Observations of Interesting Cataclysmic Variables
Abstract
Cataclysmic Variables (CVs) comprise one category of active mass transfer binaries containing a white dwarf accreting from an orbiting late main-sequence companion. Undoubtedly, non-magnetic CVs, intermediate polars and polars constitute a powerful probe of the structure of accretion onto white dwarfs and the theories of angular momentum loss, which elucidate the long-term evolution leading to the formation of these short period compact binaries. Combining photometric and spectroscopic data from space and ground telescopes can lead to novel discoveries. The SDSS survey provided a large dataset of spectra of different types of CVs. Followup photometry and spectroscopy is still underway to determine the unique properties of the objects identified as CVs. The Kepler program provided the first look at the variability of CVs over a continuous timescale of months. The extension of the program to the K2 fields allows further sets of CVs to be explored. We present some interesting results for several new CVs found in the SDSS and Kepler surveys which include their behavior during quiescence and outburst. These observations further demonstrate the complexities of CVs. This research was partially funded by CAS visiting scholar grant, NSF grant AST-1008734 and NASA grant HST-GO12870.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #225
- Pub Date:
- January 2015
- Bibcode:
- 2015AAS...22531004D