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NASA NTRS2005

Outbursts in Symbiotic Binaries: Z and Continued Observation

A major question for symbiotic stars concerns the nature and cause of their outbursts. A small subset of symbiotics, the "slow novae" are fairly well established as thermonuclear events that last on the order of decades. The several symbiotic "recurrent novae", which are much shorter and last on the order of months, are also thought to be thermonuclear runaways. Yet the majority of symbiotics are neither slow novae nor recurrent novae. These are the so-called "classical symbiotics," many of which show outbursts whose cause is not well understood. In some cases, jets are produced in association with an outburst, therefore an investigation into the causes of outbursts will yield important insights into the production of collimated outflows. To investigate the cause and nature of classical symbiotic outbursts, we initiated a program of multi- wavelength observations of these events. First of all in FUSE Cycle 2, we obtained six observational epochs of the 2000-2002 classic symbiotic outburst in the first target of our campaign - class prototype, Z Andromedae. That program was part of a coordinated multi-wavelength Target-of-Opportunity (TOO) campaign with FUSE, XMM, Chandra, MERLIN, the VLA, and ground-based spectroscopic and high time-resolution photometric observations. Our campaign proved the concept, utility, and need for coordinated multi-wavelength observations in order to make progress in understanding the nature of the outburst mechanisms in symbiotic stars. Indeed, the FUSE data were the cornerstone of this project. The present program is a continuation of that cycle 2 effort. Indeed, the observations acquired in this program are vital to the proper interpretation of the material acquired in cycle 2 as the new data cover the critical time period when the star continues to decline from outburst and actually returns to quiescence. The utilization of these data have allowed us to refine and complete description of our new model for classical symbiotic system outbursts.

Sonneborn, George↗

NASA NTRS2013

The Swift Supergiant Fast X-Ray Transients Project:

We present a review of the Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients (SFXT) Project, a systematic investigation of the properties of SFXTs with a strategy that combines Swift monitoring programs with outburst follow-up observations. This strategy has quickly tripled the available sets of broad-band data of SFXT outbursts, and gathered a wealth of out-of-outburst data, which have led us to a broad-band spectral characterization, an assessment of the fraction of the time these sources spend in each phase, and their duty cycle of inactivity. We present some new observational results obtained through our outburst follow-ups, as fitting examples of the exceptional capabilities of Swift in catching bright flares and monitor them panchromatically.

(IGR J16328aEuro"4726↗

NASA NTRS2000

BOREAS RSS-17 1994 ERS-1 Level-3 Freeze/Thaw Backscatter Change Images

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Remote Sensing Science (RSS)-17 team acquired and analyzed imaging radar data from the European Space Agency's (ESA's) European Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS)-1 over a complete annual cycle at the BOREAS sites in Canada in 1994 to detect shifts in radar backscatter related to varying environmental conditions. Two independent transitions corresponding to soil thaw and possible canopy thaw were revealed by the data. The results demonstrated that radar provides an ability to observe thaw transitions at the beginning of the growing season, which in turn helps constrain the length of the growing season. The data set presented here includes change maps derived from radar backscatter images that were mosaicked together to cover the southern BOREAS sites. The image values used for calculating the changes are given relative to the reference mosaic image. The data are stored in binary image format files. The imaging radar data are available from the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884).

Rignot, Eric↗

NASA NTRS2003

Characterization of the Crab Pulsar's Timing Noise

We present a power spectral analysis of the Crab pulsar's timing noise, mainly using radio measurements from Jodrell Bank taken over the period 1982-1989, an interval bounded by sparse data sampling and a large glitch. The power spectral analysis is complicated by nonuniform data sampling and the presence of a steep red power spectrum that can distort power spectra measurement by causing severe power 'leakage'. We develop a simple windowing method for computing red noise power spectra of uniformly sampled data sets and test it on Monte Carlo generated sample realizations of red power-law noise. We generalize time-domain methods of generating power-law red noise with even integer spectral indices to the case of noninteger spectral indices. The Jodrell Bank pulse phase residuals are dense and smooth enough that an interpolation onto a uniform time series is possible. A windowed power spectrum is computed revealing a periodic or nearly periodic component with a period of 568 +/- 10 days and a l/f(exp 3) power-law noise component in pulse phase with a noise strength S(sub infinity)=(1.24 +/- 0.067) x 10(exp 16) cycles(exp 2)/sec(exp 2) over the analysis frequency range f=0.003- 0.1 cycles/day. This result deviates from past analyses which characterized the pulse phase timing residuals as either l/f(sub 4) power-law noise or a quasiperiodic process. The analysis was checked using the Deeter polynomial method of power spectrum estimation that was developed for the case of nonuniform sampling, but has lower spectral resolution. The timing noise is consistent with a torque noise spectrum rising with analysis frequency as f implying blue torque noise, a result not predicted by current models of pulsar timing noise. If the periodic or nearly periodic component is due to a binary companion, we find a mass function f(M) = (6.8 +/- 2.4) x 10(exp -16) solar mass and a companion mass, M(sub c) is greater than or equal to 3.2 solar mass assuming a Crab pulsar mass of 1.4 solar mass.

