Hard X-ray Observations of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables

Abstract

Hard X-ray light curves and spectral parameters from our analysis of X-ray data of five AM Her type systems - V2301 Oph, V1432 Aql, EP Draconis, GG Leonis, V834 Cen, and one intermediate polar - TV Col, observed using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer satellite are presented. A new improved ephemeris has been derived for V2301 Oph using the mid-eclipse timings. Average intensity variations, without any change of shape of the light curve or hardness ratio, are observed on timescales of a few days to a few months in V2301 Oph. V1432 Aql shows erratic variations on a timescale of a day, at least 2 sharp dips near orbital phases 0.35 and 0.5, and a total eclipse. Hard X-ray eclipses are also reported in EP Dra and GG Leo. V834 Cen shows intensity variations on yearly timescale and is found to be in a low state in 2002. In TV Col, a binary orbital modulation at 5.5h, in addition to the spin period of 1910s, is reported for the first time. Maximum spectral temperatures in Polars have been determined and used to estimate the masses of the white dwarfs.