LAMOST J2043+3413—a Fast Disk Precession SW Sextans Candidate in Period Gap

Abstract

We present follow-up photometric observations and time-series analysis of a nova-like, SW Sextans-type, cataclysmic variable (CV) candidate, LAMOST J204305.95+341340.6 (hereafter J2043+3413), with a Gaia G -band magnitude of 15.30 and a distance of 990 pc, which was identified from the LAMOST spectrum. The photometric data were collected with the Tsinghua-NAOC 0.8 m telescope (TNT), Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), and ASAS-SN. The TESS light curve reveals the presence of two prominent periods of 2.587(8) hr and 1.09(5) days, corresponding to the orbital and superorbital (precession) period, respectively. The TNT data obtained in 2020 shows a possible quasiperiodic oscillation of 1426 s. The precession period is about three times shorter than that of CVs with similar orbital periods, indicating an unusually fast precessing accretion disk. The ZTF data is found to show a sudden decline of ∼0.4 mag on MJD 58979. From the intermittent behavior of the eclipse, we deduce that J2043+3413 is an intermediate inclination system of CV, similar to V795 Her, which is also situated in the period gap.

Keywords

• Cataclysmic variable stars
• Nova-like variable stars
• Stellar accretion disks
• Eclipsing binary stars