Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Simulations of Apsidal and Nodal Superhumps

Abstract

In recent years a handful of systems have been observed to show "negative" (nodal) superhumps, with periods slightly shorter than the orbital period. It has been suggested that these modes are a consequence of the slow retrograde precession of the line of nodes in a disk tilted with respect to the orbital plane. Our simulations confirm and refine this model: they suggest a roughly axisymmetric, retrogradely-precessing, tilted disk that is driven at a period slightly less than half the orbital period as the tidal field of the orbiting secondary encounters in turn the two halves of the disk above and below the midplane. Each of these passings leads to viscous dissipation on one face of an optically-thick disk -- observers on opposite sides of the disk would each observe one brightening per orbit, but 180 degrees out of phase with each other.

11 pages. Accepted for publication in The ApJ Letters

References in corpus (1)

• The precession of eccentric discs in close binaries

Cited by in corpus (36)

• Superhumps in Cataclysmic Binaries. XXV. q_crit, epsilon(q), and Mass-Radius
• Variable Star Network: World Center for Transient Object Astronomy and Variable Stars
• Superhumps in Cataclysmic Binaries. XXIV. Twenty More Dwarf Novae
• V344 Lyrae: A Touchstone SU UMa Cataclysmic Variable in the Kepler Field
• Superhumps in Cataclysmic Binaries. XXIII. V442 Ophiuchi and RX J1643.7+3402
• A 6.3-h superhump in the cataclysmic variable TV Columbae: the longest yet seen
• Detection of negative superhumps in a LMXRB -- an end to the long debate on the nature of V1405 Aql (X1916-053)
• The Kepler Light Curve of V344 Lyrae: Constraining the Thermal-Viscous Limit Cycle Instability
• SPH Simulations of Negative (Nodal) Superhumps: A Parametric Study
• X-ray Orbital Modulations in Intermediate Polars
• PX Andromedae: Superhumps and variable eclipse depth
• Earth, Moon, Sun, and CV Accretion Disks
• Magnetically warped discs in close binaries
• Numerical Simulations of Naturally Tilted, Retrogradely Precessing, Nodal Superhumping Accretion Disks
• Atlas of Tilted Accretion Disks & Source to Negative Superhumps
• The Emergence of Negative Superhumps in Cataclysmic Variables: Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Simulations
• Discovery of Negative Superhumps during a Superoutburst of January 2011 in ER Ursae Majoris
• Thermal-viscous instability in tilted accretion disks: a possible application to IW And-type dwarf novae
• Thermal stability and nova cycles in permanent superhump systems
• Photometric Study of KR Aurigae during the High State in 2001
• KIC 9406652: A laboratory of the tilted disk in cataclysmic variable stars
• DQ Herculis in Profile: Whole Earth Telescope Observations and Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Simulations
• The Orbital Period vs. Absolute Magnitude Relationship of Intermediate Polars: Implications for Low States and Outbursts
• Exploring the tilted accretion disc of AQ Men with TESS
• Tilt, Warp, and Simultaneous Precessions in Disks
• A Step towards Unveiling the Nature of Three Cataclysmic Variables: LS Cam, V902 Mon, and SWIFT J0746.3-1608
• SDSS J210014.12+004446.0: A New Dwarf Nova with Quiescent Superhumps?
• KIC 9406652: A laboratory for tilted disks in cataclysmic variable stars. II. Modeling of the orbital light curves
• A photometric study of V1193 Ori: detection of orbital and negative superhump periods
• SuperWASP observations of long timescale photometric variations in cataclysmic variables
• A New Window for Studying Intermediate Polars and Tilted Accretion Disk Precession
• Superhumps of CC Cancri Revisited
• Superhumps Behavior during Normal Outbursts in ER UMa: Spectroscopy and Photometry
• FITDisk: A Cataclysmic Variable Accretion Disk Demonstration Tool
• Symbiotic Stars in the APOGEE Survey: The Case of LIN 358 and SMC N73 (LIN 445a)
• Accretion Discs with an Inner Spiral Density Wave