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Magnetic CV

 

Catalog

MAGNETIC CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES (CVs)

What is a Magnetic CV? Magnetic cataclysmic variables (CVs) are binary star systems that contain a white dwarf with a magnetic field that is strong enough to control the accretion flow from a late type Roche-lobe secondary. Late type secondaries are cooler stars with spectral types such as K and M.
This site contains the catalogue of the known Magnetic CVs.

CLASSIFICATIONS

Each magnetic cataclysmic variable binary (mCV) is categorized as either a polar or an intermediate polar (IP). The polars are further divided the disjoint sub-classes of synchronous polars (P), asynchronous polars (AP), and the low luminosity/pre-polars (LP) also known as Low Accretion-Rate Polars (LARPs).

The intermediate polars are divided into the normal  IPs (IP), the transitional IPs (TIP), and the low-luminosity IPs (LIP). Several polars and intermediate polars have been the site of a novae eruption, designated by N and/or dwarf novae eruptions, designated by DN in the catalog.

The disjoint sets, as defined for this catalog, are described as follows:

This is an observational database with links and detailed information of known Magnetic CVs.

P = Synchronous Polars

These polars have a white dwarf spin period that is equal to the binary orbital period. This is because the white dwarf's magnetic field is strong enough to synchronous the white dwarf's rotation to the binary orbit.

AP = Asynchronous Polars

These polars have a white dwarf spin period that are up to a few percent different (longer or shorter) than the binary orbital period. These are probable only temporary APs as they all are moving towards synchronization.

LP = Low Accretion Rate Polars/ Pre-Polars

These polars show evidence for strong magnetic fields but very low level accretion and some may be evolving to become polars for the first time. The latter are called pre-polars.

IP = Intermediate Polars

The white dwarf magnetic field is not strong enough to disrupt the accretion disk in nearly all of the intermediate polars. The white dwarf spin period often spins much faster than the binary orbital period. This is due to  mass accretion from the disk along the magnetic field lines that results in the spin-up of the white dwarf.

LIP = Low Luminosity Intermediate Polars

These IPs accrete at a much lower rates than the normal IPs.

TIP = Transitional Intermediate Polars

These IPs are undergoing a transition from an IP to a polar. They have white dwarf rotation rates that are not too different than their orbital periods. They are the only IPs to have magnetic fields similar to polars, as measured by polarization and some TIPs, accrete by a stream rather than a disk or combination of a disk and stream.

RRIP =  Rapidly Rotation Intermediate Polars

These IPs are defined as being those with a white dwarf spin period of less than 4 minutes. This makes them potentially related to propeller binaries, especially AE Aqr, which eject much of the material transferred from the donor star out of the binary system, rather than being accreted onto the white dwarf. 

UPDATING

CONTINUOUSLY

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Additional Filtering

Name
Other Name
Right Ascension (RA)
Declination (DEC)
Orbital Period (hr)
WD Spin Period (hr)
Distance (pc)
WD Mass (Solar Units)
Magnetic Field (mg)
Optical (V)
Finder Chart
J000511.8+6340
3XMM J000511.8+634018
00h 05m 11.86s
+63° 40' 18.55"
2.225
2.225
3943.9
V479 And
SDSS J001856.93+345444.3
00h 18m 56.93s
+34° 54' 44.23"
14.258
14.258
2027.9
1.25
17.1
EQ Cet
1RXS J012851.9-233931, RBS 206
01h 28m 52.54s
-23° 39' 43.96"
1.547
1.547
283.3
45, 34
17.6
CV Hyi
RX J0132.7-6554; 1RXS J013242.8-655434
01h 32m 43.38s
-65° 54' 37.30"
1.297
1.297
550
68
BL Hyi
H 0139-68, 2 EUVE J0140-67.8
01h 41m 00.40s
-67° 53' 27.47"
1.894
1.894
129.3
0.71
23
17.2
J0154-5947
RX J0154.0-5947; 1RXS J014100.4-675332
01h 54m 00.93s
-59° 47' 49.10"
1.482
1.482
321.1
0.75
15.8
FL Cet
1RXS J015543.3+002817; SDSSp J015543+002807
01h 55m 43.40s
+00° 28' 07.16"
1.452
1.452
317.59
0.5
29
18.6
AI Tri
RX J0203.8+2959; 1RXS J020348.7+295921
02h 03m 48.62s
+29° 59' 25.90"
4.602
4.602
513.06
38
15.8
BS Tri
RX J0209.4+2832; 1RXS J020928.9+283243
02h 09m 29.81s
+28° 32' 29.15"
1.605
1.605
277.12
17.9
Gaia 18aot
2RXS J021106.6+305426
02h 11m 07.99s
+30° 54' 6.96"
1.892
1.892
517.92
J0227+1306
2MASS J02273286+1306172
02h 24m 32.87s
+13° 06’ 17.08”
3.787
3.787
486.27
0.67
38, 18
17.8
CW Hyi
RBS0324; 1RXS J023052.9-684203
02h 30m 51.15s
-68° 42’ 05.44”
3.03
3.03
543.21
13
17.5
WW Hor
EXO 023432-5232.3; 1RXS J023610.9-521910
02h 36m 11.44s
-52° 19’ 13.94”
1.925
1.925
333.62
1.1
25
19.5
PT Per
3XMM J024251.2+564131
02h 42m 51.20s
+56° 41’ 31.25”
1.35
1.35
180.14
0.7
27, 25
18.3
J0257+3337
SDSS J025737.74+333750.5; J0257+3337
02h 57m 37.75s
+33° 37’ 50.52”
1.5
1.5
736.49
18.8
J0303+0054
US 3566; 2MASS J03030835+0054438
03h 03m 08.36s
+00° 54’ 43.93”
3.227
3.227
120.4
0.84
17.4
EF Eri
2A 0311-227; RX J0314.2-2236
03h 14m 13.25s
-22° 35’ 42.92”
1.35
1.35
160.26
0.9
21, 17
18.2
J0328+0522
CRTS J032855.0+052253; SDSS J032855.00+052254.1
03h 28m 55.02s
+05° 22’ 54.17”
2.033
2.033
968.92
0.75
39
19.9
VY For
EXO 0329-2606; For1; EUVE J0332-25.9
03h 32m 04.61s
-25° 56’ 55.06”
3.806
3.806
580.85
18.7
UZ For
EXO 033319-2554.2; RX J0335.4-2544
03h 35m 28.65s
-25° 44’ 21.77”
2.109
2.109
238.1
0.7
75, 53
16.6
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