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D. W. Hoard (SSC/Caltech), C. S. Brinkworth (SSC/Caltech/Southampton), S. Wachter (SSC/Caltech)
Because accretion-generated luminosity dominates the radiated energy of most cataclysmic variables (CVs), they have been ``traditionally'' observed primarily at short wavelengths. Consequently, relatively little is known about the infrared (IR) properties of CVs. Fortunately, advances in IR detector technology during the last decade have made this region of the spectrum much more accessible. Investigating CVs in the IR contributes to our understanding of the properties of key system components that radiate strongly at these wavelengths: the cool outer disk, accretion stream, and secondary star. We present the initial results of our investigation of the group IR properties of all CVs detected in the 2-Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). 2MASS imaged the entire sky down to completeness limits of J=15.8, H=15.1, and Ks=14.3 mag (detection limits are approximately 0.8 mag fainter). The recent All-Sky Data Release from 2MASS allows us, for the first time, to compile and compare the homogenous JHKs photometry for the complete sample of known CVs. This work is an extension of our previous investigation of a subset of CVs using the 2MASS 2nd Incremental Data Release (Hoard et al. 2002, ApJ, 565, 511).
This research has been accomplished as part of the SSC Visiting Graduate Student Program.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#5
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.