Secular Mass Loss from Cataclysmic Variables

X-rays from Cataclysmic Variables

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Cataclysmic variables

Cataclysmic variables are binary stars in which a relatively normal star is transferring mass to its compact companion. This interaction gives rise to a rich range of behaviour, of which the most noticeable are the outbursts that give the class its name. Novae belong to the class, as do the less well known dwarf novae and magnetic systems. Novae draw their energy from nuclear reactions, while d...

Global Analysis of Mass Transfer Cycles in Cataclysmic Variables

We give a global analysis of mass transfer variations in CVs. We show that limit cycles driven by variations of the secondary star's radius alone require this radius to be sensitive to the instantaneous mass transfer rate. The only promising mechanism for this is irradiation of the secondary by the accreting primary. Explicit modelling of this process shows however that cycles do not occur for ...

New cataclysmic variables from the RASS

We report on a follow-up study of 15 CV candidates, which were discovered by the ROSAT All-Sky Survey and have been identified on the objective prism plates of the Hamburg Quasar Survey so far. For all objects we could obtain low resolution optical spectra confirming 12 CVs. The misidentifications are two quasars and an M-dwarf.

How Evolved are the Mass Donor Stars in Cataclysmic Variables?