The Relationship Between X-ray Luminosity and Duty Cycle for Dwarf Novae and their Specific Frequency in the Inner Galaxy

Abstract

We measure the duty cycles for an existing sample of well observed, nearby dwarf novae using data from AAVSO, and present a quantitative empirical relation between the duty cycle of dwarf novae outbursts and the X-ray luminosity of the system in quiescence. We have found that $\log DC=0.63(\pm 0.21)\times (\log L_X(\mathrm{erg}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1})-31.3)-0.95(\pm 0.1)$, where DC stands for duty cycle. We note that there is intrinsic scatter in this relation greater than what is expected from purely statistical errors. Using the dwarf nova X-ray luminosity functions from \citet{Pretorius12} and \citet{Byckling10}, we compare this relation to the number of dwarf novae in the Galactic Bulge Survey which were identified through optical outbursts during an 8-day long monitoring campaign. We find a specific frequency of X-ray bright ($L_X>10^{31}\mathrm{erg}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$) Cataclysmic Variables undergoing Dwarf Novae outbursts in the direction of the Galactic Bulge of $6.6\pm 4.7\times 10^{-5}{M}_{\odot }^{-1}$. Such a specific frequency would give a Solar neighborhood space density of long period CVs of $\rho =5.6\pm 3.9\times 10^{-6}$pc${}^{-3}$. We advocate the use of specific frequency in future work, given that projects like LSST will detect DNe well outside the distance range over which $\rho \approx \text{c}onst$.

arXiv comment9 pagers, 4 figures Accepted for publication in MNRAS

References in corpus (40)

• The slope of the black-hole mass versus velocity dispersion correlation
• Some Aspects of Measurement Error in Linear Regression of Astronomical Data
• The Milky Way Tomography with SDSS: I. Stellar Number Density Distribution
• The disc instability model of dwarf-novae and low-mass X-ray binary transients
• Mass models of the Milky Way
• SINFONI in the Galactic Center: young stars and IR flares in the central light month
• The Tully-Fisher relations of early-type spiral and S0 galaxies
• The age, life expectancy, and space density of Post Common Envelope Binaries
• Reddening and metallicity maps of the Milky Way bulge from VVV and 2MASS II. The complete high resolution extinction map and implications for Bulge studies
• The Low-Mass X-ray Binary-Globular Cluster connection in NGC 4472
• Formation and evolution of compact binaries in globular clusters: I.Binaries with white dwarfs
• Two Types of X-ray Spectra in Cataclysmic Variables
• The Milky Way's external disc constrained by 2MASS star counts
• Parallax and Distance Estimates for Fourteen Cataclysmic Variable Stars
• Cataclysmic Variables from the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey
• The Galactic Bulge Survey: outline and X-ray observations
• BK Lyncis: The Oldest Old Nova?... And a Bellwether for Cataclysmic-Variable Evolution
• Deriving an X-ray luminosity function of dwarf novae based on parallax measurements
• Long-term evolution of compact binaries with irradiation feedback
• The space density and X-ray luminosity function of non-magnetic cataclysmic variables
• The space density of cataclysmic variables: constraints from the ROSAT North Ecliptic Pole Survey
• An accurate geometric distance to the compact binary SS Cygni vindicates accretion disc theory
• Thick disk kinematics from RAVE and the solar motion
• On the Correlated X-ray and Optical Evolution of SS Cygni
• Parallax and Distance Estimates for Twelve Cataclysmic Variable Stars
• Dwarf novae in the Hamburg Quasar Survey: Rarer than expected
• The Galactic Bulge Survey: completion of the X-ray survey observations
• Identification of twenty-three accreting binaries in the Galactic Bulge Survey
• CXOGBS~J173620.2--293338: A Candidate Symbiotic X-ray Binary Associated with a Bulge Carbon Star
• Radio sources in the Chandra Galactic Bulge survey
• Identification of 5 Interacting Binaries in the Galactic Bulge Survey
• An International Ultraviolet Explorer Archival Study of Dwarf Novae in Outburst
• CXOGBSJ174444.7-260330: a new long orbital period cataclysmic variable in a low state
• Identification of Galactic Bulge Survey X-ray Sources with Tycho-2 Stars
• Near-infrared counterparts to the Galactic Bulge Survey X-ray source population
• ASCA X-ray observations of the disk wind in the dwarf nova Z Camelopardalis
• Variability of Optical Counterparts in the Chandra Galactic Bulge Survey
• Modeling the Galactic CV Distribution for the ChaMPlane Survey
• Hubble Space Telescope STIS Spectroscopy of Three Peculiar Nova-Like Variables: BK Lyn, V751 Cygni and V380 Oph
• HD314884: A Slowly Pulsating B star in a Close Binary

Cited by in corpus (17)

• X-ray Emissions from Accreting White Dwarfs: a Review
• MOCCA-SURVEY database I. Accreting white dwarf binary systems in globular clusters -- IV. cataclysmic variables -- properties of bright and faint populations
• No cataclysmic variables missing: higher merger rate brings into agreement observed and predicted space densities
• Statistical properties of dwarf novae-type cataclysmic variables: The Outburst Catalogue
• Bright mini-outburst ends the 12-year long activity of the black hole candidate Swift J1753.5-0127
• Cataclysmic variable evolution and the white dwarf mass problem: A Review
• MOCCA-SURVEY database I. Accreting white dwarf binary systems in globular clusters -- III. Cataclysmic variables -- Implications of model assumptions
• Distances of CVs and related objects derived from Gaia Data Release 1
• Large proper motion of the Thorne-Żytkow object candidate HV 2112 reveals its likely nature as foreground Galactic S-star
• The Galactic Bulge Diffuse Emission in Broad-Band X-rays with NuSTAR
• System parameters of three short period cataclysmic variable stars
• Dynamical Modeling of CXOGBS J175553.2-281633: A 10 Hour Long Orbital Period Cataclysmic Variable
• 1RXH J082623.6-505741: a new long-period cataclysmic variable with an evolved donor and a low mass transfer rate
• Multiwavelength monitoring of a very active dwarf nova AX J1549.8$-$5416 with an unusually high duty cycle
• Broad Observational Perspectives Achieved by the Accreting White Dwarf Sciences in the XMM-Newton and Chandra Eras
• Constraining the nature of the accreting binary in CXOGBS J174623.5-310550
• White Dwarf Mass Growth in Cataclysmic Variables: Roles of Dwarf Novae