Optical Studies of Ten Hard X-ray Selected Cataclysmic Binaries

TL;DR

This study uses optical spectroscopy and photometry to analyze ten hard X-ray selected cataclysmic binaries, confirming magnetic properties in several and discovering new optical counterparts and periods.

Contribution

It provides new optical identifications and period measurements for ten cataclysmic binaries, including confirmation of magnetic nature in four objects and discovery of a long orbital period.

Findings

Detection of coherent optical pulsations in PBC J1841.1+0138 and IGR J18434$-$0508

Confirmation of magnetic CVs with known X-ray spin periods

Discovery of a 2.06-day orbital period in Swift J1909.3+0124

Abstract

We conducted time-resolved optical spectroscopy and/or photometry of ten cataclysmic binaries that were discovered in hard X-ray surveys, with the goal of measuring their orbital periods and searching for evidence that they are magnetic. Four of the objects in this study are new optical identifications: IGR J18017$-$3542, PBC J1841.1+0138, IGR J18434$-$0508, and Swift J1909.3+0124. A 311.8 s, coherent optical pulsation is detected from PBC J1841.1+0138, as well as eclipses with a period of 0.221909 days. A 152.49 s coherent period is detected from IGR J18434$-$0508. A probable period of 389 s is seen in IGR J18151$-$1052, in agreement with a known X-ray spin period. We also detect a period of 803.5 s in an archival X-ray observation of Swift J0717.8$-$2156. The latter four objects are thus confirmed magnetic CVs of the intermediate polar class. An optical period of 1554 s in AX J1832.3$-$0840 also confirms the known X-ray spin period, but a stronger signal at 2303 s is present whose interpretation is not obvious. We also studied the candidate intermediate polar Swift J0820.6$-$2805, which has low and high states differing by $\approx4$ mag, and optical periods or QPOs not in agreement with proposed X-ray periods. Of note is an unusually long 2.06 day orbital period for Swift J1909.3+0124, manifest in the radial velocity variation of photospheric absorption lines of an early K-type companion star. The star must be somewhat evolved if it is to fill its Roche lobe.