Optical Studies of Thirteen Hard X-ray Selected Cataclysmic Binaries from the Swift-BAT Survey

From a set of thirteen cataclysmic binaries that were discovered in the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) survey, we conducted time-resolved optical spectroscopy and/or time-series photometry of eleven, with the goal of measuring their orbital periods and searching for spin periods. Seven of the objects in this study are new optical identifications. Orbital periods are found for seven targets, ranging from 81 minutes to 20.4 hours. PBC J0706.7+0327 is an AM Herculis star (polar) based on its emission-line variations and large amplitude photometric modulation on the same period. Swift J2341.0+7645 may be a polar, although the evidence here is less secure. Coherent pulsations are detected from two objects, Swift J0503.7−2819 (975 s) and Swift J0614.0+1709 (1412 s and 1530 s, spin and beat periods, respectively), indicating that they are probable intermediate polars (DQ Herculis stars). For two other stars, longer spin periods are tentatively suggested. We also present the discovery of a 2.00 hour X-ray modulation from RX J2015.6+3711, possibly a contributor to Swift J2015.9+3715, and likely a polar. Subject headings: novae, cataclysmic variables — X-rays: binaries — stars: individual (PBC J0325.6−0820, Swift J0503.7−2819, Swift J0525.6+2416, Swift J0614.0+1709, Swift J0623.9−0939, PBC J0706.7+0327, Swift J0717.8−2156, Swift J0749.7−3218, Swift J0820.6−2805, Swift J0939.7−3224, 4PBC J1740.7+0603, RX J2015.6+3711, Swift J2124.6+0500, Swift J2341.0+7645)