Abstract
The close binary system Am CVn consists of two helium white dwarf stars in close orbit. Strong flickering in the optical light curve and the observed spin-up in the rotation period indicate that mass transfer takes place (Solheim et al., 1984). The optical spectrum shows broad helium absorption lines (Robinson and Faulkner, 1975) sometimes partly filled in by emission (Voikhanskaya, 1982). The optical spectrum shows no sign of hydrogen, and the line profiles are interpreted as due to an accretion disk of intermediate angle of inclination with a temperature of the order of 20.000 K (Robinson and Faulkner, 1975). Another possibility is direct accretion onto a magnetized BD white dwarf (Voikhanskaya, 1982). In the latter case a magnetic field B≃106 to 109 gauss is needed. Voikhanskaya also reports significant changes in the absorption line profiles from 1978 to 1980.
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Solheim, J.E., Kjeldseth-Moe, O. Hot wind in the double degenerate system Am CVn. Astrophys Space Sci 131, 785–794 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00668175
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00668175