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| Paper: |
RX J0524+42: A New Asynchronous Magnetic CV |
| Volume: |
315, Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables (IAU Colloquium 190) |
| Page: |
230 |
| Authors: |
Schwarz, R.; Schwope, A.D.; Staude, A.; Urrutia, T.; Rau, A.; Hasinger, G. |
| Abstract: |
Extensive optical photometry of the canditate magnetic CV RX J0524+42 has uncovered three persistent periods at 157, 146 and 136 minutes, which are the manifestation of the orbital motion of the system, the white dwarf spin and a possible side-band period of the latter. Depending on the interpretation of the 146 or the 136 minute period as the spin period, the system is an asynchronous by 7% or 14% (1 − Pspin/Porb), and therefore intermediate between the near-synchronous polars (< 2%) and the two DQ Her stars with long spin periods (EX Hya and V1025 Cen). Sampling the data over the beat period of 1.4 or 0.7 days reveals a prominent double-humped modulation on the spin period for certain fractions of the beat cycle. The phasing of this modulation strongly suggests that either pole switching onto two diametrically opposed accretion sites, or pole migration is operating in this system. With a period right within the period gap, RX J0524+42 is a key object for MCV evolution: it might be the first transition object between the DQ and AM Her subclasses where the white dwarf is currently in the process of synchronisation. |
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