Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Sph Simulations Of Direct Impact Accretion In The Ultracompact Am Cvn Binaries, Joshua Dolence, Matt A. Wood, Isaac Silver

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

The ultracompact binary systems V407 Vul (RX J1914.4+2456) and HM Cnc (RX J0806.3+1527), a two-member subclass of the AM CVn stars, continue to generate interest because they defy unambiguous classification. Three proposed models remain viable at this time, but none of the three are significantly more compelling than the remaining two, and all three can satisfy the observational constraints if parameters in the models are tuned. One of the three proposed models is the direct impact model of Marsh & Steeghs, in which the accretion stream impacts the surface of a rapidly rotating primary white dwarf directly, but at a …