Indirect imaging of the accretion stream in eclipsing polars - III. HU Aquarii low state

We apply our technique for indirect imaging of the accretion stream to the polar HU Aqr, using eclipse profiles observed when the system was in a low- accretion state. The eclipse profile is different from that in the high sta te, and more variable from cycle to cycle. We find that the stream maps are brightest near the white dwarf and there is no significant brightening in the threading region. In the low state the stream threads on to the magneti c field closer to the L-1 point than in the high state, with a footpoint of the accreting field line at high latitude. We then produce maps of the acc retion region from polarimetry using Stokes imaging. These show that the ma jority of the accretion occurs near the equator. The difference between the maps may be explained if most of the stream material is not emitting signi ficantly in the low state. If so, neither the stream eclipse mapping nor Do ppler tomography techniques will trace the bulk of the accretion flow betwe en the two stars.