Phase-resolved IUE Observations of AM Herculis System E1405-451

Abstract

The authors report the first phase-resolved IUE observations of the AM Herculis system E1405-451. The spectra show bright emission lines from N V, C IV, and He II, whose centroids vary drastically during the 101.5 minute period. The radial velocities measured from the line centroids show a sinusoidal variation with a semi-amplitude of 300 km s^-1. They consider an explanation for the observed emission line velocities, using a model for the system having inclination i = 60° and magnetic colatitude Δ = 20°.