RXTE and XMM observations of intermediate polar candidates

Abstract

Aims: We aim to determine the credentials of nine candidate intermediate polars in order to confirm whether or not they are magnetic cataclysmic variables.
Methods: Frequency analysis of RXTE and XMM data was used to search for temporal variations that could be associated with the spin period of the magnetic white dwarf. X-ray spectral analysis was carried out to characterize the emission and absorption properties of each target.
Results: The hard X-ray light curve of V2069 Cyg shows a pulse period of 743.2 s, and its spectrum is fit by an absorbed bremsstrahlung model with an iron line, confirming this to be a genuine intermediate polar. The hard X-ray light curve of the previously confirmed intermediate polar IGR J00234+6141 is shown to be consistent with the previous low-energy X-ray detection of a 563.5 s pulse period. The likely polar IGR J14536-5522 shows no coherent modulation at the previously identified period of 3.1 h, but does exhibit a clear signal at periods likely to be harmonically related to it. Whilst our RXTE observations of RX J0153.3+7447, Swift J061223.0+701243.9, V436 Car, and DD Cir are largely too faint to give any definitive results, the observations of IGR J16167-4957 and V2487 Oph show some characteristics of intermediate polars, and these objects remain good candidates.
Conclusions: We confirmed one new hard X-ray selected intermediate polar from our sample, V2069 Cyg.