XMM-Newton observations of eleven intermediate polars and possible candidates

TL;DR

This study uses XMM-Newton and archival data to identify and characterize intermediate polars among a set of candidates, revealing new IPs and clarifying the nature of several objects based on their X-ray and optical properties.

Contribution

First XMM-Newton observations of several candidates, confirming new intermediate polars and distinguishing them from other types of cataclysmic variables.

Findings

Confirmed HZ Pup, V349 Aqr, and IGR J18151-1052 as IPs with specific spin periods.

Identified V533 Her as a likely magnetic CV and V1039 Cen as a possible polar.

Discovered some candidates are non-magnetic CVs or too faint for firm classification.

Abstract

We aim to identify new intermediate polars (IPs) in XMM-Newton observations from a list of promising candidates. By selecting targets not previously known to be X-ray bright we aim to uncover evidence for an X-ray underluminous IP subpopulation. We performed period searches on the XMM-Newton X-ray and optical data of our targets to seek both the spin and orbital periods, which differ in IPs. We also investigated the X-ray spectra to find the hot plasma emission shown by these objects. With archival Swift data we coarsely investigated the long-term X-ray variability, and with archival optical data from a variety of catalogues, we compared the optical to X-ray luminosity to identify X-ray faint objects. This paper presents the first XMM-Newton observation of the prototype IP, DQ Her. We find firm evidence for HZ~Pup, V349 Aqr, and IGR J18151-1052 being IPs, with likely white dwarf spin periods of 1552, 390, and 390 s, respectively. The former two have luminosities typical of IPs, and the latter is strongly absorbed and with unknown distance. GI~Mon and V1084~Her are apparently non-magnetic CVs with interesting short-term variability unrelated to WD spin. V533~Her is probably a magnetic CV and remains a good IP candidate, while V1039 Cen is possibly a polar. The remaining candidates were too faint to allow for any firm conclusions.