J/ApJS/277/29 Photometric monitoring of novalike CVs (Honeycutt+, 2025)
Stunted outbursts and Z Cam-like behaviors in the long-term light curves of
novalike cataclysmic variables.
Honeycutt R.K., Robertson J.W., Radzom B.T.
<Astrophys. J. Suppl. Ser., 277, 29 (2025)>
=2025ApJS..277...29H 2025ApJS..277...29H
ADC_Keywords: Novae; Stars, variable; Photometry; Optical
Keywords: Novae ; Cataclysmic variable stars ; Nova-like variable stars ;
Z Camelopardalis stars ; Optical bursts
Abstract:
A program of long-term ground-based photometric monitoring of 134 old
novae and novalike cataclysmic variables (CVs) has been concluded. In
this paper, we display, analyze, and discuss the light curves of 33 of
these targets, which have shown "stunted" outbursts (StOBs) during the
years 1990-2014. Because our light curves have long time baselines and
strong homogeneity, most of our analysis centers on the aggregate
properties of StOBs to take advantage of the strengths of our data
sets, as opposed to more detailed analysis of individual systems. The
StOBs amplitudes exhibit a range of ∼0.14-1.35mag, with a peak near
∼0.55mag and durations in the range of ∼5-50days. We have provided
additional targets including FY Per, X Ser, CT Ser, and BK Lyn. A few
Z Cam stars were also monitored, providing a photometric comparison of
Z Cam and StOB stars at a common cadence and sampling. We refine the
properties of the small StOBs and better characterize their
relationship to somewhat similar photometric features in Z Cam-type
dwarf novae as well as IW And-type and AH Pic-type phenomena. We also
compare our ground-based photometry of four CVs displaying StOBs with
results from published Kepler mission photometry. The dense spacing
and high precision of the Kepler data reveal faint excursions (dips)
that are numerous for some CVs, while the ground-based data cover a
wider range of CV types. Ultimately, we find that our data provide
evidence for both accretion disk instabilities and rapid mass transfer
modulation episodes as probable StOB contributing mechanisms.
Description:
The majority of the photometry presented in this work was obtained at
the Morgan-Monroe Observatory (MMO) of Indiana University. The
instrumentation used and the observation and reduction techniques are
described in some detail in Honeycutt+ (2013, J/PASP/125/126).
Each campaign used a different CCD and/or telescope, resulting in
different transformation coefficients, pixel sizes, and field of view.
Therefore, each campaign was reduced separately.
We have measured various parameters that characterize the size, shape,
and spacing of the stunted outbursts found in 33 novalike (NL)
cataclysmic variables (CVs) with at least three stunted outbursts
during 1990-2014.
File Summary:
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FileName Lrecl Records Explanations
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ReadMe 80 . This file
table2.dat 75 122 The 38 Morgan-Monroe Observatory (MMO) targets
used in this paper
table3.dat 51 42666 Multi-year light curve data
table5.dat 54 310 Measured parameters for stunted outbursts
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See also:
B/vsx : AAVSO International Variable Star Index VSX (Watson+, 2006-)
B/gcvs : General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+, 2007-2017)
V/94 : Catalog and Atlas of Cataclysmic Variables (Downes+ 1997)
V/110 : Catalog of Cataclysmic Variables (Downes+ 2001)
V/123 : Catalog of Cataclysmic Variables (Downes+ 2001-2006)
II/336 : AAVSO Photometric All Sky Survey (APASS) DR9 (Henden+, 2016)
J/PASP/107/324 : Northern CV secondary photometric standards (Henden+ 1995)
J/PASP/109/441 : Northern Cataclysmic Variables (Henden+ 1997)
J/AJ/123/3460 : Low-amplitude variables in NGC 6791 (Mochejska+, 2002)
J/MNRAS/409/1470 : Kepler compact pulsator candidates (Ostensen+, 2010)
J/PASP/125/126 : Light curve of CR Boo over 1990-2012 (Honeycutt+, 2013)
J/AJ/147/10 : Light curve of V794 Aql over 1990-2012 (Honeycutt+, 2014)
