A 110 MG cyclotron harmonic in the optical spectrum of RX J1554.2+2721

Abstract

We report the detection of a 110 MG cyclotron harmonic in the SDSS-spectrum of the magnetic cataclysmic variable (MCV) RX J1554.2+2721. This feature was noted earlier by others but remained unexplained. The wide spectral coverage of the new spectrum together with the earlier detection of a Zeeman split Ly-a line in a field of 144 MG makes the identification almost unambiguous. We propose to explain the non-conforming UV-optical photospheric temperature of the white dwarf by an as yet unobserved cyclotron component in the ultraviolet which also could significantly contribute to the overall energy balance of the accretion process.

arXiv comment4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for A&A

References in corpus (6)

• The Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Technical Summary
• New Low Accretion-Rate Magnetic Binary Systems and their Significance for the Evolution of Cataclysmic Variables
• Accretion physics of AM Herculis binaries, I. Results from one-dimensional stationary radiation hydrodynamics
• Phase-resolved HST/STIS spectroscopy of the exposed white dwarf in the high-field polar AR UMa
• A 150MG magnetic white dwarf in the cataclysmic variable RX J1554.2+2721
• The new cataclysmic variable RX J1554.2+2721 in the period gap

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Magnetic White Dwarfs
• The space density of magnetic cataclysmic variables
• Stability of super-Chandrasekhar magnetic white dwarfs
• GALEX and Optical Light Curves of EF Eridanus During a Low State: the Puzzling Source of UV Light
• Unveiling the white dwarf in J191213.72-441045.1 through ultraviolet observations
• Proving strong magnetic fields near to the central black hole in the quasar PG0043+039 via cyclotron lines
• A spectroscopic, photometric, polarimetric and radio study of the eclipsing polar UZ Fornacis: the first simultaneous SALT and MeerKAT observations