Related papers: Why Are The Secondary Stars in Polars So Normal?
We present a new sample of $K$-band spectral observations for CVs: non-magnetic and magnetic as well as present day and pre CVs. The purpose of this diverse sample is to address the recent claim that the secondary stars in dwarf novae are…
We present moderate resolution (R > 1,800) infrared K-band spectra of twelve long-period (Porb > 6 hr) cataclysmic variables. We detect absorption lines from the photospheres of the secondary stars in every system, even though two of the m…
Cataclysmic variables (CVs) are interacting binary systems where a cool, rapidly rotating secondary star passes material to a white dwarf. If this mass loss is to continue then there must be continuous angular momentum loss from the system.…
Situation with highly magnetized neutron stars in binary systems is not yet certain. On the one hand, all best studied magnetars seem to be isolated objects. On the other, there are many claims based on model-dependent analysis of spin…
Recent theoretical and observational progress has substantially improved the definition of the lower main sequence and established a new basis for a comparison of main sequence stars and the secondaries in CVs. The evolutionary sequences of…
We derive metallicities for 41 cataclysmic variables (CVs) from near-infrared spectroscopy. We use synthetic spectra that cover the 0.8 $\mu$m $\leq \lambda \leq$ 2.5 $\mu$m bandpass to ascertain the value of [Fe/H] for CVs with K-type…
We investigate the evolution of the magnetic field of isolated pulsars and of neutron stars in different kinds of binary systems, assuming the field to be originally confined to the crust. Our results for the field evolution in isolated…
We review the recent knowledge base pertaining to causes for mass accretion variations (high/low states) in highly magnetic cataclysmic variables (i.e. polars). We then examine what theory has to say about the properties of the secondary…
One of the possible mechanisms responsible for the panoply of shapes in planetary nebulae is the presence of magnetic fields that drive the ejection of ionized material during the proto-planetary nebula phase. Therefore, detecting magnetic…
A number of efforts are underway to detect close binary stars in planetary nebulae. The primary goal of these studies is to determine the binary fraction of central stars. The next stage is a detailed analysis of the binaries to determine…
The discovery of exotic abundances, chemical inhomogeneities, and weak magnetic fields on the surface of late B-type primaries in spectroscopic binaries has important implications not only for our understanding of the formation mechanisms…
Binary systems containing a magnetic white dwarf and a main-sequence star are considered extremely rare, perhaps non-existent. In the course of a search of magnetic fields in high-mass white dwarfs we have discovered a Sirius-like wide…
We present the K-band spectrum of the cataclysmic variable LL And, obtained using NIRSPEC on Keck-II. The spectrum shows no evidence for the absorption features observed by Howell & Ciardi (2001), which these authors used to claim a…
This article briefly reviews our current understanding of the evolution of magnetic fields in neutron stars, which basically defines the evolutionary pathways between different observational classes of neutron stars. The emphasis here is on…
The unparalleled photometric data obtained by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope has led to an improved understanding of stellar structure and evolution - in particular for solar-like oscillators in this context. Binary stars are fascinating…
Based on observational facts and a variety of theoretical arguments we discuss in this work the possibility that pulsars in Low-Mass Binary Pulsar systems could be strange stars rather than neutron stars. It is shown that, although subject…
The NIR Ca II triplet absorption lines have proven to be an important tool for quantitative spectroscopy of individual red giant branch stars in the Local Group, providing a better understanding of metallicities of stars in the Milky Way…
Binarity is often invoked to explain peculiarities that can not be explained by the standard theory of stellar evolution. Detecting orbital motion via the Doppler effect is the best method to test binarity when direct imaging is not…
An arbitrary initial magnetic field in an A star evolves into a stable equilibrium. Simulations are presented of the formation of non-axisymmetric equilibria consisting of twisted flux tubes meandering under the surface of the star, and…
We apply the new generation of theoretical models of low-mass stars to secondaries in CVs, focussing on systems above the period gap. The models confirm that the spectral type should be a good indicator of the donor mass. The orbital…