The ChaMPlane project: Spectroscopic followup and theoretical modeling
Abstract
The ChaMPlane project is a multiwavelength survey designed to classify the serendipitous X-ray sources detected within the Galactic plane. The detection of CVs is of particular interest as to date nearly all CVs have been detected serendipitously during the course of other projects. The ChaMPlane project will result in a well-determined volume sample of CVs that will result in well- defined spatial parameters for the CV distribution in the Galaxy.
Targets for CV detection are determined by finding X-ray sources in archival Chandra data and finding Ha-excess objects in images taken of the same fields. Classification of these targets is done using spectra acquired with Hydra at WIYN. To translate the observations into CV space density parameters, a Monte- Carlo model of the CV distribution of the Galaxy is used, with input parameters being the local CV space density and scale height. To date, with somewhat limited data (4 CV detections in anticenter fields), the observational results are consistent (within 2s error limits) with the predictions made by the model using published values of the local CV space density and scale heights. The limitation imposed on the model by the question of CV luminosity variations results in the model placing an upper bound on the CV space density. For a CV distribution with a scale height of 160 pc, the ChaMPlane observations are best fit by a CV local space density of [Special characters omitted.] x 10 -5 pc - 3 .- Publication:
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Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- 2005
- Bibcode:
- 2005PhDT........14R
- Keywords:
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- ChaMPlane project;
- Cataclysmic variables;
- X-ray binary stars;
- Quasars;
- Astronomy, Astrophysics