Related papers: Cataclysmic variable evolution and the white dwarf…
The white dwarf in AM Her systems is strongly magnetic and keeps in synchronous rotation with the orbit by magnetic coupling to the secondary star. As the latter evolves through mass loss to a cool, degenerate brown dwarf it can no longer…
In this paper, we present a model for the long-term evolution of the merger of two unequal mass C/O white dwarfs (WDs). After the dynamical phase of the merger, magnetic stresses rapidly redistribute angular momentum, leading to nearly…
The overwhelming majority of CVs have orbital periods shorter than 10 hr. However, a few have much longer periods, and their formation and existence pose challenges for the CV evolution models. These extremely long-period CVs must host…
Accreting white dwarfs in Cataclysmic variables (CVs) show short-period (tens of minutes) brightness variations that are consistent with non-radial oscillations similar to gravity (g) modes observed in isolated white dwarfs (WDs). GW…
The Dwarf Nova Oscillations observed in Cataclysmic Variable (CV) stars are interpreted in the context of a Low Inertia Accretor model, in which accretion on to an equatorial belt of the white dwarf primary causes the belt to vary its…
In this paper we study the impact of chemically evolved secondaries on CV evolution. We find that when evolved secondaries are included a spread in the secondary mass-orbital period plane comparable to that seen in the data is produced for…
Using improved, up-to-date stellar input physics tested against observations of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs we calculate the secular evolution of low-mass donor CVs, including those which form with a brown dwarf donor star. Our models…
The spatial distribution, galactic model parameters and luminosity function of cataclysmic variables (CVs) in the solar neighbourhood have been determined from a carefully established sample of 459 CVs. The sample contains all of the CVs…
The disc instability mechanism (DIM) is widely accepted to account for the transient behaviour of dwarf novae (DNe), which experience short outbursts separated by long quiescence. The duty cycle (the ratio between the outburst duration and…
Magnitude-limited samples have shown that 20-25 per cent of cataclysmic variables contain white dwarfs with magnetic fields of Mega Gauss strength, in stark contrast to the approximately 5 per cent of single white dwarfs with similar…
Our recent theoretical work (Townsley and Bildsten 2002) on the thermal state of white dwarfs (WDs) in low mass transfer rate binaries allows us to predict the broadband colors of the binary from those of the WD and companion when the disk…
Accreting white dwarfs (WDs) constitute a significant fraction of the hard X-ray sources detected by the INTEGRAL observatory. Most of them are magnetic Cataclysmic Variables (CVs) of the intermediate polar (IP) and polar types, but the…
The eruption of a (classical) nova is widely accepted to be a recurrent event in the lifetime of a cataclysmic binary star. In-between eruptions the system should therefore behave as a "normal" cataclysmic variable (CV), i.e. according to…
We present the results of a search for cataclysmic variables (CVs) in the Calan-Tololo survey. We detected a total number of 21 CVs, 12 of them are previously unknown objects. Our results suggest that the mismatch between the theoretically…
In this chapter we consider the processes which can lead to X-ray emission from different types of cataclysmic variable stars (CVs). CVs are semi-detached, binary star systems where material is transferred from the donor star (also known as…
Context. AM CVn binaries are potential progenitors of thermonuclear supernovae and strong sources of persistent gravitational wave radiation. For a long time, it has been believed that these systems cannot descend from cataclysmic variables…
We investigate variations of the mass transfer rate in cataclysmic variables (CVs) that are induced by nova outbursts. The ejection of nova shells leads to a spread of transfer rates in systems with similar orbital period. The effect is…
Recent spectroscopic observations have identified several cataclysmic variables non-solar metal abundances. We present theoretical models which examine the level of core evolution expected for CV secondaries prior to contact. Our results…
In 2013, the method of determining mass ratios of dwarf novae using stage A superhumps (growing superhumps) was established. This method is a dynamical one in that it relies only on celestial mechanics. It is not dependent on an…
Over 1500 DBZ or DZ white dwarfs (WDs) have been observed so far, and polluted atmospheres with metal elements have been found among these WDs. The surface heavy element abundances of known DBZ or DZ WDs show an evolutionary sequence. By…