The influence of selection effects on the observed cataclysmic variable population: modelling and application to the Palomar-Green sample

Pretorius, Magaretha L.; Knigge, Christian; Kolb, U.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.11258.x

Cited by 50 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…Similar results are obtained if observational biases are taken into account. In fact, Pretorius et al (2007) have shown that observational biases impose a large discrepancy between the predicted and observed period distribution of CVs. Their predicted period distribution looks very similar to the period distribution of our models (see their Fig.…”

Section: Orbital Period Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

White dwarf masses in cataclysmic variables

Wijnen

Zorotovic

Schreiber

2015

A&A

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Context. The white dwarf (WD) mass distribution of cataclysmic variables (CVs) has recently been found to dramatically disagree with the predictions of the standard CV formation model. The high mean WD mass among CVs is not imprinted in the currently observed sample of CV progenitors and cannot be attributed to selection effects. Two possibilities have been put forward to solve this issue: either the WD grows in mass during CV evolution, or in a significant fraction of cases, CV formation is preceded by a (short) phase of thermal time-scale mass transfer (TTMT) in which the WD gains a sufficient amount of mass. Aims. Here we investigate if and under which conditions a phase of TTMT before CV formation or mass growth in CVs can bring theoretical predictions and observations into agreement. Methods. We employed binary population synthesis models using the binary_c/nucsyn code to simulate the present intrinsic CV population. To that end we incorporated aspects specific to CV evolution such as an appropriate mass-radius relation of the donor star and a more detailed prescription for the critical mass ratio for dynamically unstable mass transfer. We have also implemented a previously suggested wind from the surface of the WD during TTMT and tested the idea of WD mass growth during the CV phase by arbitrarily changing the accretion efficiency. We compare the model predictions of the TTMT and the mass growth model with the characteristics of CVs derived from observed samples. Results. We find that mass growth of the WDs in CVs fails to reproduce the observed WD mass distribution. In the case of TTMT, we are able to produce a large number of massive WDs if we assume significant mass loss from the surface of the WD during the TTMT phase. However, the model still produces too many CVs with helium WDs. Moreover, the donor stars are evolved in many of these post-TTMT CVs, which contradicts the observations. Conclusions. We conclude that in our current framework of CV evolution neither TTMT nor WD mass growth can fully explain either the observed WD mass or the period distribution in CVs.

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Section: Orbital Period Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

White dwarf masses in cataclysmic variables

Wijnen

Zorotovic

Schreiber

2015

A&A

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“…A very similar approach has been used by Pretorius et al (2007) to assess the influence of selection effects on the observed population of cataclysmic variables (CVs) in the optical domain. These authors also modeled the flux distribution of the observed CV population by assuming certain intrinsic luminosity distribution, spatial distribution of the CVs, their spectral properties, and outburst activity.…”

Section: Xlf Reconstructionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population of the Galactic X-ray binaries and eRosita

Doroshenko

Ducci

Santangelo

et al. 2014

A&A

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The population of the Galactic X-ray binaries has been mostly probed with moderately sensitive hard X-ray surveys so far. The eRosita mission will provide for the first time a sensitive all-sky X-ray survey in the 2−10 keV energy range, where the X-ray binaries emit most of the flux and discover the still unobserved low-luminosity population of these objects. In this paper, we briefly review the current constraints for the X-ray luminosity functions of high-and low-mass X-ray binaries and present our own analysis based the INTEGRAL 9-year Galactic survey, which yields improved constraints. Based on these results, we estimate the number of new XRBs to be detected in the eRosita all-sky survey.

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“…The sample of known field CVs suffers from various selection effects (e.g., Pretorius et al 2007;Servillat et al 2011) and is likely biased toward bright and highly variable systems. Population synthesis models indicate that a fainter population showing fewer outbursts may dominate the population of DNe (up to 70%;Kolb 1993;Howell et al 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SPECTROSCOPIC FOLLOW-UP OF X-RAY SOURCES IN THE ChaMPlane SURVEY: IDENTIFICATION OF A NEW CATACLYSMIC VARIABLE

Servillat

Grindlay

Berg

et al. 2012

ApJ

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We present a multi-object optical spectroscopy follow-up study of X-ray sources in a field along the Galactic plane (l = 327.• 42, b = 2.• 26) which is part of the Chandra Multi-wavelength Plane survey (ChaMPlane). We obtained spectra for 46 stars, including 15 likely counterparts to X-ray sources, and sources showing an Hα color excess. This has led to the identification of a new cataclysmic variable (CV), CXOPS J154305.5-522709, also named ChaMPlane Bright Source 7 (CBS 7), and we identified eight X-ray sources in the field as active late-type stars. CBS 7 was previously studied in X-rays and showed a hard spectrum and two periods: 1.22 ± 0.08 hr and 2.43 ± 0.26 hr. We present here clear evidence that the source is a CV through the detection of H, He i, and He ii emission lines in its optical spectrum. The hard X-ray spectrum and the presence of the He ii λ4686 in emission with a large equivalent width suggest a magnetic CV. The near-infrared counterpart is significantly variable, and we found a period consistent with the longest X-ray period at 2.39 ± 0.05 hr but not the shortest X-ray period. If this period is the orbital period, this would place the system in the CV period gap. The possible orbital period suggests a dM4 ± 1 companion star. The distance is then estimated to be ∼1 kpc. The system could be a relatively hard and X-ray luminous polar or an intermediate polar, possibly nearly synchronous.

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The influence of selection effects on the observed cataclysmic variable population: modelling and application to the Palomar-Green sample

Cited by 50 publications

References 77 publications

White dwarf masses in cataclysmic variables

White dwarf masses in cataclysmic variables

Population of the Galactic X-ray binaries and eRosita

SPECTROSCOPIC FOLLOW-UP OF X-RAY SOURCES IN THE ChaMPlane SURVEY: IDENTIFICATION OF A NEW CATACLYSMIC VARIABLE

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