Scott, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS2022

Mini-disk accretion onto spinning black hole binaries: quasi-periodicities and outflows

We perform a full 3D general relativistic magnetohydrodynamical (GRMHD) simulation of an equal-mass, spinning, binary black hole approaching merger, surrounded by a circumbinary disk and with mini-disks around each black hole. For this purpose, we evolve the ideal GRMHD equations on top of an approximated spacetime for the binary that is valid in every position of space, including the black hole horizons, during the inspiral regime. We use relaxed initial data for the circumbinary disk from a previous long-term simulation, where the accretion is dominated by an m = 1 overdensity called the lump. We compare our new spinning simulation with a previous non-spinning run, studying how spin influences the mini-disk properties. We analyze the accretion from the inner edge of the lump to the black hole, focusing on the angular momentum budget of the fluid around the mini-disks. We find that mini-disks in the spinning case have more mass over a cycle than the non-spinning case. However, in both cases we find most of the mass received by the black holes is delivered by direct plunging of material from the lump. We also analyze the morphology and variability of the electromagnetic fluxes and we find they share the same periodicities of the accretion rate. In the spinning case, we find that the outflows are stronger than the non-spinning case. Our results will be useful to understand and produce realistic synthetic light curves and spectra, which can be used in future observations.

Astrophysics↗

NASA NTRS2000

Multiwaveband Monitoring of the Radio Galaxy 3C 120

This project started new weekly observations of the radio galaxy 3C 120 during Cycle 3 (1998) of the RXTE mission. It is clear that the weekly observations in 1998 did not resolve the variations of the X-ray emission. The most prominent features are three dips in the X-ray flux, separated from each other by about one year. The dips (as well as the the general flux level) is not correlated with the radio emission. However, the times of the dips coincided, within the errors, with the times of zero separation between apparently superluminal features in the radio jets and the cores of the jets. This is potentially a very exciting finding, which would, if confirmed, link the physics of this radio galaxy with that of the binary star system in our Galaxy, 1915+105. The X-ray dip would then be interpreted as the dissociation of the inner accretion disk, with the extra accretion onto the black hole being accompanied by enhanced flow of energy and material down the relativistic jet. This would result in the creation of the observed new superluminal knot.

Marscher, Alan P.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Evolution of the symbiotic binary system AG Dranconis

We present an analysis of new and archival photometric and spectroscopic observations of the symbiotic star AG Draconis. This binary has undergone several 1 - 3 mag optical and ultraviolet eruptions during the past 15 years. Our combination of optical and ultraviolet spectroscopic data allow a more complete analysis of this system than in previous papers. AG Dra is composed of a K-type bright giant M(sub g) approximately 1.5 solar mass) and a hot, compact star M(sub h approximatelly 0.4 - 0.6 solar mass) embedded in a dense, low metallicity nebula. The hot component undergoes occasional thermonuclear runaways that produce 2 - 3 mag optical/ultraviolet eruptions. During these eruptions, the hot component develops a low velocity wind that quenches x-ray emission from the underlying hot white dwarf. The photoionized nebula changes its volume by a factor of 5 throughout an eruptin cycle. The K bright giant occults low ionization emission lines during superior conjunctions at all outburst phases but does not occult high ionization lines in outburst (and perhaps quiescence). This geometry and the component masses suggest a system inclination of i approximately 30 deg - 45 deg.

