Light curves of SDSS J003941.06+005427.5

DOI

We present VLT spectroscopy and NTT photometry of the faint cataclysmic binary SDSS J003941.06+005427.5. This object shows triple-peaked H{alpha} emission with all three peaks variable in both strength and velocity. We measure an orbital period of 91.395+/-0.093min from the velocity variations of the wings of the Halpha emission line. Using the GALEX and SDSS photometry of this object, we determine a white dwarf temperature of 15000K and a very late (>=L2) spectral type for the companion star. These measurements, plus the relatively long orbital period, suggest that SDSS J003941.06+005427.5 may be a post-bounce cataclysmic variable. Doppler maps of the H{alpha} and HeI 6678{AA} emission features show an accretion disc with a non-uniform brightness and departures from Keplerian flow. The third emission peak is detected only in H{alpha} and at a relatively low velocity amplitude of 202+/-3km/s. We are unable to explain this emission as arising from either the white dwarf, the secondary star, or the accretion disc. We tentatively attribute this mysterious central peak to a coronal loop anchored at the secondary star. If confirmed, this would be the first example of a slingshot prominence in a CV with a low mass-transfer rate and/or a fully convective secondary star.

Identifier
DOI http://doi.org/10.26093/cds/vizier.35240086
Source https://dc.g-vo.org/rr/q/lp/custom/CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/524/A86
Related Identifier https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/524/A86
Related Identifier http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/A+A/524/A86
Metadata Access http://dc.g-vo.org/rr/q/pmh/pubreg.xml?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=oai_b2find&identifier=ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/524/A86
Provenance
Creator Southworth J.; Marsh T.R.; Gansicke B.T.; Steeghs D.; Copperwheat C.M.
Publisher CDS
Publication Year 2010
Rights https://cds.unistra.fr/vizier-org/licences_vizier.html
OpenAccess true
Contact CDS support team <cds-question(at)unistra.fr>
Representation
Resource Type Dataset; AstroObjects
Discipline Astrophysics and Astronomy; Interdisciplinary Astronomy; Natural Sciences; Observational Astronomy; Physics; Stellar Astronomy