Multi‐epoch time‐resolved photometry of the eclipsing polar CSS081231:071126+440405. Issue 2 (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schwope, A. D.; Mackebrandt, F.; Thinius, B. D.; Littlefield, C.; Garnavich, P.; Oksanen, A.; Granzer, T.
• Is Part Of: Astronomische Nachrichten. Volume 336:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 115
• Page End: 124
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1002/asna.201412151
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0004-6337

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>The eclipsing polar CSS081231:071126+440405 turned bright (<italic>V</italic>_max ∼ 14.5) in late 2008 and was subsequently observed intensively with small and medium‐sized telescopes. A homogeneous analysis of this comprehensive dataset comprising 109 eclipse epochs is presented and a linear ephemeris covering the five years of observations, about 24000 orbital cycles, is derived. Formally this sets rather tight constraints on the mass of a hypothetical circumbinary planet, <italic>M</italic>_pl ≤ 2 M_Jup. This preliminary result needs consolidation by long‐term monitoring of the source. The eclipse lasts 433.08 ± 0.65 s, and the orbital inclination is found to be <italic>i</italic> = 79.3°–83.7°. The centre of the bright phase displays accretion‐rate dependent azimuthal shifts. No accretion geometry is found that explains all observational constraints, suggesting a complex accretion geometry with possible pole switches and a likely non‐dipolar field geometry. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)</p> </abstract>