Mikolajewska, Joanna↗

NASA NTRS2006

Binary Black Hole Late Inspiral: Simulations for Gravitational Wave Observations

Coalescing binary black hole mergers are expected to be the strongest gravitational wave sources for ground-based interferometers, such as the LIGO, VIRGO, and GEO600, as well as the spacebased interferometer LISA. Until recently it has been impossible to reliably derive the predictions of General Relativity for the final merger stage, which takes place in the strong-field regime. Recent progress in numerical relativity simulations is, however, revolutionizing our understanding of these systems. We examine here the specific case of merging equal-mass Schwarzschild black holes in detail, presenting new simulations in which the black holes start in the late inspiral stage on orbits with very low eccentricity and evolve for approximately 1200M through approximately 7 orbits before merging. We study the accuracy and consistency of our simulations and the resulting gravitational waveforms, which encompass approximately 14 cycles before merger, and highlight the importance of using frequency (rather than time) to set the physical reference when comparing models. Matching our results to PN calculations for the earlier parts of the inspiral provides a combined waveform with less than half a cycle of accumulated phase error through the entire coalescence. Using this waveform, we calculate signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) for iLIGO, adLIGO, and LISA, highlighting the contributions from the late-inspiral and merger-ringdown parts of the waveform which can now be simulated numerically. Contour plots of SNR as a function of z and M show that adLIGO can achieve SNR 2 10 for some IMBBHs out to z approximately equals 1, and that LISA can see MBBHs in the range 3 x 10(exp 4) approximately < M/Mo approximately < 10(exp 7) at SNR > 100 out to the earliest epochs of structure formation at z > 15.

Baker, John G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Secondary arm coarsening and microsegregation in superalloy PWA-1480 single crystals: Effect of low gravity

Single crystal specimens of nickel base superalloy PWA-1480 were directionally solidified on ground and during low gravity (20 sec) and high gravity (90 sec) parabolic maneuver of KC-135 aircraft. Thermal profiles were measured during solidification by two in-situ thermocouples positioned along the sample length. The samples were quenched during either high or low gravity cycles so as to freeze the structures of the mushy zone developing under different gravity levels. Microsegregation was measured by examining the solutal profiles on several transverse cross-sections across primary dendrites along their length in the quenched mushy zone. Effect of gravity level on secondary arm coarsening kinetics and microsegregation have been investigated. The results indicate that there is no appreciable difference in the microsegregation and coarsening kinetics behavior in the specimens grown under high or low gravity. This suggests that short duration changes in gravity/levels (0.02 to 1.7 g) do not influence convection in the interdendritic region. Examination of the role of natural convection, in the melt near the primary dendrite tips, on secondary arm spacings requires low gravity periods longer than presently available on KC-135. Secondary arm coarsening kinetics show a reasonable fit with the predictions from a simple analytical model proposed by Kirkwood for a binary alloy.

Vijayakumar, M.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Electron Density Profiles of the Topside Ionosphere

The existing uncertainties about the electron density profiles in the topside ionosphere, i.e., in the height region from h,F2 to - 2000 km, require the search for new data sources. The ISIS and Alouette topside sounder satellites from the sixties to the eighties recorded millions of ionograms but most were not analyzed in terms of electron density profiles. In recent years an effort started to digitize the analog recordings to prepare the ionograms for computerized analysis. As of November 2001 about 350000 ionograms have been digitized from the original 7-track analog tapes. These data are available in binary and CDF format from the anonymous ftp site of the National Space Science Data Center. A search site and browse capabilities on CDAWeb assist the scientific usage of these data. All information and access links can be found at http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/space/isis/isis- status.htm1. This paper describes the ISIS data restoration effort and shows how the digital ionograms are automatically processed into electron density profiles from satellite orbit altitude (1400 km for ISIS-2) down to the F peak. Because of the large volume of data an automated processing algorithm is imperative. The TOPside Ionogram Scaler with True height algorithm TOPIST software developed for this task is successfully scaling - 70% of the ionograms. An < > is available to manually scale the more difficult ionograms. The automated processing of the digitized ISIS ionograms is now underway, producing a much-needed database of topside electron density profiles for ionospheric modeling covering more than one solar cycle.

Huang, Xue-Qin↗

NASA NTRS2001

New Data on the Topside Electron Density Distribution

The existing uncertainties about the electron density profiles in the topside ionosphere, i.e., in the height region from hmF2 to approx. 2000 km, require the search for new data sources. The ISIS and Alouette topside sounder satellites from the sixties to the eighties recorded millions of ionograms and most were not analyzed in terms of electron density profiles. In recent years an effort started to digitize the analog recordings to prepare the ionograms for computerized analysis. As of November 2001 about 350,000 ionograms have been digitized from the original 7-track analog tapes. These data are available in binary and CDF format from the anonymous ftp site of the National Space Science Data Center. A search site and browse capabilities on CDAWeb assist the scientific usage of these data. All information and access links can be found at http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/space/isis/isis-status.html. This paper describes the ISIS data restoration effort and shows how the digital ionograms are automatically processed into electron density profiles from satellite orbit altitude (1400 km for ISIS-2) down to the F peak. Because of the large volume of data an automated processing algorithm is imperative. The automatic topside ionogram scaler with true height algorithm TOPIST software developed for this task is successfully scaling approx.70 % of the ionograms. An 'editing process' is available to manually scale the more difficult ionograms. The automated processing of the digitized ISIS ionograms is now underway, producing a much-needed database of topside electron density profiles for ionospheric modeling covering more than one solar cycle. The ISIS data restoration efforts are supported through NASA's Applied Systems and Information Research Program.

Huang, Xue-Qin↗

NASA NTRS1991

Decrease in the orbital period of Hercules X-1

From a pulse-timing analysis of Ginga observations of the binary X-ray pulsar Her X-1 obtained during the interval 1989 April-June local orbital parameters are determined for a short high state. An orbital epoch is also determined in the adjacent main high state. By comparing these orbital solutions with previously published results, a decrease is detected in the orbital period for Her X-1 over the interval 1971-1989. The value is substantially larger than the value predicted from current estimates of the mass-transfer rate, and motivates consideration of other mechanisms of mass transfer and/or mass loss. A second result from these observations is a close agreement between orbital parameters determined separately in main high and short high states. This agreement places strong constraints on the obliquity of the stellar companion, HZ Her, if undergoing forced precession with a 35-day period. As a consequence further doubt is placed on the slaved-disk model as the underlying cause of the 35-day cycle in Her X-1.

Deeter, John E.↗

NASA NTRS2015

A Methodology to Assess the Capability of Engine Designs to Meet Closed-loop Performance and Operability Requirements

Designing a closed-loop controller for an engine requires balancing trade-offs between performance and operability of the system. One such trade-off is the relationship between the 95% response time and minimum high-pressure compressor (HPC) surge margin (SM) attained during acceleration from idle to takeoff power. Assuming a controller has been designed to meet some specification on response time and minimum HPC SM for a mid-life (nominal) engine, there is no guarantee that these limits will not be violated as the engine ages, particularly as it reaches the end of its life. A characterization for the uncertainty in this closed-loop system due to aging is proposed that defines elliptical boundaries to estimate worst-case performance levels for a given control design point. The results of this characterization can be used to identify limiting design points that bound the possible con- troller designs yielding transient results that do not exceed specified limits in response time or minimum HPC SM. This characterization involves performing Monte Carlo simulation of the closed-loop system with controller constructed for a set of trial design points and developing curve fits to describe the size and orientation of each ellipse; a binary search procedure is then employed that uses these fits to identify the limiting design point. The method is demonstrated through application to a generic turbofan engine model in closed- loop with a simplified controller; it is found that the limit for which each controller was designed was exceeded by less than 4.76%. Extension of the characterization to another trade-off, that between the maximum high-pressure turbine (HPT) entrance temperature and minimum HPC SM, showed even better results: the maximum HPT temperature was estimated within 0.76%. Because of the accuracy in this estimation, this suggests another limit that may be taken into consideration during design and analysis. It also demonstrates the extension of the characterization to other attributes that contribute to the performance or operability of the engine. Metrics are proposed that, together, provide information on the shape of the trade-off between response time and minimum HPC SM, and how much each varies throughout the life cycle, at the limiting design points. These metrics also facilitate comparison of the expected transient behavior for multiple engine models.

engine control↗

NASA NTRS2015

A Methodology to Assess the Capability of Engine Designs to Meet Closed-Loop Performance and Operability Requirements

