Spectroscopic Evidence for Starspots on the Secondary Star of SS Cygni | Zendy

N. A. Webb | Zendy; T. Naylor | Zendy; R. D. Jeffries | Zendy

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Spectroscopic Evidence for Starspots on the Secondary Star of SS Cygni

Author(s) -

N. A. Webb,

T. Naylor,

R. D. Jeffries

Publication year - 2002

Publication title -

the astrophysical journal

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.376

H-Index - 489

eISSN - 1538-4357

pISSN - 0004-637X

DOI - 10.1086/340271

Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , starspot , angular momentum , dynamo , white dwarf , stars , binary star , magnetic field , astronomy , star (game theory) , classical mechanics , quantum mechanics

Cataclysmic variables (CVs) are interacting binary systems where a cool,rapidly rotating secondary star passes material to a white dwarf. If this massloss is to continue then there must be continuous angular momentum loss fromthe system. By analogy with the Sun and other cool stars, it has been assumedthat magnetic braking is responsible, angular momentum being carried away by anionised wind from the secondary star, threading a dynamo-generated magneticfield. We have discovered TiO absorption in the spectrum of SS Cyg, whosesecondary star should be too hot to show such features. The most likelyexplanation of its presence is cool star spots caused by the strong (0.1T)fields required by the magnetic braking theories.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ letter

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