systems respectively, to diagnose the ultraviolet fluxes of C IV 1550 and He II 1640 emission lines originating in the accretion stream during different orbital phases. Two spectra for both systems showing the variations in line fluxes at different orbital phases in high and intermediate states are presented. We concentrated on calculating the line fluxes of C IV & He II emission lines. Our results show that there is spectral variability for the line fluxes at different times, similar to that for optical spectrum of V834 Cen [1] and similar to that for the light curves of MR Ser [2]. We attribute this spectral variability to the variations of mass accretion rate [3]. Also we found that the line fluxes of both CIV and He II for V834 Cen are greater than the line fluxes of MR Ser.

Share and Cite:

M. Sanad and M. Bobrowsky, "Phase-Resolved UV Spectroscopy of V834 Cen and MR Ser in High and Intermediate States," International Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 2 No. 4, 2012, pp. 218-224. doi: 10.4236/ijaa.2012.24028.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] A. D. Schwope, H.-C. Thomas, K. Beuermann and K. Reinsch, “A Spectroscopic Ephemeris of the Secondary Star in the AM Herculis Binary V 834 Centauri,” Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 267, No. 1, 1993, p. 103.
[2] M. P. Diaz and D. Cieslinski, “Multiline Dopple Imaging Of MR Ser in High State,” Astronomical Journal, Vol. 137, No. 1, 2009, p. 296.
[3] C. W. Mauche, “Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Phase-Resolved Spectroscopy of V834 Centauri,” The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 578, No. 1 2002, p. 439. doi:10.1086/342364
[4] K. Beuermann, “Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific,” Publications of the Astronomical Society, Vol. 114, No. 794, 2002, p. 427. doi:10.1086/342494
[5] M. Cropper, “The Polars,” Space Science Reviews, Vol. 54, 1990, p. 195.
[6] B. Warner, “Cataclysmic Variable Stars,” Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1995.
[7] K. Wu, M. Cropper, G. Ramsay, C. J. Saxton and C. Bridge, “Accretion Flow in Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables,” Chinese Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 3, Suppl. 1, 2003, p. 235. doi:10.1088/1009-9271/3/S1/235
[8] M. Cropper, J. W. Menzies and S. Tapia, “E1405-451— Three Seasons of Polarimetry and Photometry,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 218, 1986, p. 201.
[9] M. Cropper, “The Accretion Region in AM HER Systems—Insights from polarimetry of V834 CEN,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 236, 1989, p. 935.
[10] L. Ferrario, D. T. Wickramasinghe, J. Bailey, J. H. Hough and I. R. Tuohy, “Detection of Photospheric Zeeman Features and Cyclotron Emission Lines in V834 CEN in a Low State,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 256, No. 2, 1992, p. 252.
[11] S. Tapia, “E 1405-451 and E 1013-477,” International Astronomical Union Circulars, IAUC, Nos, 1982, pp. 3684-3685.
[12] N. Visvanathan and I. Tuohy, “Linear Polarization Measurements of the AM Herculis Objects H0139-68 and E1405-451,” Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 275, 1983, pp. 709-712. doi:10.1086/161568
[13] A. D. Schwope and K. Beuermann, “Cyclotron and Zeeman Spectroscopy of V834 Centauri,” Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 238, No. 1-2, 1990, p. 173.
[14] E. M. Puchnarewicz, K. O. Mason, P. G. Murdin and D. T. Wickramasinghe, “Low-State Spectroscopy of V834 CEN (E1405-451),” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 244, 1990, p. 20.
[15] M. Cropper, K. Wu, G. Ramsay and A. Kocabiyik, “Effects of Gravity on the Structure of Post-Shock Accretion Flows in Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 306, No. 3, 1999, pp. 684-690. doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.1999.02570.x
[16] G. Ramsay, “Determining the Mass of the Accreting White Dwarf in Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables Using RXTE Data,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 314, No. 2, 2000, pp. 403-408. doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03239.x
