Observations of the SW Sextantis star UU Aquarii |
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| Authors: | Hoard Still Paula Szkody Robert Connon Smith & Buckley |
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| Institution: | Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195-1580, USA,;Physics &Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS,;Astronomy Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QJ,;South African Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 9, Observatory 7935, Cape Town, South Africa |
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| Abstract: | We present 14 nights of medium resolution (1–2 Å) spectroscopy of the eclipsing cataclysmic variable UU Aquarii obtained during a high accretion state in 1995 August–October. UU Aqr appears to be an SW Sextantis (SW Sex) star, as noted by Baptista, Steiner & Horne, and we discuss its spectroscopic behaviour in the context of the SW Sex phenomenon. Emission-line equivalent width curves, Doppler tomography, and line profile simulation provide evidence for the presence of a bright spot at the impact site of the accretion stream with the edge of the disc, and a non-axisymmetric, vertically and azimuthally extended absorbing structure in the disc. The absorption has maximum depth in the emission lines around orbital phase 0.8, but is present from φ≈0.4 to φ≈0.95. An origin is explored for this absorbing structure (as well as for the other spectroscopic behaviour of UU Aqr) in terms of the explosive impact of the accretion stream with the disc. |
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| Keywords: | accretion accretion discs stars: individual: UU Aqr novae cataclysmic variables |
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