P. Vitello et I. Shlosman, ULTRAVIOLET LINE DIAGNOSTICS OF ACCRETION DISK WINDS IN CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES, The Astrophysical journal, 410(2), 1993, pp. 815-828
The IUE data base is used to analyze the UV line shapes of the catacly
smic variables RW Sex, RW Tri, and V Sge. Observed lines are compared
to synthetic line profiles computed using a model of rotating biconica
l winds from accretion disks. The wind model calculates the wind ioniz
ation structure self-consistently including photoionization from the d
isk and boundary layer and treats three-dimensional line radiation tra
nsfer in the Sobolev approximation. It is found that winds from accret
ion disks provide a good fit for reasonable parameters to the observed
UV lines which include the P Cygni profiles for low-inclination syste
ms and pure emission at large inclination. Disk winds are preferable t
o spherical winds which originate on the white dwarf because they (1)
require a much lower ratio of mass-loss rate to accretion rate and are
therefore more plausible energetically, (2) provide a natural source
for a bi-conical distribution of mass outflow which produces strong sc
attering far above the disk leading to P Cygni profiles for low-inclin
ation systems and pure line emission profiles at high inclination with
the absence of eclipses in UV lines, and (3) produce rotation-broaden
ed pure emission lines at high inclination.