A Radial Velocity Study of CTCV J1300-3052

TL;DR

This study uses time-resolved spectroscopy to measure the masses of the components in the eclipsing cataclysmic variable CTCV J1300-3052, confirming the reliability of photometric mass estimates in such systems.

Contribution

First spectroscopic determination of component masses in CTCV J1300-3052, validating photometric methods for short period cataclysmic variables.

Findings

White dwarf mass: 0.79 MSun

Secondary star mass: 0.198 MSun

Spectroscopic and photometric results agree

Abstract

We present time-resolved spectroscopy of the eclipsing, short period cataclysmic variable CTCV J1300-3052. Using absorption features from the secondary star, we determine the radial velocity semi-amplitude of the secondary star to be K2 = 378 \pm 6 km/s, and its projected rotational velocity to be v sin i = 125 \pm 7 km/s. Using these parameters and Monte Carlo techniques, we obtain masses of M1 = 0.79 \pm 0.05 MSun for the white dwarf primary and M2 = 0.198 \pm 0.029 MSun for the M-type secondary star. These parameters are found to be in excellent agreement with previous mass determinations found via photometric fitting techniques, supporting the accuracy and validity of photometric mass determinations in short period CVs.