# Roche tomography of CVs

## TL;DR

Roche tomography is a technique for mapping the surface features of binary stars filling their Roche lobes, revealing starspots and surface structures, with applications demonstrated on cataclysmic variables.

## Contribution

This paper reviews Roche tomography and presents new surface maps of spots on several cataclysmic variable systems, expanding its application to binary stars.

## Key findings

- Maps of starspots on multiple CV systems produced
- Technique successfully adapted from single star mapping
- Enhanced understanding of surface features in binary stars

## Abstract

Roche tomography is a technique designed for mapping the intensity distribution over the surface of binary star components that fill (or nearly fill) their Roche lobes and so are both rotationally and tidally distorted. It builds on and develops the successful techniques used for mapping rapidly rotating single stars, which have revealed the presence of starspots. It has so far been applied to only a small number of cataclysmic variables, and a few other related systems. This paper reviews the technique and presents maps of spots on most of these systems. The review has been written with the help of contributions of material from Chris Watson and Colin Hill of Queen's University, Belfast.

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1702.02910