Archival HST and IUE study of the dwarf novae AH Herculis and CM Delphini:Exposed white dwarfs?

Citation
K. Lyons et al., Archival HST and IUE study of the dwarf novae AH Herculis and CM Delphini:Exposed white dwarfs?, ASTRONOM J, 122(1), 2001, pp. 327-331
Citations number
17
Categorie Soggetti
Space Sciences
Journal title
ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL
ISSN journal
00046256 → ACNP
Volume
122
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Pages
327 - 331
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-6256(200107)122:1<327:AHAISO>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
We have analyzed Hubble Space Telescope (HST) archival and IUE NEWSIPS arch ival SWP spectra of the dwarf novae CM Del and AH Her obtained when AAVSO l ight-curve data indicated the occurrence of dwarf nova quiescence. We have computed synthetic, high-gravity spectra in LTE with solar composition usin g TLUSTY195 and SYNSPEC42 and have carried out fits of these models to the far-UV continuum and narrow absorption line spectra. For CM Del, we find th at the far-UV spectrum is dominated by a hot (T-eff = 22,000 K and log g = 8) white dwarf, but reliable information on the metal abundances is unavail able because of the quality of the data. For AH Her, we find evidence for a hot white dwarf with T-eff = 27,000 K and log g = 8, with subsolar abundan ce for Si. An HST spectrum (GHRS G160M) of AH Her reveals blue-asymmetric S i IV profiles. If this is due to wind outflow, we derive a single-scatterin g, upper limit, mass-loss rate of 10(-9) M-. yr(-1). Synthetic profile fits to 12 co-added HST medium-resolution G160M spectra of the Si IV (1393, 140 2 Angstrom) resonance doublet of CM Del AZ) yield a white dwarf rotational velocity estimate of v sin i = 400(-30)(+70) km s(-1) and Si/H = 1(-0.3)(+0 .5) times solar. ,The value of v sin i for CM Del is discussed in the conte xt of angular momentum transfer and rotation rates for other cataclysmic va riable, primary degenerate stars.