New or Improved Orbital Periods of Cataclysmic Binaries

Abstract

Wilder Laboratory Hanover, NH 1. EXPLANATION Cataclysmic variables (CVs) are close binary star systems in which a white dwarf accretes mass from a low-mass companion via Roche-lobe overflow. Warner (1995) presents a comprehensive review.The most significant observable number for a CV is its orbital period P orb . We report here CV orbital periods measured over the last several decades using the Hiltner 2.4m and McGraw-Hill 1.3m telescopes at MDM Observatory on Kitt Peak, Arizona, mostly with radial-velocity spectroscopy. While most of our results have been published in peer-reviewed articles (see, e.g., Thorstensen et al. 2016;Thorstensen & Skinner 2012;Thorstensen et al. 2015Thorstensen et al. , 2010, many periods we have determined remain unpublished.To make our CV periods available more quickly, and prevent duplication of effort, we present in Table 1 some of our heretofore unpublished P orb s, some of which are refinements of previously-known periods. The instrumentation, observing protocols, reduction, and analysis are described in the papers cited above. We are confident of the choices of cycle count between observations. For references on these stars, see SIMBAD and the online lists maintained by ASAS-SN, the Catalina surveys, and MASTER. Downes et al. (2001) give references for long-known CVs (see also Downes et al. 2005).

The evolutionary status of Cataclysmic Variables: eclipse modelling of 15 systems

“…Precise P orb measurements for an additional 23 systems (and updated measurements for a handful from the original sample) have since become available, increasing the sample to 72 systems. Of the new systems, six are eclipsing systems with observations using ULTRA-CAM/ULTRASPEC, 10 are from Thorstensen et al (2015Thorstensen et al ( , 2017 and the remaining seven are from the Ritter & Kolb (2003) catalogue (v7.24; see references within). All systems were discovered by the SDSS (e.g.…”

A Step towards Unveiling the Nature of Three Cataclysmic Variables: LS Cam, V902 Mon, and SWIFT J0746.3-1608

“…So, based on these variations, Dobrzycka et al (1998) concluded that LS Cam might be an IP. Additionally, from the analysis of emission-line radial velocity curves, Thorstensen et al (2017) confirmed the orbital period of LS Cam to be 3.417 h.…”

Unveiling the multiple periodicities of the cataclysmic variable LS Cam

“…An estimation of some system parameters of LS Cam can be obtained using the positive superhump excess ǫ + = (P +sh − P orb )/P orb and the negative superhump deficit ǫ − = (P −sh − P orb )/P orb . With the periods given in Table 1 and P orb = 0.1423853 ± 0.0000005 days (Thorstensen et al 2017), the values of ǫ + and ǫ − for LS Cam are 0.088 ± 0.007 and 0.034 ± 0.007 respectively. The excess and deficit are shown to correlate with the mass ratio (q) and the orbital period of the system (e.g.…”

“…Other mentions of LS Cam in the literature include a work of Rodríguez-Gil (2005), where the binary is classified as a non-eclipsing SW Sex type system and a work of Thorstensen et al (2017), where an improved orbital period P orb = 0.1423853(5) days ≈ 3.42 hours is given.…”