Locating the flickering source in polars

Abstract

Flickering is a fast variability observed in all accreting systems. It has been shown that in most cataclysmic variables flickering originates in the accretion disc. However, in polars the strong magnetic field of the white dwarf prevents the formation of an accretion disc. Therefore, the origin of flickering in polars is not clear. We analyzed the changes of flickering amplitude with orbital phase in seven polars in order to reveal its site of origin. We show that at least in some polars there are two separate sources of flickering. Moreover, at least one of the sources is located at a large distance from the main source of light in the system.

7 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication on MNRAS

References in corpus (10)

• The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
• A comparative study of the strength of flickering in cataclysmic variables
• Non-stationary variability in accreting compact objects
• A two-armed pattern in flickering maps of the nova-like variable UU Aquarii
• Quasi-periodic oscillations in the TESS light curve of TX Col, a diskless intermediate polar on the precipice of forming an accretion disk
• An accreting white dwarf displaying fast transitional mode switching
• Exploring the tilted accretion disc of AQ Men with TESS
• Swift J2218.4+1925: a new hard X-ray selected Polar observed with XMM-Newton
• 2PBC J0658.0-1746: a hard X-ray eclipsing polar in the orbital period gap
• Quasi-periodic oscillations from post-shock accretion column of polars