Far UV radiation in cataclysmic variables.

Abstract

The absolute continuum flux distributions in the far UV region of nine cataclysmic systems exhibit considerable excess radiation over the fluxes expected from steady-state optically thick accretion disk models. The UV continua can alternatively be interpreted as superposition of two blackbody sources: a hot (0.5 - 2×10⁵K) component originating from the boundary layer, and a cooler (1 - 2×10⁴K) component which is radiated by the accretion disk and/or the bright spot.