2017/02/09 by Robert Connon Smith, Smith, Robert Connon
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR) #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1702.02910
Write-up of a talk given at the conference on "The Golden Age of Cataclysmic Variables and Related Objects III", Palermo, Italy, Sep 7-12, 2015; written November 2015 with a recent minor revision requested by a belated refereeing process; 6 pages, 3 figures; to appear in Proceedings of Science (pos.sissa.it)
arxiv created 2017/02/09 · arxiv updated 2017/02/10
Roche tomography is a technique designed for mapping the intensity distribution over the surface of binary star components that fill (or nearly fill) their Roche lobes and so are both rotationally and tidally distorted. It builds on and develops the successful techniques used for mapping rapidly rotating single stars, which have revealed the presence of starspots. It has so far been applied to only a small number of cataclysmic variables, and a few other related systems. This paper reviews the technique and presents maps of spots on most of these systems. The review has been written with the help of contributions of material from Chris Watson and Colin Hill of Queen's University, Belfast.