Positive and Negative Superhumps

pukemaru
Affiliation
Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand, Variable Star Section (RASNZ-VSS)
Wed, 02/26/2014 - 04:09

Study of Negative and Positive Superhumps in ER Ursae Majoris

This paper has just been released.

Please can someone direct me to a place that describes positive and negative superhumps in language that can be understood by a layman (if that is possible).

Thx

Stephen [HSP]

FRF
Affiliation
Magyar Csillagàszati Egyesület, Valtózocsillag Szakcsoport (Hungary) (MCSE)
positive and negative superhumps

Positive superhump is the "classic" superhump: it's period is longer than the orbital period of the CV.
Negative superhump: it's period is shorter than the the orbital period of the CV.

Regarding the physical origin of these superhumps there are various theories. Some of them can be found here:

http://iopscience.iop.org/0004-637X/661/2/1042
http://arxiv.org/abs/1305.5877
http://arxiv.org/abs/1212.1516
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013AcA....63..109S

Clear skies,

Robert

marlin
Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Negative superhumps

"Cataclysmic Variable Stars" by Coel Hellier is the standard text on the subject.  Look at Chapter 6 for a short synopsis of superhumps. 

Marlin