An outburst of the magnetic cataclysmic variable XY Arietis observed with RXTE

Abstract

We report the first observed outburst of the magnetic cataclysmic variable XY Ari. X-ray observations show a flux increase by an order of magnitude the day after the first signs of outburst. During the 5-d duration the X-ray spin pulse is greatly enhanced and the X-ray spectrum far more absorbed. We suggest that the inner disc pushes inwards during outburst, blocking the view to the lower accreting pole, breaking the symmetry present in quiescence, and so producing a large pulsation. The observations are consistent with a disc instability as the cause of the outburst, although we can't rule out alternatives. We draw parallels between our data and the UV delay and dwarf nova oscillations seen in non-magnetic dwarf novae.

10 pages, 9 figures, LaTeX, also at http://www.astro.keele.ac.uk/~ch/

Cited by in corpus (33)

• X-ray Emissions from Accreting White Dwarfs: a Review
• The spin periods and magnetic moments of white dwarfs in magnetic cataclysmic variables
• Rapid Oscillations in Cataclysmic Variables
• Dwarf nova outbursts in intermediate polars
• Outbursts of EX Hydrae: mass-transfer events or disc instabilities?
• Suzaku and NuSTAR X-Ray Spectroscopy of gamma Cas and HD110432
• On the magnetic accretor GK Persei in outburst
• Dwarf Nova-like Outburst of Short Period Intermediate Polar HT Camelopardalis
• All Quiet in Globular Clusters
• Return of the King: Time-Series Photometry of FO Aquarii's Initial Recovery from its Unprecedented 2016 Low State
• CC Sculptoris: A superhumping intermediate polar
• Multi-mission observations of the old nova GK Per during the 2015 outburst
• The NuSTAR Hard X-ray Survey of the Norma Arm Region
• Time-Resolved Photometry of GK Per during the 1996 Outburst
• The Intermediate Polar EI UMa: A Pre-Polar Cataclysmic Variable
• The Magnetospheric Boundary in Cataclysmic Variables
• Dwarf Nova Oscillations and Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in Cataclysmic Variables, IV. Observations of Frequency Doubling and Tripling in VW Hyi
• Discovery of spin modulated circular polarization from IGR J17014-4306, the remnant of Nova Scorpii 1437 A.D
• A precessing accretion disc in the intermediate polar XY Ari?
• Emission line tomography of the short period cataclysmic variables CC Scl and V2051 Oph
• Phototmetry of V1062 Tau: low states, short outbursts, and period-switching
• The return of the spin period in DW Cnc and evidence of new high state outbursts
• Swift J201424.9+152930: discovery of a new deeply eclipsing binary with 491 s and 3.4 h modulations
• An Observation of the Intermediate Polar XY Arietis with Chandra
• Outbursts of EX Hydrae Revisited
• Very fast photometric and X-ray observations of the intermediate polar V2069 Cygni (RX J2123.7+4217)
• An X-ray study for white dwarf binary AR Scorpii
• The Eclipsing Cataclysmic Variable Lanning 386: Dwarf Nova, SW Sextantis Star, or Both?
• Discovery of a new cataclysmic variable through optical variability and X-ray emission
• Disc-Magnetosphere interactions in Cataclysmic Variable Stars
• ASASSN-18fk: A new WZ Sge-type dwarf nova with multiple rebrightenings and a new candidate for a superhumping intermediate polar
• Dynamical mass of the white dwarf in XY Ari: a test for intermediate polar X-ray spectral models
• The Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer