The Galactic Kinematics of Cataclysmic Variables

TL;DR

This study analyzes the kinematic properties of 216 cataclysmic variables in the Galaxy, revealing their population types, ages, and orbital period evolution, challenging some standard theories of CV evolution.

Contribution

It provides a refined kinematic analysis of CVs using updated data, identifying their population types and challenging existing theories on their velocity dispersions relative to orbital periods.

Findings

94% of CVs belong to the thin disc of the Galaxy.

Mean kinematical ages are around 3.4 to 3.9 Gyr for different CV groups.

Orbital period change rate is approximately -1.62×10^{-5} sec/year.

Abstract

Kinematical properties of CVs were investigated according to population types and orbital periods, using the space velocities computed from recently updated systemic velocities, proper motions and parallaxes. Reliability of collected space velocity data are refined by removing 34 systems with largest space velocity errors. The 216 CVs in the refined sample were shown to have a dispersion of $53.70 \pm 7.41$ km s$^{-1}$ corresponding to a mean kinematical age of $5.29 \pm 1.35$ Gyr. Population types of CVs were identified using their Galactic orbital parameters. According to the population analysis, seven old thin disc, nine thick disc and one halo CV were found in the sample, indicating that 94% of CVs in the Solar Neighbourhood belong to the thin-disc component of the Galaxy. Mean kinematical ages $3.40 \pm 1.03$ and $3.90 \pm 1.28$ Gyr are for the non-magnetic thin-disc CVs below and above the period gap, respectively. There is not a meaningful difference between the velocity dispersions below and above the gap. Velocity dispersions of the non-magnetic thin-disc systems below and above the gap are $24.95 \pm 3.46$ and $26.60 \pm 4.18$ km s$^{-1}$, respectively. This result is not in agreement with the standard formation and evolution theory of CVs. The mean kinematical ages of the CV groups in various orbital period intervals increase towards shorter orbital periods. This is in agreement with the standard theory for the evolution of CVs. Rate of orbital period change was found to be $dP/dt=-1.62(\pm 0.15)\times 10^{-5}$ sec yr$^{-1}$.