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D. Steeghs (University of Southampton)
WZ Sge is the prototypical evolved cataclysmic variable harbouring a white dwarf that has transformed its nearby companion star from a main sequence star into a low mass dwarf via gigayears of mass transfer. In July 2001, the system went into one of its rare outburst states around 10 years earlier than expected. I present some highlights from the multi-wavelength campaign covering the 2001 outburst event. The vast amount of data secured during this event provides an unprecedented coverage of a dwarf nova outburst. Complex line profile variability is present across all wavebands with remarkable similarity between optical, UV (HST) and X-ray (Chandra) line profiles. Optical spectroscopy in the first few days of the outburst revealed a hot accretion disc dominated by two spiral arms. Doppler tomography of the disc indicates a weakening of the spirals throughout the first weeks of the outburst while at the same time a bright spot signature is increasing in strength. The mass donor also revealed itself for the first time through narrow emission line components, directly constraining WZ Sge's system parameters.
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The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: ds@astro.soton.ac.uk