The cyclotron fundamental exposed in the high-field magnetic variable V884Herculis

Citation
Gd. Schmidt et al., The cyclotron fundamental exposed in the high-field magnetic variable V884Herculis, ASTROPHYS J, 553(2), 2001, pp. 823-831
Citations number
34
Categorie Soggetti
Space Sciences
Journal title
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
ISSN journal
0004637X → ACNP
Volume
553
Issue
2
Year of publication
2001
Part
1
Pages
823 - 831
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-637X(20010608)553:2<823:TCFEIT>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
High-quality phase-resolved optical spectropolarimetry is presented for the magnetic cataclysmic variable V884 Her. The overall circular polarization during active accretion states is low and only slightly variable in the ran ge 5000-8000 Angstrom. However, the polarization is highly structured with wavelength, showing very broad polarization humps, narrow features that are associated with weak absorption lines in the total spectral flux, and shar p reversals across each major emission line. The polarization reversals ari se from Zeeman splitting in the funnel gas in a longitudinal magnetic field B similar to 30 kG. The set of narrow, polarized absorption features match es the Zeeman pattern of hydrogen for a nearly uniform magnetic field of B = 150 MG, indicating that the features are "halo" absorption lines formed i n a relatively cool reversing layer above the shock. With this identificati on, the broad polarization humps centered near 7150 Angstrom and below 4000 Angstrom are assigned to cyclotron emission from the fundamental and first harmonic (n = 2), respectively. V884 Her is only the second AM Her system known with a field exceeding 100 MG and the first case in which the cyclotr on fundamental has been directly observed from a magnetic white dwarf.