Searching for the White Dwarf in Dwarf Novae

Volume 20 number 2 (1991)

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Albert V. Holm

Astronomy Programs, Computer Sciences Corporation, Space Telescope Science Institute 3500 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218

Howard Lanning

Astronomy Programs, Computer Sciences Corporation, Space Telescope Science Institute 3500 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218

Janet A. Mattei

American Association of Variable Star Observers, 25 Birch Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Edmund Nelan

University of Texas, Space Telescope Science Institute, 3500 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218

Abstract

AAVSO observations of dwarf novae were used to select targets in a search by the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite for their white dwarf components. Twelve of fourteen attempts caught the dwarf novae in quiescence. Lyman alpha absorption such as seen in white dwarf stars was found in three of the six observed systems, two of which, RX And and TZ Per, are described here.