Thermal-viscous instability in tilted accretion disks: a possible application to IW And-type dwarf novae

TL;DR

This study explores how thermal-viscous instability in tilted accretion disks can explain the unique light variations observed in IW And-type dwarf novae, using numerical simulations to reproduce their complex behaviors.

Contribution

It introduces a new model of tilted accretion disks with varied mass supply patterns to explain IW And star light curves, a novel approach in dwarf nova research.

Findings

Tilted disks can produce alternating hot inner and outbursting outer regions.

Simulations reproduce characteristic IW And light variations.

Diverse light curves emerge without changing mass transfer rates.

Abstract

IW And stars are a subgroup of dwarf novae characterized by repetitive light variations of the intermediate-brightness state with oscillations, which is terminated by brightening. This group of dwarf novae is also known to exhibit a wide variety even within one system in long-term light curves including usual dwarf-nova outbursts, Z Cam-type standstills, and so on, besides the typical IW And-type variations mentioned above. Following the recent observations suggesting that some IW And stars seem to have tilted disks, we have investigated how the thermal-viscous instability works in tilted accretion disks in dwarf novae and whether it could reproduce the essential features of the light curves in IW And stars. By adopting various simplifying assumptions for tilted disks, we have performed time-dependent one-dimensional numerical simulations of a viscous disk by taking into account various mass supply patterns to the disk; that is, the gas stream from the secondary star flows not only to the outer edge of the disk but also to the inner portions of the disk. We find that tilted disks can achieve a new kind of accretion cycle, in which the inner disk almost always stays in the hot state while the outer disk repeats outbursts, thereby reproducing alternating mid-brightness interval sometimes with dips and brightening, which are quite reminiscent of the most characteristic observational light variations of IW And stars. Further, we have found that our simulations produce diverse light variations, depending on different mass supply patterns even without time variations in mass transfer rates. This could explain the wide variety in long-term light curves of IW And stars.