On the M _V -Inclination Relationship for Nova-like Variables

Abstract

Using a sample of Nova-like stars from the Ritter & Kolb catalog, we examine the relationship between their Gaia-determined absolute magnitude and the inclination of the binary system. Webbink et al. derived a relationship between these two variables that provides a good fit and allows differentiation between \dot{M} (and possibly M _WD) as a function of inclination. We show that the spread in M _V , at a given i, is dominated by the mass-transfer rate with only a small dependence on the white dwarf mass. The validated relation shows that present-day theoretical population studies of cataclysmic variables, as well as model fits to observational data, yield mass-transfer rates and white dwarf masses consistent with the Gaia-derived M _V for the nova-like stars.