SearcharxivSearch

arXiv · astro-ph/0108334

A first look at cataclysmic variable stars from the 2dF QSO survey

Abstract

The 2dF QSO survey is a spectroscopic survey of 48,000 point-sources selected by colour with magnitudes in the range 18.35 < B < 20.95. Amongst QSOs, white dwarfs, narrow-line galaxies and other objects are some cataclysmic variables (CVs). This survey should be sensitive to intrinsically faint CVs. In the standard picture of CV evolution, these form the majority of the CV population. We present the spectra of 6 CVs from this survey. Four have the spectra of dwarf novae and two are magnetic CVs. We present evidence that suggests that the dwarf novae have period P < 2 h and are indeed intrinsically less luminous than average. However, it is not clear yet whether these systems are present in the large numbers predicted.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

T. R. Marsh, L. Morales-Rueda, D. Steeghs, P. Maxted, U. Kolb, B. Boyle, S. Croom, N. Loaring, L. Miller, P. Outram, T. Shanks, R. Smith. 2001-08-21. A first look at cataclysmic variable stars from the 2dF QSO survey. https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0108334

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

A Revolution in Science: the Eclipse Expeditions of 1919

The first direct experimental test of Einstein's theory of general relativity involved a pair of expeditions to measure the bending of light at a total solar eclipse that took place one hundred years ago, on 29 May 1919. So famous is this experiment, and so dramatic was the impact on Einstein himself, that history tends not to recognise the controversy that surrounded the results at the time. In this article, I discuss the experiment in its scientific and historical background context and explain why it was, and is, such an important episode in the development of modern physics.

astro-ph

State Vector Determination By A Single Tracking Satellite

Using only a single tracking satellite capable of only range measurements to an orbiting object in an unknown Keplerian orbit, it is theoretically possible to calculate the orbit and a current state vector. In this paper we derive an algorithm that can perform this calculation.

astro-ph

Dark Matter and Dark Energy

I briefly review our current understanding of dark matter and dark energy. The first part of this paper focusses on issues pertaining to dark matter including observational evidence for its existence, current constraints and the `abundance of substructure' and `cuspy core' issues which arise in CDM. I also briefly describe MOND. The second part of this review focusses on dark energy. In this part I discuss the significance of the cosmological constant problem which leads to a predicted value of the cosmological constant which is almost $10^{123}$ times larger than the observed value $\la/8πG \simeq 10^{-47}$GeV$^4$. Setting $\la$ to this small value ensures that the acceleration of the universe is a fairly recent phenomenon giving rise to the `cosmic coincidence' conundrum according to which we live during a special epoch when the density in matter and $\la$ are almost equal. Anthropic arguments are briefly discussed but more emphasis is placed upon dynamical dark energy models in which the equation of state is time dependent. These include Quintessence, Braneworld models, Chaplygin gas and Phantom energy. Model independent methods to determine the cosmic equation of state and the Statefinder diagnostic are also discussed. The Statefinder has the attractive property $\atridot/a H^3 = 1 $ for LCDM, which is helpful for differentiating between LCDM and rival dark energy models. The review ends with a brief discussion of the fate of the universe in dark energy models.

astro-ph