Spectroscopy of New and Poorly Known Cataclysmic Variables in the Kepler Field

TL;DR

This paper presents spectroscopic observations of seven cataclysmic variables in the Kepler field, including four newly discovered systems, enhancing understanding of these variable stars through combined spectroscopic and Kepler photometric data.

Contribution

It reports the first spectroscopy of several cataclysmic variables in the Kepler field, including new discoveries, and discusses their observational status and identification challenges.

Findings

Spectroscopy confirmed the nature of four newly discovered systems.

Three historic systems and one candidate could not be detected at their sky positions.

Two candidates' identities are questioned based on observational data.

Abstract

The NASA {\it Kepler} mission has been in science operation since May 2009 and is providing high precision, high cadence light curves of over 150,000 targets. Prior to launch, nine cataclysmic variables were known to lie within {\it Kepler's} field of view. We present spectroscopy for seven systems, four of which were newly discovered since launch. All of the stars presented herein have been observed by, or are currently being observed by, the {\it Kepler} space telescope. Three historic systems and one new candidate could not be detected at their sky position and two candidates are called into question as to their true identity.