The spectral components of polars - strongly magnetic CVs - were barelydisentangled by previous X-ray missions. The physics of accretion in a stronglymagnetic, non-relativistic environment is therefore still puzzling. XMM-Newton,in principle, can solve the riddle. But even after 6 years in the mission, noneof the bright, classical polars was observed in a high accretion state. Wepropose a triggered observation of such a system. We will investigate thephysics of the hard X-ray emitting shock, the heated accretion pole cap, theatmosphere of the white dwarf, the absorption in the shock and in the flow, thelines in the accretion flow an the reflection from the white dwarf byphase-resolved CCD- and RGS-spectroscopy and by high-speed OM-photometry.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2007-10-20T06:36:05Z/2007-10-20T20:21:42Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr Axel Schwope, 2008, 'High-accretion rate polars - Caught in the act!', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-mwlcuzi