Designing a closed-loop controller for an engine requires balancing trade-offs between performance and operability of the system. One such trade-off is the relationship between the 95 percent response time and minimum high-pressure compressor (HPC) surge margin (SM) attained during acceleration from idle to takeoff power. Assuming a controller has been designed to meet some specification on response time and minimum HPC SM for a mid-life (nominal) engine, there is no guarantee that these limits will not be violated as the engine ages, particularly as it reaches the end of its life. A characterization for the uncertainty in this closed-loop system due to aging is proposed that defines elliptical boundaries to estimate worst-case performance levels for a given control design point. The results of this characterization can be used to identify limiting design points that bound the possible controller designs yielding transient results that do not exceed specified limits in response time or minimum HPC SM. This characterization involves performing Monte Carlo simulation of the closed-loop system with controller constructed for a set of trial design points and developing curve fits to describe the size and orientation of each ellipse; a binary search procedure is then employed that uses these fits to identify the limiting design point. The method is demonstrated through application to a generic turbofan engine model in closed-loop with a simplified controller; it is found that the limit for which each controller was designed was exceeded by less than 4.76 percent. Extension of the characterization to another trade-off, that between the maximum high-pressure turbine (HPT) entrance temperature and minimum HPC SM, showed even better results: the maximum HPT temperature was estimated within 0.76 percent. Because of the accuracy in this estimation, this suggests another limit that may be taken into consideration during design and analysis. It also demonstrates the extension of the characterization to other attributes that contribute to the performance or operability of the engine. Metrics are proposed that, together, provide information on the shape of the trade-off between response time and minimum HPC SM, and how much each varies throughout the life cycle, at the limiting design points. These metrics also facilitate comparison of the expected transient behavior for multiple engine models.

systems analysis↗

NASA NTRS2008

Influence of Test Procedures on the Thermomechanical Properties of a 55NiTi Shape Memory Alloy

Over the past few decades, binary NiTi shape memory alloys have received attention due to their unique mechanical characteristics, leading to their potential use in low-temperature, solid-state actuator applications. However, prior to using these materials for such applications, the physical response of these systems to mechanical and thermal stimuli must be thoroughly understood and modeled to aid designers in developing SMA-enabled systems. Even though shape memory alloys have been around for almost five decades, very little effort has been made to standardize testing procedures. Although some standards for measuring the transformation temperatures of SMA s are available, no real standards exist for determining the various mechanical and thermomechanical properties that govern the usefulness of these unique materials. Consequently, this study involved testing a 55NiTi alloy using a variety of different test methodologies. All samples tested were taken from the same heat and batch to remove the influence of sample pedigree on the observed results. When the material was tested under constant-stress, thermal-cycle conditions, variations in the characteristic material responses were observed, depending on test methodology. The transformation strain and irreversible strain were impacted more than the transformation temperatures, which only showed an affect with regard to applied external stress. In some cases, test methodology altered the transformation strain by 0.005-0.01mm/mm, which translates into a difference in work output capability of approximately 2 J/cu cm (290 in!lbf/cu in). These results indicate the need for the development of testing standards so that meaningful data can be generated and successfully incorporated into viable models and hardware. The use of consistent testing procedures is also important when comparing results from one research organization to another. To this end, differences in the observed responses will be presented, contrasted and rationalized, in hopes of eventually developing standardized testing procedures for shape memory alloys.

Padula, Santo A., II↗

NASA NTRS2005

A Search for Transiting Neptune-Mass Extrasolar Planets in High-Precision Photometry of Solar-Type Stars

Tennessee State University operates several automatic photometric telescopes (APTs) at Fairborn Observatory in southern Arizona. Four 0.8 m APTs have been dedicated to measuring subtle luminosity variations that accompany magnetic cycles in solar-type stars. Over 1000 program and comparison stars have been observed every clear night in this program for up to 12 years with a precision of approximately 0.0015 mag for a single observation. We have developed a transit-search algorithm, based on fitting a computed transit template for each trial period, and have used it to search our photometric database for transits of unknown companions. Extensive simulations with the APT data have shown that we can reliably recover transits with periods under 10 days as long as the transits have a depth of at least 0.0024 mag, or about 1.6 times the scatter in the photometric observations. Thus, due to our high photometric precision, we are sensitive to transits of possible short-period Neptune-mass planets that likely would have escaped detection by current radial velocity techniques. Our search of the APT data sets for 1087 program and comparison stars revealed no new transiting planets. However, the detection of several unknown grazing eclipsing binaries from among our comparison stars, with eclipse depths of only a few millimags, illustrates the success of our technique. We have used this negative result to place limits on the frequency of Neptune-mass planets in close orbits around solar-type stars in the Sun's vicinity.

