Related papers: The dwarf nova SS Cygni: what is wrong?
Recent observations of two unusual Z Cam systems, V513 Cas and IW And have shown light curves that seem to contradict the disc-instability model for dwarf novae: outbursts are appearing during standstills of the system when according to the…
A continuous photometric study of 12 novae was carried out for more than 365 nights during the past 4 years at the Wise Observatory in a motivation to extend our knowledge on these systems. Main results: we found observational evidence for…
The Kepler light curve of DF Cyg is unparalleled in precision and cadence for any RV Tau star to date spanning a baseline of $\sim$4 years and clearly displaying the signature pulsating behavior of alternating deep and shallow minima as…
We present detailed photometric investigations of the recurrent nova CI Aql. New data obtained after the 2000 outburst are used to derive a 3D geometrical model of the system. The resulting light curves clearly indicate the existence of an…
A theoretical light curve is constructed for the quiescent phase of the recurrent nova U Scorpii in order to resolve the existing distance discrepancy between the outbursts (6 kpc) and the quiescences (14 kpc). Our U Sco model consists of a…
We obtained Hubble STIS spectra of three nova-like variables: V751 Cygni, V380 Oph, and - the only confirmed nova-like variable known to be below the period gap - BK Lyn. In all three systems, the spectra were taken during high optical…
Cepheid masses are particularly necessary to help solving the mass discrepancy, while independent distance determinations provide crucial test of the period-luminosity relation and Gaia parallaxes. We used CHARA/MIRC to measure the…
We present multi-wavelengths observations and a radiative transfer model of a newly discovered massive circumstellar disk of gas and dust which is one of the largest disks known today. Seen almost edge-on, the disk is resolved in…
We discuss two mechanisms that could result in an enhancement of the mass transfer rate during outbursts of dwarf novae and soft X-ray transients: the hot outer disc rim itself could heat the L1 point and scattered radiation by optically…
We present a model for the dwarf nova WZ Sge which does not require assuming unusually and unexplained low values of the viscosity alpha-parameter during exceptionally long quiescent states of this system. We propose that the inner parts of…
We have measured the annual parallax and proper motion of NML Cyg from multiple epoch VLBA observations of the circulstellar H2O and SiO masers. The measured parallax of NML Cyg is 0.620+/-0.047 mas, corresponding to a distance of…
We present a numerical scheme for the evolution of an accretion disc through a dwarf nova outburst. We introduce a time-varying artificial viscosity into an existing smoothed particle hydrodynamics code optimised for two and…
(abridged) NML Cyg is a highly evolved OH/IR supergiant and supposed to be among the most luminous supergiants in the galaxy. We present the first diffraction limited 2.13micron observations of NML Cyg with 73mas resolution. The speckle…
AIMS: Nova Cyg 2006 has been intensively observed throughout its full outburst. We investigate the energetics and evolution of the central source and of the expanding ejecta, their chemical abundances and ionization structure, and the…
We observed the 2015 July-August long outburst of V1006 Cyg and established this object to be an SU UMa-type dwarf nova in the period gap. Our observations have confirmed that V1006 Cyg is the second established object showing three types…
Sokoloski et al (2008) have recently reported evidence that the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi produced a pair of highly collimated radio jets within days of its 2006 outburst. This suggests that an accretion disc must be present during the…
A thermal/viscous instability of the accretion disc arising when hydrogen is partially ionized is the most popular explanation of the outbursts of both dwarf novae (DN) and soft X-ray transients (SXT). During an outburst, the disc expands…
Time-resolved eclipse spectroscopy of the nova-like variable UX UMa obtained with the HST/FOS on 1994 August and November is analyzed with eclipse mapping techniques to produce spatially resolved spectra of its accretion disc and gas stream…
Accretion of matter onto black holes is universally associated with strong radiative feedback and powerful outflows. In particular, black hole transients show outflows whose properties are strongly coupled to those of the accretion flow.…
Many black hole X-ray transients are in a low state for several decades until an outburst occurs. We interpret this outburst behaviour as a marginal occurrence of a dwarf nova type disk instability in the cool outer accretion disk. We…