A model for the optical high state light curve of AM Herculis

Abstract

We present a simple quantitative model that can describe the photometric B and V band light curves of AM Herculis obtained during a high state. The double-humped shape of the V band light curve is dominated by cyclotron emission from a region at the main accreting pole with an area of ~5x10e16 cm^2 and sustaining an inflow of ~0.06 g/cm^2/s. The almost unmodulated B band is dominated by emission from the accretion stream. The contribution of the heated white dwarf to the optical emission is small in the B band, but comparable to that of the accretion stream in the V band. The emission of the secondary star is negligible both in B and in V.

6 pages A&A-Latex, 6 Figures, accepted for publication in A&A

References in corpus (3)

• Accretion physics of AM Herculis binaries, I. Results from one-dimensional stationary radiation hydrodynamics
• Modelling of the magnetic accretion flow in HU Aquarii
• The Three Dimensional Structure of EUV Accretion Regions in AM Herculis Stars: Modeling of EUV Photometric and Spectroscopic Observations

Cited by in corpus (15)

• Orbital periods of cataclysmic variables identified by the SDSS. III. Time-series photometry obtained during the 2004/5 International Time Project on La Palma
• Horizontal spreading of planetary debris accreted by white dwarfs
• Barnes-Evans relations for dwarfs with an application to the determination of distances to cataclysmic variables
• Irradiated atmospheres of accreting magnetic white dwarfs with an application to the polar AM Herculis
• The various accretion modes of AM Herculis: Clues from multi-wavelength observations in high accretion states
• Orbital periods of cataclysmic variables identified by the SDSS. IX. NTT photometry of eight eclipsing and three magnetic systems
• The Magnetospheric Boundary in Cataclysmic Variables
• XMM-Newton and optical follow-up observations of three new polars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
• Updated photometry and orbital period analysis for the polar \objectname{am herculis} on the upper edge of the period gap
• Rapid variability of accretion in AM Herculis
• Short Duration Accretion States of Polars as seen in TESS and ZTF data
• Cyclotron emitting magnetic white dwarfs in post common envelope binaries discovered with the Zwicky Transient Facility
• Discovery and characterization of ZTF J0112+5827: An 80.9-minute polar with strong cyclotron features
• Phase-resolved X-ray spectroscopy and spectral energy distribution of the X-ray soft polar RS Caeli
• Locating the flickering source in polars