Astron. Astrophys. 321, 213-219 (1997)

UV Observations of dwarf novae in quiescence - effects of evaporation?

C. la Dous ¹, F. Meyer ² and E. Meyer-Hofmeister <sup>2

1</sup> Sternwarte Sonneberg, Sternwartestr. 13, D-96515 Sonneberg, Germany
² Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild Str. 1, D-85740 Garching, Germany

Received 30 May 1996 / Accepted 5 September 1996

Abstract

IUE spectra of dwarf novae in quiescence provide information on the inner part of the accretion disk. In the framework of the evaporation model the mass flow of about is understood as accretion via a hot corona above the cool inert disk. The UV radiation originates from the transition region between disk and corona, and from the white dwarf. If it is possible to separate the radiation from white dwarf and disk, the remaining disk spectrum allows conclusions on where the dominant emitting disk area is located. We compare results from observations of different systems with the prediction of the evaporation model.

Key words: accretion disks ultraviolet: stars cataclysmic variables white dwarfs

Send offprint requests to: E. Meyer-Hofmeister

SIMBAD Objects

Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. The evaporation model
• 3. UV observations of dwarf novae in quiescence
  • 3.1. Selection of appropriate data
  • 3.2. The UV emission lines
  • 3.3. The white dwarf spectrum
• 4. Evaluation of disk properties
  • 4.1. Emitting disk area
  • 4.2. Mass flow rate
• 5. Comparison of our results with other observations and conclusions
  • 5.1. UV observations
  • 5.2. X-ray observations
• 6. Conclusions
• References

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1997

Online publication: June 30, 1998
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