Speaker
Ms
ARTI JOSHI
(Aryabhatta Research Institute of observational sciencES (ARIES))
Description
We present analyses of optical (photometric and spectroscopic) data obtained from 1-m class telescopes at ARIES (Nainital) and the 2.01-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) at Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), Hanle, India, for three candidate polars namely RX J0859.1+0537, RX J0749.1-0549, and RX J0649-0737. An analysis of X-ray data obtained from the ROSAT satellite is also presented. Optical photometric and X-ray observations of these three candidates reveal eclipse features that are deep, total, and variable in shape and are classified for the first time as eclipsing polars. The optical and X-ray modulations of RX J0859.1+0537, RX J0749.1-0549, and RX J0649.8-0737 are found to occur at the derived orbital periods of 2.390 +/-0.003, 3.67 +/- 0.001, and 4.340 +/- 0.001 hr, respectively. Among these systems, RX J0859.1+0537 is found to be the 12th eclipsing polar which lies in the period gap, while RX J0749.1-0549 and RX J0649.8-0737 are found to be the 6th and 7th long period eclipsing polars. The eclipse width at half depth was observed to be more than ∼0.2 for each system which suggests that these are highly inclined binary systems. The optical spectra of these systems are typical of polars with strong high ionization emission lines and inverted Balmer decrement which further confirms the magnetic nature of these systems.
Primary author
Ms
ARTI JOSHI
(Aryabhatta Research Institute of observational sciencES (ARIES))
Co-authors
Dr
Ashish Raj
(Indian Institute of Astrophysics)
Dr
G. C. Anupama
(Indian Institute of Astrophysics)
Dr
Jeewan Pandey
(Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences)