Data Mining for Dwarf Novae in SDSS, GALEX and Astrometric Catalogues

TL;DR

This study uses cross-matching of astronomical catalogues to identify new dwarf nova candidates, confirming some as cataclysmic variables, and analyzing their outburst properties to reveal diverse populations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of cross-matching multiple catalogues to discover and analyze new dwarf novae, including faint and rare-outburst systems.

Findings

Identified 64 new dwarf nova candidates with observed outbursts.

Confirmed 14 systems as cataclysmic variables via spectroscopy.

Revealed a population of intrinsically faint dwarf novae with rare outbursts.

Abstract

By cross matching blue objects from SDSS with GALEX and the astrometric catalogues USNO-B1.0, GSC2.3 and CMC14, 64 new dwarf nova candidates with one or more observed outbursts have been identified. 14 of these systems are confirmed as cataclysmic variables through existing and follow-up spectroscopy. A study of the amplitude distribution and an estimate of the outburst frequency of these new dwarf novae and those discovered by the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey (CRTS) indicates that besides systems that are faint because they are farther away, there also exists a population of intrinsically faint dwarf novae with rare outbursts.