How Many CVs are Crossing the Period Gap? A Test for the Disruption of Magnetic Braking

TL;DR

This study uses population synthesis to predict the number and distribution of white dwarf-main sequence binaries crossing the period gap, testing the disruption of magnetic braking hypothesis in cataclysmic variables.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed population synthesis predictions of WDMS binaries crossing the period gap, supporting the magnetic braking disruption theory.

Findings

Predicted excess of crossing systems within the period gap.

A prominent peak at the period gap in the orbital period distribution.

Results depend on common envelope ejection efficiency and magnetic braking models.

Abstract

We apply population synthesis techniques to calculate the present day number of two types of white dwarf-main sequence star (WDMS) binaries within the cataclysmic variable period gap. The first are post-common envelope binaries with secondary stars that have masses between 0.17 and 0.36 Msun (gPCEBs), such that they will commence mass transfer within the period gap. The second type are systems that were CVs at some point in their past, but detached once they evolved down in orbital period to ~3 h as a consequence of disrupted magnetic braking, and are crossing the period gap via gravitational radiation (dCVs). Full population synthesis calculations are performed where we assume either constant, global values of the common envelope ejection efficiency, or consider the ejection efficiency as a function of secondary mass. Several forms of magnetic braking are also considered. We predict an excess of dCVs over gPCEBs within the period gap of ~4 to ~13 assuming an ejection efficiency between 0.1 and 0.6, and a flat initial mass ratio distribution. This excess is revealed as a prominent peak at the location of the period gap in the orbital period distribution of the combined gPCEB and dCV population. We suggest that if such a feature is observed in the orbital period distribution of an observed sample of short orbital period WDMS binaries, this would strongly corroborate the disruption of magnetic braking.