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Paper: Far-ultraviolet Spectroscopy of a Group of Polars in a Low State
Volume: 330, The Astrophysics of Cataclysmic Variables and Related Objects
Page: 159
Authors: Araujo-Betancor, S.
Abstract: We report the analysis of HST/STIS FUV observations of a group of seven polars caught in a state of low accretion activity: VV Pup, V834 Cen, MR Ser, BL Hyi, V895 Cen, V347 Pav and ST LMi. In order to measure the white dwarf temperatures (Twd) of these systems we fit the FUV spectra with WD models. In all cases, the fit was improved when adding a second component, which represents the hot spot from residual accretion. The Twd obtained here, ranging from 10,800K to 14,200 for log g = 8.0, more than doubles the number of polars with accurately established Twd. Comparing the Twd of polars to those of non-magnetic CVs, we find that at any given orbital period the WDs in polars are colder than those in non-magnetic CVs. The differences in Twd between polars and non-magnetic CVs are significantly larger above the period gap, suggesting that magnetic braking in polars is reduced by the strong field of the primary.
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