English

X-ray observations of SU UMa throughout six outbursts

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena 2015-05-14 v1 Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Abstract

We present RXTE observations covering six normal outbursts of the dwarf nova SU UMa, the prototype of its class. The outbursts showed consistent X-ray behaviour with the X-ray count rate dropping suddenly by a factor of our, and with evidence for a half day delay between the optical rise and the X-ray suppression. In contrast to SS Cyg, an X-ray flux increase at the beginning of outburst was not observed, although it is expected from boundary layer models. The X-ray flux was high and decreasing during quiescence, in conflict with the disc instability model. The X-ray spectrum of SU UMa was softer in outburst than during quiescence, and it was consistent with constant reflection.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0911.2711,
  title  = {X-ray observations of SU UMa throughout six outbursts},
  author = {David J. Collins and Peter J. Wheatley},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0911.2711},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

9 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables, Accepted for publication in MNRAS