Published in

EDP Sciences, Astronomy & Astrophysics, (621), p. A31, 2019

DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201834039

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

High-speed photometry of the eclipsing polar UZ Fornacis

Journal article published in 2019 by Z. N. Khangale ORCID, S. B. Potter ORCID, E. J. Kotze ORCID, P. A. Woudt ORCID, H. Breytenbach
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Red circle
Preprint: archiving forbidden
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

We present 33 new mid-eclipse times spanning approximately eight years of the eclipsing polar UZ Fornacis. We have used our new observations to test the two-planet model previously proposed to explain the variations in its eclipse times measured over the past ~35 yr. We find that the proposed model does indeed follow the general trend of the new eclipse times, however, there are significant departures. In order to accommodate the new eclipse times, the two-planet model requires that one or both of the planets require highly eccentric orbits, that is, e ≥ 0.4. Such multiple planet orbits are considered to be unstable. Whilst our new observations are consistent with two cyclic variations as previously predicted, significant residuals remain. We conclude that either additional cyclic terms, possibly associated with more planets, or other mechanisms, such as the Applegate mechanism are contributing to the eclipse time variations. Further long-term monitoring is required.