2002/06/27 by D. W. Hoard, Paula Szkody, P. Szkody +12 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/342547
18 pages, 6 figures, 1 table; to be published in the Astronomical Journal
arxiv created 2002/06/27 · openalex publication_date 2002/09/24 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
We present the first far-ultraviolet (FUV) observations of the magnetic cataclysmic variable VV Puppis, obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer satellite. In addition, we have obtained simultaneous ground-based optical photometric observations of VV Pup during part of the FUV observation. The shapes of the FUV and optical light curves are consistent with each other and with those of past observations at optical, extreme-ultraviolet, and X-ray wavelengths. Time-resolved FUV spectra during the portion of VV Pup's orbit when the accreting magnetic pole of the white dwarf can be seen show an increasing continuum level as the accretion spot becomes more directly visible. The most prominent features in the spectrum are the O VI λλ1031.9, 1037.6 emission lines. We interpret the shape and velocity shift of these lines in the context of an origin in the accretion funnel near the white dwarf surface. A blackbody function with T bb ≳ 90,000 K provides an adequate fit to the FUV spectral energy distribution of VV Pup.