[en] Enhanced abundances of P, Mn and Al and a general enhancement of N/C ratios provide the first direct evidence that past thermonuclear runaways have occurred on the white dwarfs in dwarf novae and novalikes and indicate that these systems share a common history. Four different types of observations (elevated Al in HST spectra, unusual N/C ratios in FUSE and IUE spectra, the CN blend in optical spectra and low CO in IR spectra) show that a wide variety of systems exhibit peculiar abundances. Since these abundances share a common pattern, they provide clues to the past history of these systems, yet also provoke unsolved questions

[en] Time-resolved CCD photometry in V, B, and the near-IR has been obtained, with average time-series length of 3 hours, for 15 certified or candidate cataclysmic-variable faint stars. Orbital periods are found in three of the stars, and nine others are noted to exhibit evidence leading toward confirmation of cataclysmic-variable status. The characteristics of PG 0917+342 and PG 2240+193 are as yet unclear. 23 refs

[en] The prototype of accreting, pulsating white dwarfs (GW Lib) underwent a large amplitude dwarf nova outburst in 2007. We used ultraviolet data from Galaxy Evolution Explorer and ground-based optical photometry and spectroscopy to follow GW Lib for three years following this outburst. Several variations are apparent during this interval. The optical shows a superhump modulation in the months following outburst, while a 19 minute quasi-periodic modulation lasting for several months is apparent in the year after outburst. A long timescale (about 4 hr) modulation first appears in the UV a year after outburst and increases in amplitude in the following years. This variation also appears in the optical two years after outburst but is not in phase with the UV. The pre-outburst pulsations are not yet visible after three years, likely indicating the white dwarf has not returned to its quiescent state.

[en] Accreting white dwarfs have recently been shown to exhibit non-radial pulsations similar to their non-interacting counterparts. This allows us to probe the interior of the accreting white dwarf using seismology, and may be the only way to determine masses for non-eclipsing cataclysmic variables. Improving our understanding of accreting white dwarfs will have implications for models of supernovae Type Ia. Pulsating white dwarfs in cataclysmic variables are also useful in establishing the effects of accretion on pulsations. A search for nonradial pulsations among suitable candidates has led to the discovery of twelve such systems known to date. With the goal of establishing an instability strip (or strips) for these pulsating accretors, we acquired HST ultra-violet time-series spectroscopy of six pulsating white dwarfs in cataclysmic variables in 2007 and 2008. This approach enables us to measure the effective temperature of the white dwarf using the co-added spectrum, and to simultaneously characterize the pulsations. We also intended to constrain the pulsation mode identification by comparing the ultra-violet amplitudes to those from near-simultaneous ground-based photometry. Our preliminary results indicate a broad instability strip in the temperature range of 10500-15400 K.

[en] Since the large amplitude 2007 outburst which heated its accreting, pulsating white dwarf, the dwarf nova system GW Librae has been cooling to its quiescent temperature. Our Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet spectra combined with ground-based optical coverage during the third and fourth year after outburst show that the fluxes and temperatures are still higher than quiescence (T = 19,700 K and 17,300 K versus 16,000 K pre-outburst for a log g = 8.7 and d = 100 pc). The K_wd of 7.6 ± 0.8 km s^–1 determined from the C I λ1463 absorption line, as well as the gravitational redshift implies a white dwarf mass of 0.79 ± 0.08 M_☉. The widths of the UV lines imply a white dwarf rotation velocity v sin i of 40 km s^–1 and a spin period of 209 s (for an inclination of 11 deg and a white dwarf radius of 7 × 10⁸ cm). Light curves produced from the UV spectra in both years show a prominent multiplet near 290 s, with higher amplitude in the UV compared to the optical, and increased amplitude in 2011 versus 2010. As the presence of this set of periods is intermittent in the optical on weekly timescales, it is unclear how this relates to the non-radial pulsations evident during quiescence.

[en] There are 15 cataclysmic variables (CVs) observed in the first two campaigns of the K2 mission. In this paper, the eight CVs showing distinct features are analyzed in detail. Among these eight, modulations during quiescence are evident at the known orbital periods in the SU UMa stars QZ Vir and RZ Leo, and at our newly determined orbital periods for 1RXS J0632+2536 and WD 1144+011. The periodogram analysis for the quiescent light curve of QZ Vir reveals multi-period modulations and the coexistence of orbital and superhump periods. The phased orbital light curves for the other three CVs in quiescence display wide (about half cycle) and shallow (<0.5 mag) eclipse features. Besides these modulations, their quiescent light curves reveal several transient events: a sudden decrease of system light in 1RXS J0632+2536, a low-level flare-like event in QZ Vir, a short brightening event in RZ Leo, and a temporary disappearance of the orbital modulation in WD 1144+011. The two known dwarf novae UV Gem and TW Vir and the CVs USNO-B1.01144-00115322 and CSS 130516:111236:111236.7+002807 show outbursts, including one complete and three incomplete normal outbursts and two complete superoutbursts. An incomplete but typical normal outburst confirms the dwarf nova identification of the USNO-B1.01144-00115322. The one complete normal outburst in UV Gem may provide the orbital period, since its modulations are shorter than the previously observed superhump period. The superoutburst of CSS 130516:111236.7+002807, along with the corresponding superhump period, indicates that this object is an SU UMa star. The derived superhump period of CSS 130516:111236:111236.7+002807 is 1.44 hr, implying that this new SU UMa star is close to the period minimum.

[en] Stellar properties are measured for a large set of Kepler mission exoplanet candidate host stars. Most of these stars are fainter than 14th magnitude, in contrast to other spectroscopic follow-up studies. This sample includes many high-priority Earth-sized candidate planets. A set of model spectra are fitted to R ∼ 3000 optical spectra of 268 stars to improve estimates of T_eff, log (g), and [Fe/H] for the dwarfs in the range 4750 ≤ T_eff ≤ 7200 K. These stellar properties are used to find new stellar radii and, in turn, new radius estimates for the candidate planets. The result of improved stellar characteristics is a more accurate representation of this Kepler exoplanet sample and identification of promising candidates for more detailed study. This stellar sample, particularly among stars with T_eff ∼> 5200 K, includes a greater number of relatively evolved stars with larger radii than assumed by the mission on the basis of multi-color broadband photometry. About 26% of the modeled stars require radii to be revised upward by a factor of 1.35 or greater, and modeling of 87% of the stars suggest some increase in radius. The sample presented here also exhibits a change in the incidence of planets larger than 3-4 R_⊕ as a function of metallicity. Once [Fe/H] increases to ≥ – 0.05, large planets suddenly appear in the sample while smaller planets are found orbiting stars with a wider range of metallicity. The modeled stellar spectra, as well as an additional 84 stars of mostly lower effective temperatures, are made available to the community.

[en] CRTS J035905.9+175034 is the first eclipsing SU UMa system for which a superoutburst has been observed by Kepler in the short-cadence mode. The light curve contains one superoutburst, eight normal outbursts (including a precursor to the superoutburst), and several minioutbursts that are present before—but not after—the superoutburst. The superoutburst began with a precursor normal outburst, and shortly after the peak of the precursor, the system developed large-amplitude superhumps that achieved their maximum amplitude after just three superhump cycles. The period excess of the initial superhump period relative to the orbital period implies a mass ratio of 0.281 ± 0.015, placing it marginally above most theoretical predictions of the highest-possible mass ratio for superhump formation. In addition, our analysis of the variations in eclipse width and depth, as well as the hot spot amplitudes, generally provides substantiation of the thermal-tidal instability model. The K2 data, in conjunction with our ground-based time-resolved spectroscopy and photometry from 2014 to 2016, allows us to determine many of the fundamental parameters of this system.

[en] We report on XMM-Newton and optical results for six cataclysmic variables that were selected from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectra because they showed strong He II emission lines, indicative of being candidates for containing white dwarfs with strong magnetic fields. While high X-ray background rates prevented optimum results, we are able to confirm SDSS J233325.92+152222.1 as an intermediate polar from its strong pulse signature at 21 minutes and its obscured hard X-ray spectrum. Ground-based circular polarization and photometric observations were also able to confirm SDSS J142256.31 - 022108.1 as a polar with a period near 4 hr. Photometry of SDSS J083751.00+383012.5 and SDSS J093214.82+495054.7 solidifies the orbital period of the former as 3.18 hr and confirms the latter as a high-inclination system with deep eclipses.

[en] We present a spectral analysis of the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spectra of eight high-declination dwarf novae (DNs) obtained from a Cycle 7 FUSE survey. These DN systems have not been previously studied in the UV and little is known about their white dwarfs (WDs) or accretion disks. We carry out the spectral analysis of the FUSE data using synthetic spectra generated with the codes TLUSTY and SYNSPEC. For two faint objects (AQ Men and V433 Ara) we can only assess a lower limit for the WD temperature or mass accretion rate. NSV 10934 was caught in a quiescent state and its spectrum is consistent with a low-mass accretion rate disk. For five objects (HP Nor, DT Aps, AM Cas, FO Per, and ES Dra), we obtain WD temperatures between 34,000 K and 40,000 K and/or mass accretion rates consistent with intermediate to outburst states. These temperatures reflect the heating of the WD due to on-going accretion and are similar to the temperatures of other DNs observed on the rise to, and in decline from outburst. The WD temperatures we obtain should therefore be considered as upper limits, and it is likely that during quiescence AM Cas, FO Per, and ES Dra are near the average WD T_eff for catalcysmic variables above the period gap (∼30,000 K), similar to U Gem, SS Aur, and RX And.