The CV period gap: still there

dc.creatorKolb, U.
dc.creatorKing, A. R.
dc.creatorRitter, H.
dc.date1998-05-31
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-25T13:13:43Z
dc.descriptionWe consider a recently-proposed alternative explanation of the CV period gap in terms of a revised mass-radius relation for the lower main sequence. We show that no such thermal-equilibrium relation is likely to produce a true gap. Using population synthesis techniques we calculate a model population that obeys the claimed equilibrium mass-radius relation. A theoretical period histogram obtained from this population shows two prominent period spikes rather than a gap. We consider also recent arguments suggesting that the period gap itself may not be real. We argue that, far from demonstrating a weakness of the interrupted-braking picture, the fact that most CV subtypes prefer one side of the gap or the other is actually an expected consequence of it.
dc.description5 pages, incl. 4 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9806007
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9806007
dc.identifier.urihttps://dspace.dare.co.zw/handle/123456789/15525
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleThe CV period gap: still there
dc.typetext

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