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Decrease in the orbital period of dwarf nova OY Carinae

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 18:12 authored by Greenhill, JG, Kym HillKym Hill, Dieters, S, Fienberg, KS, Howlett, M, Meijers, AJ, Munro, AIS, Senkbeil, CE
We have measured the orbital light curve of dwarf nova OY Carinae on eight separate nights between 1997 September and 2005 December. The measurements were made in white light using CCD photometers on the Mt Canopus 1-m telescope. The time of eclipse in 2005 December was 168 ± 5s earlier than that predicted by the Wood et al. ephemeris. Using the times of eclipse from our measurements and the compilation of published measurements by Pratt et al., we find that the observational data are inconsistent with a constant period and indicate that the orbital period is decreasing by 5 ± 1 × 10 -12 s s -1. This is too fast to be explained by gravitational radiation emission alone. It is possible that the change is cyclic with a period of ∼35 yr and a fractional period change ΔP/P = 2.6 × 10 -7. This is probably due to solar-cycle magnetic activity in the secondary. There are also large systematic deviations, with a time-scale of years, from a sinusoidal modulation. © 2006 RAS.

History

Publication title

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Volume

372

Pagination

1129-1132

ISSN

0035-8711

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Place of publication

Oxford, England

Repository Status

  • Restricted

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Expanding knowledge in the physical sciences

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