[17] M. Cropper, “The Orientations of the Magnetic Pole in AM HER Systems—Implications for Synchronous Rotation and Selection Effects,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 231, 1988, p. 597.
[18] J. A. Nousek and S. H. Pravdo, “IUE Observations of E1405-451—A New AM Herculis Type Cataclysmic Variable,” Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 266, 1983, pp. L39-L43. doi:10.1086/183974
[19] L. Maraschi, A. Treves, E. G. Tanzi, M. Mouchet, A. Lauberts, C. Motch, J. M. Bonnet Bidaud and M. M. Phillips, “Coordinated UV and Optical Observations of the AM Herculis Object E1405-451 in the High and Low States,” Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 285, 1984, pp. 214-222. doi:10.1086/162494
[20] J. P. Osborne, et al., “X-Ray Astronomy 84: International Symposium on X-Ray Astronomy, Bologna,” Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, 1984, p. 59.
[21] A. D. Schwope, K. Beuermann, S. Jordan and H. C. Thomas, “Cyclotron and Zeeman Spectroscopy of MR Serpentis in Low and High States of Accretion,” Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 278, No. 2, 1993, p. 487.
[22] J. Bailey, “The Distances of Cataclysmic Variables,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 197, 1981, p. 31.
[23] G. Berriman and N. Reid, “Observations of M Dwarfs beyond 2.2 Microns,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 227, 1987, p. 315.
[24] N. Reid and G. Gilmore, “New Light on Faint Stars. V— Infrared Photometry and the H-R Diagram for Very Low Mass Dwarfs,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 206, 1984, p. 19.
[25] S. Araujo-Betancor, B. T. G?nsicke, K. S. Long, K. Beuermann, D. de Martino, E. M. Sion and P. Szkody, “Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables,” The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 622, No. 1, 2005, p. 589. doi:10.1086/427914
[26] K. Mukai and P. A. Charles, “Orbital Motion of the Secondary in Three AM HER Systems—Evidence for Low- Mass White Dwarfs,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 226, 1987, p. 209.
[27] T. Shahbaz and J. H. Wood, “The System Parameters of the Polars MR SER and ST LMi,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 282, No. 2 1996, p. 362.
[28] T. E. Harrison, H. L. Osborne and S. B. Howell, “The Detection of Abundance Anomalies in the Infrared Spectra of Cataclysmic Variables: Shorter Period Systems,” The Astronomical Journal, Vol. 129 No. 5, 2005, p. 2400.
[29] P. Szkody, J. Liebert and R. J. Panek, “IUE Results on the AM Herculis Stars CW 1103, E1114, and PG 1550,” Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 293, 1985, pp. 321-327. doi:10.1086/163239
[30] Szkody, Paula., Mateo, Mario., Downes, Ronald. 1988, PASP, 100, 362S
[31] R. González-Riestra, A. Cassatella and W. Wamsteker, “White Dwarfs in Cataclysmic Variables - Low State IUE Observations of V794 Aquilae, MR Serpentis, and an Ursae Majoris,” Astronomical Society of the Pacific Publications, Vol. 100, 1988 p. 362.
[32] P. M. Rodríguez-Pascual, R. N. González-RiestraSchartel and W. Wamsteker, “The IUE INES System: Improved Data Extraction Procedures for IUE,” Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement, Vol. 139, 1999, p. 183.
[33] M. Livio and J. E. Pringle, “Star Spots and the Period Gap in Cataclysmic Variables,” Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 427, 1994, pp. 956-960. doi:10.1086/174202
[34] K. Wu and L. L. Kiss, “High and Low States of the System AM Herculis,” Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 481, No. 2, 2008, p. 433.
[35] A. Boggess, F. A. Carr, D. C. Evans, D. Fischel, H. R. Freeman, C. F. Fuechsel, D. A. Klingle Smith, V. L. Krueger, G. W. Longanecker and J. V. Moore, “The IUE Spacecraft and Instrumentation,” Nature, Vol. 275, No. 5679, 1978, pp. 372-377. doi:10.1038/275372a0
[36] S. R. Rosen, K. O. Mason and F. A. Cordova, “Phase-Resolved Optical Spectroscopy of the AM HER System E1405-451,” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 224, 1987, p. 987.
[37] F. Bruhweiler, “Private Communication,” 2002.
[38] D. D. Lenz and T. R. Ayers, “Errors Associated with Fitting Gaussian Profiles to Noisy Emission-Line Spectra,” Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Vol. 104, 1992, p. 1104.

Copyright © 2023 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.