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[40.13U] The Properties of the Dwarf Novae BV Puppis, BD Pav and BV Cen During Quiescence

J. Tracey, E.M. Sion (Villanova University)

We have selected three dwarf novae, BV Pup, BD Pav and BV Cen with archival IUE spectra during their quiescence for a study of their behavior, disk properties (e.g. accretion rates), relative contributions of the accretion disk and white dwarf to the far UV flux and, if possible, the properties of the underlying white dwarfs. All three systems are above the period gap and members of the U Gem subclass. After correcting their spectra for the Massa-Fitzpatrick flux calibration correction to the archival NEWSIPS data and masking out strong emission lines, we compared the spectra to a grid of model accretion disks with vertical structure covering the range of accretion rates 1E-8.8 to 1E-10.5 Msun/yr, inclination angles 18 degrees to 81 degrees and white dwarf masses from 0.55 to 1.2 Msun. In addition, we compared their IUE spectra wih high gravity model atmospheres computed with TLUSTY and SYNSPEC. Finally we took the best-fitting white dwarf model atmosphere for each system and combined it with the best-fitting disk. We varied the accretion rate of the accretion disk until the combined white dwarf plus disk yielded the least chi² value. We present the results of our analysis and discuss implications for disk and white dwarf properties during quiescence.

This work was supported by NSF grant 9901955 and summer research support from the NASA Delaware Space Grant Consortium

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34, #4
© 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.