1998/02/19 by D. de Martino, de Martino, D., R. Barcaroli +21 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/9802254
6 pages A&A-Latex, 3 Figures, accepted for publication in A&A
arxiv created 1998/02/19 · openalex publication_date 1998/02/19 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
We present BeppoSAX observations of the peculiar long period polar system V1309 Ori (RXJ0515.6+0105). The source was detected simultaneously at soft and, for the first time, at hard X-rays with the LECS and the MECS detectors. Both, the LECS and the MECS light curves are irregular with a bursting/flaring type behaviour indicating inhomogeneous accretion onto the white dwarf. This peculiar variability, together with an extreme high soft-to-hard X-ray luminosity ratio, indicates that in V1309 Ori accretion occurs predominantly in highly compressed chunks or ``blobs'' of matter. From coordinated ESO optical spectroscopy, we find indications that the magnetic field strength of the white dwarf is < 70 MG, not expected either from the 8 hr orbital period synchronism or from the strong soft-to-hard X-ray ratio suggesting alternative solutions for sustaining synchronism in this system.