The effect of a magnetosphere on asynchronous magnetic torques in AM Herculis binaries

The interaction is investigated between a white dwarf magnetosphere and a red dwarf secondary star in an asynchronous AM Herculis binary. The poloidal magnetic field diffuses into the secondary and shearing motions, due to differential rotation between the star and the magnetosphere, generate azimuthal field. The effects of diffusion and field advection caused by a poloidal flow induced by magnetospheric motions are calculated. Outward radial motions reduce the amount of field penetration and limit the stellar magnetic torque at higher degrees of asynchronism. A resonance torque curve results, similar to the case of a precessing magnetic field with vacuum surroundings. Inward motions in the secondary increase field penetration, allowing the torque to reach higher values for larger degrees of asynchronism.