J/AJ/147/105 : Light curve of HR Lyr over 1991-2012 (Honeycutt+, 2014)
J/MNRAS/460/2526 : Dwarf novae outbursts properties (Otulakowska-Hypka+, 2016)
http://vsx.aavso.org/ : International Variable Star Index homepage
http://archive.stsci.edu/prepds/cvcat/ : The Catalog and Atlas of Cataclysmic
Variables homepage
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table2.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 2 I2 --- Seq [1/38] Running sequence number, as in Table 5
4- 22 A19 --- Name Star name
24- 30 A7 --- OName Other identifier
32- 38 A7 --- Type Variability type (1)
40- 50 A11 --- VSX VSX type (2)
52- 54 A3 --- Seas Approximate number of season(s) the target
was observed (3)
56- 58 A3 --- Camp Campaign as defined in Table 1 (4)
60 A1 --- Filt Filter (V or C)
62- 64 I3 --- Ens [5/326] Number of ensemble stars used in the
AstroVar solution (see Section 4.2)
66- 67 I2 --- SStds [0/18] Number of secondary (or tertiary)
standards employed to establish the
zero-point (see Section 4.4)
69- 73 F5.3 --- ZPErr [0.002/0.26]? Error of the mean zero-point
(see Section 4.5)
75 I1 --- Ref [1/3]? Reference to the magnitudes and colors
of the secondary standards (5)
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Note (1): Variability type:
DS = Downes & Shara CV catalog (Downes+ 1997, V/94; Downes+ 2001, V/123;
Final Edition, frozen 2006 February 1;
http://archive.stsci.edu/prepds/cvcat/)
VSX = AAVSO Variable Star Index (see B/vsx;
http://vsx.aavso.org/index.php).
Note (2):
See https://vsx.aavso.org/index.php?view=about.vartypes
Note (3): A season was counted only if at least half of the season's expected
data were available. If the target has a number of seasons less than
half populated, then a "+" sign is appended.
Note (4): Observing campaign parameters, as in Table 1:
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Camp Tel. Range Dur. CCD Pixel FOV V Limit C Limit
(m) (yr) (arcmin)
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A 0.41 1990.9- 1.11 TI 800 15um 7.5 17 ---
1992.0 Back LN2 0.56"
B 0.41 1992.1- 13.09 Tek 512 27um 8.6 17-18 ---
2005.2 Back LN2 1.01"
C 1.25 2006.6- 2.84 PXL Tek 1024 24um 8.4 19-19.7 20-20.5
2009.4 Back TEC 0.49'
D 1.25 2010.8- 2.13 SBIG Kodak 1024 24um 8.4 19-19.7 20-20.5
2012.9 Front TEC 0.49'
E 0.41 2011.7- 1.56 SBIG Kodak 1024 24um 15.2 17-18 19-19.7
2014.9 Front TEC 0.89"
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Note (5): References for the secondary standards as follows:
1 = Henden & Honeycutt (1995, J/PASP/107/324);
2 = Henden & Honeycutt (1997, J/PASP/109/441);
3 = AAVSO (mostly APASS, see II/336 and B/vsx)
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Byte-by-byte Description of file: table3.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 19 A19 --- Name Star name
21- 33 F13.5 d HJD [2448207.68/2457012.77] Heliocentric Julian Date
35- 40 F6.3 mag mag [10.37/19.65] Vega magnitude in Filter (1)
42- 46 F5.3 mag e_mag [0.001/0.4] Uncertainty in mag
48- 48 A1 --- Camp Campaign (see Table 1)
50- 51 A2 --- Filt Filter (1)
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Note (1): Filters include V, V* (V band converted from clear), C for Clear.
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Byte-by-byte Description of file: table5.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 2 I2 --- Seq [1/33] Object sequential number
4- 22 A19 --- Name Star name
24- 25 I2 --- OB [1/63] Outburst number
27- 30 I4 d JD [550/8236] Julian date for approximate maximum,
JD-2448000
32- 32 A1 --- l_Ampl Limit flag on Ampl
33- 37 F5.2 mag Ampl [0.14/2.63] Amplitude
39- 42 F4.1 d FWHM [0/65.6]? Full Width at Half Maximum of outburst
44- 46 I3 d tau-rise [0/459]? e-folding time of rise
48- 50 I3 d tau-fal [0/115]? e-folding time of fall
52- 54 I3 d DeltaJD [9/161]? Days to next Outburst
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History:
From electronic version of the journal
(End) Prepared by [AAS], Emmanuelle Perret [CDS] 13-Nov-2025