arXiv subjects

Zackery A. Irving

Publications and source records attributed to Zackery A. Irving.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The X-ray and optical emission of the intermediate polar Swift J0614.0+1709

We present the first detailed X-ray and optical study of the intermediate polar Swift J0614.0+1709 based on a pointed XMM-Newton observation complemented by long-term optical photometry from TESS. A strong coherent modulation at the white dwarf spin period was detected in X-rays, with a period of $\sim$1411 s, confirming the magnetic nature of the system. The X-ray spin pulse exhibits a pronounced energy dependence, with the modulation amplitude decreasing towards higher energies, consistent with phase-dependent absorption in the accretion flow. Phase-resolved spectroscopy further shows that the spin variability is primarily driven by changes in the covering fraction of the partial-covering absorber. The broadband X-ray spectrum is well described by a partially absorbed thermal plasma model with a temperature of $\sim$12 keV and a soft blackbody component at $\sim$63 eV. The inferred bolometric luminosity of $\sim$5$\times$10$^{34}$ erg s$^{-1}$ places the source among the more luminous intermediate polars. The TESS observations reveal substantial sector-to-sector variability in the relative strengths of the orbital and spin modulations. While the spin signal remains persistently dominant, the beat modulation varies significantly and disappears entirely in one Sector, suggesting temporal changes in the contribution of the reprocessing region(s). The orbital and, to a lesser extent, spin modulation amplitudes show some tendency to be stronger during brighter optical states, suggesting that changes in the mass transfer rate may influence the optical emission and modulation amplitudes. Overall, Swift J0614.0+1709 is a comparatively X-ray luminous intermediate polar exhibiting complex optical variability characterised by changes in pulse morphology and recurrent brightening events, making it a valuable target for future simultaneous optical and X-ray studies.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

On the frequency-dependent time lags of the intermediate polar V709 Cas

Cataclysmic variables (CVs) are binary systems in which a white dwarf (WD) primary accretes material from a late-type secondary, typically via a disc. To date, only six CVs, all of which are non-magnetic, have been found to exhibit lags (delayed variability in one band with respect to another). In all six cases, these lags are ``red'' (i.e., red lags blue) with a time lag of order seconds. While there is no generally accepted mechanism for producing red lags in CVs, current theories suggest reprocessing in the disc, either on the thermal or recombination time-scales, or inside-out shocks propagating through the disc. Using $g$-, $r$-, and $i$-band data from the OPtical TIming CAMera (OPTICAM), we report the discovery of frequency-dependent red lags from V709 Cas: a magnetic CV of the intermediate polar (IP) subclass. These red lags reach a maximum of $\sim$4--6 s on time-scales of 7.4--13.0 min, similar to previously-reported lags in non-magnetic CVs. The detection of lags in an IP is significant as the WD's magnetic field truncates the accretion disc, limiting disc-based lag mechanisms to large radii; as a result, characteristic accretion disc time-scales cannot explain the observed lags. However, recombination can occur on second time-scales, even in systems with truncated discs. For example, we show that recombination in the disc's bright spot, where overflowing material from the secondary meets the outer-edge of the disc, plausibly explains V709 Cas's optical spectrum, the prominence of optical spin-orbit beat pulsations, and the red lags found in this work.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

phoptic -- a Python package for reducing astronomical images

Publicly-available photometry pipelines make astronomical data reduction accessible to non-experts, reduce the margin for human error, and enable reproducible reduction. In many cases, bespoke reduction software is written on a per-instrument basis; this results in rigid pipelines that cannot be straightforwardly applied to data from other instruments. To alleviate this problem, we present phoptic, an open source photometry pipeline written in Python. phoptic began as a dedicated pipeline for the the OPtical TIming CAMera (OPTICAM), a triple-camera system mounted on the 2.1~m telescope at the Observatorio Astronomico Nacional in San Pedro Martir, Mexico. However, phoptic now serves as a generic photometry pipeline with a simple interface to reduce data from other instruments. At its core, phoptic leverages the astropy Python package, and affiliated packages thereof, to provide a flexible, modern, and interoperable reduction pipeline. In particular, phoptic uses photutils for background estimation, source detection, and performing aperture photometry. Additionally, phoptic implements optimal photometry, improving the signal-to-noise ratio over aperture photometry by up to $\sim 10$ per cent. We describe phoptic's functionality, discuss its default behaviour, and demonstrate its flexible interface by reducing data from the HiPERCAM, MEXMAN, OPTICAM, and ULTRACAM instruments. We also review the performance of phoptic, and show that it is highly scalable on multi-core CPUs.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2026

A Catalogue of Orbital Periods of Cataclysmic Variables and Candidates from TESS Observations

We present a systematic analysis of 2544 cataclysmic variable systems and related candidates observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), with the aim of compiling a comprehensive catalogue of orbital periods. Using 2-minute photometric time-series data, we applied an automated algorithm to generate Lomb-Scargle periodograms and identify the most significant coherent periodic signals, which were subsequently verified through visual inspection. This process yielded a confident sample of 910 sources exhibiting at least one periodic signal, hereafter referred to as the Cataclysmic Variable Confident Catalogue (CCC). For each object, we report the most likely orbital period together with additional periodic features such as spin modulations and/or superhump signals when present. To assess consistency with previously published measurements, we cross-matched the CCC with the Ritter \& Kolb catalogue, identifying 300 overlapping systems, of which 215 showed full agreement with the R\&K orbital periods, while 39 displayed discrepancies for which the R\&K values were revised based on our TESS measurements and supporting evidence from the literature. Overall, the CCC provides a means to validate known orbital periods, propose corrections where necessary, and offer new determinations for systems with previously unknown periods, thereby supporting a more complete and reliable characterisation of the cataclysmic variable population.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

Stellar Cycles in Fully Convective Stars and a New Interpretation of Dynamo Evolution

An $αΩ$ dynamo, combining shear and cyclonic convection in the tachocline, is believed to generate the solar cycle. However, this model cannot explain cycles in fast rotators (with minimal shear) or in fully convective stars (no tachocline); analysis of such stars could therefore provide key insights into how these cycles work. We reexamine ASAS data for 15 M dwarfs, 11 of which are presumed fully convective; the addition of newer ASAS-SN data confirms cycles in roughly a dozen of them, while presenting new or revised rotation periods for five. The amplitudes and periods of these cycles follow $A_{\rm cyc} \propto P_{\rm cyc}^{0.94 \pm 0.11}$, with $P_{\rm cyc}/P_{\rm rot} \propto {\rm Ro}^{-1.02 \pm 0.06}$ (where Ro is the Rossby number), very similar to $P_{\rm cyc}/P_{\rm rot} \propto {\rm Ro}^{-0.81 \pm 0.17}$ that we find for 40 previously studied FGK stars, although $P_{\rm cyc}/P_{\rm rot}$ and $α$ are a factor of $\sim$20 smaller in the M stars. The very different $P_{\rm cyc}/P_{\rm rot}$-Ro relationship seen here compared to previous work suggests that two types of dynamo, with opposite Ro dependences, operate in cool stars. Initially, a (likely $α^2$ or $α^2Ω$) dynamo operates throughout the convective zone in mid-late M and fast rotating FGK stars, but once magnetic breaking decouples the core and convective envelope, a tachocline $αΩ$ dynamo begins and eventually dominates in older FGK stars. A change in $α$ in the tachocline dynamo generates the fundamentally different $P_{\rm cyc}/P_{\rm rot}$-Ro relationship.

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