Optical Studies of Thirteen Hard X-ray Selected Cataclysmic Binaries from the Swift-BAT Survey

TL;DR

This study investigates thirteen hard X-ray selected cataclysmic binaries from the Swift-BAT survey through optical spectroscopy and photometry, identifying orbital and spin periods, and classifying their types, including polars and intermediate polars.

Contribution

It provides new optical identifications and orbital/spin period measurements for eleven binaries, including the discovery of probable polars and intermediate polars, expanding understanding of these systems.

Findings

Orbital periods range from 81 minutes to 20.4 hours.

Detected coherent pulsations indicating intermediate polar nature.

Identified new polars and possible classifications for several objects.

Abstract

From a set of thirteen cataclysmic binaries that were discovered in the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) survey, we conducted time-resolved optical spectroscopy and/or time-series photometry of eleven, with the goal of measuring their orbital periods and searching for spin periods. Seven of the objects in this study are new optical identifications. Orbital periods are found for seven targets, ranging from 81 minutes to 20.4 hours. PBC J0706.7+0327 is an AM Herculis star (polar) based on its emission-line variations and large amplitude photometric modulation on the same period. Swift J2341.0+7645 may be a polar, although the evidence here is less secure. Coherent pulsations are detected from two objects, Swift J0503.7-2819 (975 s) and Swift J0614.0+1709 (1412 s and 1530 s, spin and beat periods, respectively), indicating that they are probable intermediate polars (DQ Herculis stars). For two other stars, longer spin periods are tentatively suggested. We also present the discovery of a 2.00 hour X-ray modulation from RX J2015.6+3711, possibly a contributor to Swift J2015.9+3715, and likely a polar.