Henry, Stephen M.↗

NASA NTRS2023

Phytoplankton Diversity and Chemotaxonomy in Contrasting North Pacific Ecosystems

Background. Phytoplankton is the base of majority of ocean ecosystems. It is responsible for half of the global primary production, and different phytoplankton taxa have a unique role in global biogeochemical cycles. In addition, phytoplankton abundance and diversity are highly susceptible to climate induced changes, hence monitoring of phytoplankton and its diversity is important and necessary. Methods. Water samples for phytoplankton and photosynthetic pigment analyses were collected in boreal winter 2017, along transect in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) and the California Current System (CCS). Phytoplankton community was analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy and photosynthetic pigments by high-performance liquid chromatography. To describe distinct ecosystems, monthly average satellite data of MODIS Aqua Sea Surface temperature and Chlorophyll a concentration, as well as Apparent Visible Wavelength were used. Results. A total of 207 taxa have been determined, mostly comprised of coccolithophores (35.5%), diatoms (25.2%) and dinoflagellates (19.5%) while cryptophytes, phytoflagellates and silicoflagellates were included in the group ``others" (19.8%). Phytoplankton spatial distribution was distinct, indicating variable planktonic dispersal rates and specific adaptation to ecosystems. Dinoflagellates, and nano-scale coccolithophores dominated NPSG, while micro-scale diatoms, and cryptophytes prevailed in CCS. A clear split between CCS and NPSG is evident in dendogram visualising LINKTREE constrained binary divisive clustering analysis done on phytoplankton counts and pigment oncentrations. Of all pigments determined, alloxanthin, zeaxanthin, divinyl chlorophyll b and lutein have highest correlation to phytoplankton counts. Conclusion. Combining chemotaxonomy and microscopy is an optimal method to determine phytoplankton diversity on a large-scale transect. Distinct communities between the two contrasting ecosystems of North Pacific reveal phytoplankton groups specific adaptations to trophic state, and support the hypothesis of shift from microto nano-scale taxa due to sea surface temperatures rising, favoring stratification and oligotrophic conditions.

oceanography↗

NASA NTRS1994

The X-ray selected cataclysmic variables H0459 + 246 and H0857 - 242

We report the discovery of two cataclysmic variables located with the assistance of X-ray positions from the HEAO 1 Modulation Collimator and the Large-Area Sky Survey. Each case is distinguished by evidence of two periodic modulations that appear to represent the orbital period and the spin period of the white dwarf, respectively. The first case, H0459 + 246, has been observed optically during faint states (V approximately 16), in which there are spectral features of both an accretion disk and a K star. The light curves in the V and I bands are consistent with ellipsoidal variations in the secondary stars with a binary period of 9.952 hr. X-ray observations with EXOSAT reveal a strong pulsation with a period approximately 62 minutes. This result confirms an 'intermediate polar' classification for H0459 + 246. The pulsation is observed at 63.2 minutes in the optical I band. The long orbital period opens the possibility that H0459 + 246 is a relatively young intermediate polar that might evolve into a polar. The second case, H0857--242, shows radial velocity modulations at 1.78 hr along with photometric variations at a period approximately 49 minutes. The latter are observed only during the decay phase of dwarf nova outbursts (13 less than V less than 17), which apparently recur frequently. Given the lack of X-ray monitoring observations and the absence of proof that the 49 minute periodicity is coherent over long time-scales, we regard H0857--242 as a candidate intermediate polar. Photographic records from th e Harvard Observatory Plate Library further reveal superoutbursts for H0857--242 (V approximately 11). A bright X-ray source that is both an intermediate polar and a continually cycling dwarf nova may provide an effective means of measuring the time delay for the arrival of accreting matter at the white dwarf surface, relative to the onset of optical brightening.

Remillard, R. A.↗