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2007MNRAS.377.1747R - Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 377, 1747-1762 (2007/June-1)
SW Sextantis stars: the dominant population of cataclysmic variables with orbital periods between 3 and 4h.
RODRIGUEZ-GIL P., GANSICKE B.T., HAGEN H.-J., ARAUJO-BETANCOR S., AUNGWEROJWIT A., ALLENDE PRIETO C., BOYD D., CASARES J., ENGELS D., GIANNAKIS O., HARLAFTIS E.T., KUBE J., LEHTO H., MARTINEZ-PAIS I.G., SCHWARZ R., SKIDMORE W., STAUDE A. and TORRES M.A.P.
Abstract (from CDS):
These five new additions to the class increase the number of known SW Sex stars to 35. Almost 40 per cent of the total SW Sex population do not show eclipses, invalidating the requirement of eclipses as a defining characteristic of the class and the models based on a high orbital inclination geometry alone. On the other hand, as more SW Sex stars are identified, the predominance of orbital periods in the narrow 3-4.5 h range is becoming more pronounced. In fact, almost half the CVs which populate the 3-4.5 h period interval are definite members of the class. The dominance of SW Sex stars is even stronger in the 2-3 h period gap, where they make up 55 per cent of all known gap CVs. These statistics are confirmed by our results from the HQS CVs. Remarkably, 54 per cent of the Hamburg nova-like variables have been identified as SW Sex stars with orbital periods in the 3-4.5 h range. The observation of this pile-up of systems close to the upper boundary of the period gap is difficult to reconcile with the standard theory of CV evolution, as the SW Sex stars are believed to have the highest mass-transfer rates among CVs.
Finally, we review the full range of common properties that the SW Sex stars exhibit. Only a comprehensive study of this rich phenomenology will prompt to a full understanding of the phenomenon and its impact on the evolution of CVs and the accretion processes in compact binaries in general.
Abstract Copyright: 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2007 RAS
Journal keyword(s): accretion, accretion discs - binaries: close - novae, cataclysmic variables
Simbad objects: 52
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