Disentangling Cataclysmic Variables in Gaia's HR-Diagram

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the distribution of Cataclysmic Variables in Gaia's HR-diagram, revealing correlations between their physical properties, sub-types, and orbital periods, enhancing understanding of their evolutionary states.

Contribution

It provides a detailed mapping of CVs in Gaia's HR-diagram and identifies trends related to orbital periods and sub-types, offering new insights into their physical characteristics.

Findings

CVs are mainly located between the main sequence and white dwarf regime.

A trend shows decreasing orbital period correlates with bluer color and fainter brightness.

Locations of CV sub-types and detached CVs in the HR-diagram are identified.

Abstract

Cataclysmic Variables (CVs) are interacting binaries consisting of at least three components that control their colour and magnitude. Using Gaia we here investigate the influence of the physical properties of these binaries on their position in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HR-diagram). The CVs are on average located between the main sequence and the white dwarf regime, the maximum density being at $G_{BP}-G_{RP} \sim 0.56$ and $G_{abs} \sim 10.15$. We find a trend of the orbital period with colour and absolute brightness: with decreasing period, the CVs become bluer and fainter. We also identify the location of the various CV sub-types in the HR-diagram and discuss the possible location of detached CVs, going through the orbital period gap.