Mass Transfer Rate and Outburst Cycle of SS Cygni
Abstract
From an analysis of the SS Cygni light curve, we have recently shown (Hempelmann & Kurths, 1990) that the rate of mass transfer, M-dot(T), from the secondary star to the white dwarf primary is inversely correlated with the outburst cycle, t(c). This has been criticized as being of a trivial nature by Cannizzo & Mattei (1992). We demonstrate the nontrivial character of our finding by means of a gedankenexperiment which is based on the static outburst parameters observed. We show in this experiment that a positive M-dot(T)-t(c) correlation is possible. The negative correlation found by Hempelmann & Kurths (1990) is a consequence of the dynamics of small and strong outbursts.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- July 1993
- DOI:
- 10.1086/186935
- Bibcode:
- 1993ApJ...412L..41H
- Keywords:
-
- Dwarf Novae;
- Mass Transfer;
- Stellar Activity;
- Stellar Mass Accretion;
- Light Curve;
- Periodic Variations;
- Stellar Oscillations;
- Astrophysics;
- ACCRETION;
- ACCRETION DISKS;
- STARS: NOVAE;
- CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES;
- STARS: INDIVIDUAL CONSTELLATION NAME: SS CYGNI