Using Gaussian processes to model light curves in the presence of flickering: the eclipsing cataclysmic variable ASASSN-14ag

McAllister, M. J.; Littlefair, S. P.; Dhillon, V. S.; Marsh, T. R.; Ashley, R. P.; Bours, M. C. P.; Breedt, E.; Hardy, L. K.; Hermes, J. J.; Kengkriangkrai, S.; Kerry, P.; Rattanasoon, S.; Sahman, D. I.
Bibliographical reference

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 464, Issue 2, p.1353-1364

Advertised on:
1
2017
Number of authors
13
IAC number of authors
1
Citations
21
Refereed citations
18
Description
The majority of cataclysmic variable (CV) stars contain a stochastic noise component in their light curves, commonly referred to as flickering. This can significantly affect the morphology of CV eclipses and increases the difficulty in obtaining accurate system parameters with reliable errors through eclipse modelling. Here we introduce a new approach to eclipse modelling, which models CV flickering with the help of Gaussian processes (GPs). A parametrized eclipse model - with an additional GP component - is simultaneously fitted to eight eclipses of the dwarf nova ASASSN-14ag and system parameters determined. We obtain a mass ratio q = 0.149 ± 0.016 and inclination i = 83.4°^{+0.9°}_{-0.6°}. The white dwarf and donor masses were found to be Mw = 0.63 ± 0.04 M⊙ and Md = 0.093 ^{+0.015}_{-0.012} M⊙, respectively. A white dwarf temperature Tw = 14 000 ^{+2200}_{-2000} K and distance d = 146 ^{+24}_{-20} pc were determined through multicolour photometry. We find GPs to be an effective way of modelling flickering in CV light curves and plan to use this new eclipse modelling approach going forward.
Related projects
Representación de la variable cataclísmica SS Cygni (Chris Moran)
Binary Stars
The study of binary stars is essential to stellar astrophysics. A large number of stars form and evolve within binary systems. Therefore, their study is fundamental to understand stellar and galactic evolution. Particularly relevant is that binary systems are still the best source of precise stellar mass and radius measurements. Research lines
Pablo
Rodríguez Gil
Black hole in outburst
Black holes, neutron stars, white dwarfs and their local environment
Accreting black-holes and neutron stars in X-ray binaries provide an ideal laboratory for exploring the physics of compact objects, yielding not only confirmation of the existence of stellar mass black holes via dynamical mass measurements, but also the best opportunity for probing high-gravity environments and the physics of accretion; the most
Montserrat
Armas Padilla