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Title:
WZ Sge: The Dark Matter in Accretion Disks
Authors:
Howell, Steve B.; Hoard, D. W.; Brinkworth, C.; Adkins, J.; Santiago, J. M.; Thomas, B.; Johnson, K.; Spuck, T.; Walentosky, M.; Walentosky, M.
Affiliation:
AA(WIYN/NOAO), AB(Spitzer Science Center / Caltech), AC(Spitzer Science Center / Caltech), AD(Deer Valley HIgh School), AE(Deer Valley HIgh School), AF(Montana Public Schools), AG(Montana Public Schools), AH(Oil City High School), AI(Oil City High School), AJ(Oil City High School)
Publication:
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #211, #51.13; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.817
Publication Date:
12/2007
Origin:
AAS
Bibliographic Code:
2007AAS...211.5113H

Abstract

Accretion disks are ubiquitous in astronomy, being present in active galaxies, star and planet formation, galactic and extragalactic black hole and neutron star systems, and in interacting binaries containing white dwarf primaries.

We obtained time series Spitzer Space Telescope photometric observations of the short orbital period cataclysmic variable WZ Sge at 4.5 and 8 microns. Our light curves reveal that the primary eclipse is still present at these IR wavelengths but its cause is not the same as in the optical and near-IR. Additionally, we find evidence that the accretion disk is far larger and more massive than previously believed, containing a large, thick asymmetric outer ring of cool dusty material, invisible in the optical and near-IR. Our findings have major implications for both observational and theoretical work on accretion disks of all sizes.

These observations were obtained as part of the Spitzer Science Center/NOAO Research Program for Teachers and Students, and were made possible by the SSC Director's allocation of Discretionary Time.

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