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A Search for Superhumps in Possible SW Sextantis Stars. A.J. Carver 2005 CTIO REU Student University of Wisconsin-Madison Mentors: Alan Whiting (CTIO) & Linda Schmidtobreick (ESO) March 24, 2005 acarver@wisc.edu or ajcarver@u.washington.edu. 1. Discovery of U Gem. MNRAS Vol. 16. 2. 2.
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A Search for Superhumps in Possible SW Sextantis Stars A.J. Carver 2005 CTIO REU Student University of Wisconsin-Madison Mentors: Alan Whiting (CTIO) & Linda Schmidtobreick (ESO) March 24, 2005 acarver@wisc.edu or ajcarver@u.washington.edu 1
Discovery of U Gem MNRAS Vol. 16 2 2
Cataclysmic Variables (CVs) • Close Binary Systems • Red Dwarf (RD) and White Dwarf (WD) • RD fills its Roche lobe and loses matter to WD • Matter often forms a disc around WD • Matter hitting disc creates ‘hot spot’ 3
Discs and Rapid Variability CVs - Unique Opportunity to Study Accretion Discs Changes on Short Time Scales 4
CV Classifications • Classical Nova (CN) - One observed outburst, outbursts of 6 - 19 magnitudes • Recurrent Nova (RN) - Multiple observed outbursts • Dwarf Nova (DN) - Outbursts with smaller change in magnitude, typical outbursts of 2 - 5 magnitudes • Nova-Like variables (NL) - non-eruptive CVs possibly pre-novae, post-novae • Polars - have the strongest magnetic fields • Intermediate Polars (IP) - weaker magnetic fields 5
SW Sextantis Stars • Subset of NLs • Typically eclipsing • High velocity emission line wings • Line core absorption near phase 0.5 • Orbital periods of 3-4hrs • Thought to have large discs and high mass transfer 6
Superhumps • Light curve feature • Period slightly longer than CV orbital period • Often triangular in shape • For DN superhumps are observed during superoutbursts Thought to be caused by energy dissipation of colliding disc orbits 7
The Project • Search for Superhumps in possible SW Sextantis Stars • Selected four stars to observe: AH Men, V1193 Ori, IM Eri, and V393 Hya • Searching for new systems to observe that can help constrain disc models 8
Observing • Seven REU observing nights • January 25 - January 31, 2005 • Observers: S. Aggarwal, C. Bendersky, B. Brandvig, A.J. Carver, B. Mills, L. Pérez, S. Points, D. Semler, O. Valdivia, & A. Whiting • .9m (36”) Cassegrain Telescope • 2048x2046 CCD w/ quad readout • 1024x1024 ROI used (ROI bias & flats taken) • 30 second exposures • V filter (5443Å peak 1060Å FWHM) 9
Reduction • Data reduced using IRAF • Reduced Image = (Raw Image - Bias)/Flat Field • Averaged 43 dome flats (from nights 2, 4, 5, 6, 7) • Averaged 63 biases (from nights 2, 4, 5, 6, 7) • IRAF tasks: imexam, phot, txdump, imcopy, imdel, quadproc, zerocombine, flatcombine • Telescope drift slowed reduction process • Determined bins of five successive image successfully kept star in aperture 10
V393 Hya Other Name: EC 10578-2935 RA: 11:00:17.45 DEC: -29:51:58.9 Galactic Longitude: 276 Galactic Latitude: 27 Object Type: NL Magnitude Range: 15.9V Outburst Year: Period: 0.135d (~3h 15m) 5’x5’ UK - F/70 11
AH Men Other Name: Men1; 1H 0551-819 RA: 06:11:44.07 DEC: -81:49:24.1 Galactic Longitude: 294 Galactic Latitude: -28 Object Type: NL/DQ: Magnitude Range: 13.2 V -14.0 V Outburst Year: Period: 0.12721d (~3h) 5’x5’ UK - F/70 19
Summary & Conclusions • Flickering observed in V393 Hya light curve • Superhumps not observed in V393 Hya light curve • Flickering observed in AH Men light curve • Broad features observe in AH Men light curve • Superhump candidates in AH Men • AH Men has been observed before 34
Future & Recommendations • Observe V1193 Ori and IM Eri • If an interesting system is found, take synchronous spectral and photometric data • Double check for star aliases • Observe target continuously for as long as possible (for at least two complete periods) • Help the reducer - make sure tracking is working! 35
Thank You Alan Whiting & Linda Schmidtobreick Don McCarthy, Bob Morse, Ken Nordsieck, Cary Forest, Aaron Steffen, Mike Stamatikos, Stefan Gerhardt, Masaaki Yamada 36
For More Information acarver@wisc.edu ajcarver@u.washington.edu lschmidt@eso.org whiting@ctiosz.ctio.noao.edu http://www.ctio.noao.edu/REU/ctioreu_2005/Projects2005/acarver/index.html 37