The Accreting White Dwarfs in Cataclysmic Variables

Abstract

Accreting white dwarfs (WDs) in cataclysmic variables (CVs) provide crucial insights about the accretion of mass and angular momentum in all types of binaries, including accreting NSs and BHs. Accreting WDs are the critical component in the single degenerate pathway to SNe Ia, along with the double degenerate merger pathway, they are the standard candles of cosmology proving that the universe is accelerating and the existence of dark energy. Another key question is whether the WD in a CV can grow in mass despite the mass loss due to thousands of nova explosions in its lifetime. Angular momentum loss drives CV evolution and accreting WDs offer critically needed WD masses from Gaia distances and reliable surface temperatures to derive the most accurate accretion rates. We review the studies on accreting WDs, including WD masses, accurate rotational velocities and chemical abundances of elements. Most of the progress that has been made is based upon Hubble Space Telescope spectroscopy and FUSE spectroscopy in the UV spectral region during dwarf nova quiescence and the low states of novalike variables, when the accreting WD dominates the UV spectral range.

Keywords

• cataclysmic variables
• white dwarf stars
• dwarf novae
• novalikes
• accretion disks