Open AccessPolarimetry of QQ Vul
Author(s) -
Cropper Mark
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01333.x
Subject(s) - physics , polarization (electrochemistry) , epoch (astronomy) , astrophysics , amplitude , polarimetry , astronomy , accretion disc , accretion (finance) , stars , optics , scattering , chemistry
This paper presents an investigation of the polarization behaviour of the AM Her system QQ Vul at several epochs over 3 years. There are changes of a factor of 2 in the amplitude of the orbitally phased circular polarization from epoch to epoch. The mean behaviour can be modelled with an accretion arc ahead of and closer to the orbital plane than the magnetic pole, but it has proven difficult to link the changes in polarization with changes in the location of the accretion region. The paper concludes with an investigation into whether the variations are periodic, but the evidence for this is marginal.