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Paper: |
LARPs -- Low-accretion rate polars |
Volume: |
261, The Physics of Cataclysmic Variables and Related Objects |
Page: |
102 |
Authors: |
Schwope, A. D.; Brunner, H.; Hambaryan, V.; Schwarz, R. |
Abstract: |
We highlight and review polars at extremely low accretion rates of only 10-13 Modot yr-1. These systems are important for a number of reasons: (1) They allow to study the properties of a cyclotron emitting accretion plasma in a very `clean' environment. (2) They yield a direct and uncontaminated view on the stellar photo-spheres of the binary. In this paper we draw particular attention on the quest for magnetic activity of the fastly rotating mass-donor stars and include in our discussion results obtained for eclipsing polars. (3) The census of known polars is heavily biased towards X-ray bright, hence high-accretion rate systems. The space density of polars in particular and CVs in general therefore is highly uncertain. The relevance of LARPs to solve the issue is addressed. |
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