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arXiv · 2107.06932

The intermediate polar cataclysmic variable GK Persei 120 years after the nova explosion: a first dynamical mass study

A. Álvarez-Hernández·M. A. P. Torres·P. Rodríguez-Gil·T. Shahbaz·G. C. Anupama·K. D. Gazeas·M. Pavana·A. Raj·P. Hakala·G. Stone·S. Gomez·P. G. Jonker·J. -J. Ren·G. Cannizzaro·I. Pastor-Marazuela·W. Goff·J. M. Corral-Santana·R. Sabo
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Abstract

We present a complete dynamical study of the intermediate polar and dwarf nova cataclysmic variable GK Per (Nova Persei 1901) based on a multi-site optical spectroscopy and $R$-band photometry campaign. The radial velocity curve of the evolved donor star has a semi-amplitude $K_2=126.4 \pm 0.9 \, \mathrm{km}\,\mathrm{s}^{-1}$ and an orbital period $P=1.996872 \pm 0.000009 \, \mathrm{d}$. We refine the projected rotational velocity of the donor star to $v_\mathrm{rot} \sin i = 52 \pm 2 \, \mathrm{km}\,\mathrm{s}^{-1}$ which, together with $K_2$, provides a donor star to white dwarf mass ratio $q=M_2/M_1=0.38 \pm 0.03$. We also determine the orbital inclination of the system by modelling the phase-folded ellipsoidal light curve and obtain $i=67^{\circ} \pm 5^{\circ}$. The resulting dynamical masses are $M_{1}=1.03^{+0.16}_{-0.11} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ and $M_2 = 0.39^{+0.07}_{-0.06} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ at $68$ per cent confidence level. The white dwarf dynamical mass is compared with estimates obtained by modelling the decline light curve of the $1901$ nova event and X-ray spectroscopy. The best matching mass estimates come from the nova light curve models and an X-ray data analysis that uses the ratio between the Alfv\'en radius in quiescence and during dwarf nova outburst.

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A. Álvarez-Hernández, M. A. P. Torres, P. Rodríguez-Gil, T. Shahbaz, G. C. Anupama, K. D. Gazeas, M. Pavana, A. Raj, P. Hakala, G. Stone, S. Gomez, P. G. Jonker, J. -J. Ren, G. Cannizzaro, I. Pastor-Marazuela, W. Goff, J. M. Corral-Santana, R. Sabo. 2021-07-14. The intermediate polar cataclysmic variable GK Persei 120 years after the nova explosion: a first dynamical mass study. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras%2Fstab2547

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