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The SW Sextantis stars are a sub-class of
cataclysmic variables (CVs)
that share a number of characteristic observational properties
(e.g., transient absorption in their emission line cores that
appears at specific orbital phases, single-peaked emission lines
rather than the double-peaked lines characteristic of disk-accreting
CVs, indications of very high mass transfer rate, etc –
follow this link for a
more complete and detailed list of the observational characteristics of
the SW Sex stars). Although
studied individually for a number of years, the SW Sex stars
were first identified as an observationally similar group in the
early 1990s.
Establishing a complete census of membership in the SW Sex class
is a difficult task, as our understanding of the range and
possible origins of the SW Sex syndrome has evolved over the
past two decades. For example, original defining characteristics
of being a high inclination (i.e., eclipsing) CV and having
He II λ4686 emission comparable in strength to
that of Hβ have been relaxed as it has become apparent that
these were likely selection effects that influenced the discovery
of the first SW Sex stars. Meanwhile, some recent work has
suggested that the SW Sex stars might be the weakest magnetic CVs
with the highest mass transfer rates
(follow this link for a
discussion of the magnetic scenario for the SW Sex stars),
while other theories utilize
complex accretion disk structural models (e.g., tilted, warped,
precessing disks).
Consequently, determining the full census of the SW Sex stars
is important, as the SW Sex syndrome appears to be increasingly
widespread among the CV population, and possibly has important
implications related to the secular evolution of CVs. A full
understanding of the SW Sex syndrome will likely depend on a
complete understanding of the number and range of CVs that are
afflicted with it. To this end, I have compiled The Big List
of SW Sextantis Stars. It is by no means intended to be the definitive
SW Sex star census, but it is exhaustive in the sense that it
contains all CVs that have been linked to the SW Sex stars in
published sources.
The Big List of SW Sextantis Stars is complete to the best of my knowledge (as of the
Last Modified date). If you know of
another SW Sex star, please email its name or other
identifying information to me at
and I'll add it to the list. Some of the information shown here
is unavoidably subjective (mainly the assessment of the
“SW Sexiness” of a CV – Definite, Probable, or Possible).
If you disagree with any of my assessments, you can also email
me and I will consider changing the appropriate entry, based on
your persuasiveness!
Contents:
- Acknowledgement text
- Latest updates
- Histogram of the current orbital period distribution of SW Sex stars
- Jump to Target index
- The Big List
- Counting statistics for the Big List
- Key to the Big List data
- List of general and/or important papers about the SW Sex stars
If the material presented here has aided in the completion of your
research project, then I would appreciate the inclusion of the
following citations in any corresponding publications:
The following (or similar) text in the Acknowledgments section:
This research utilized the Big List of SW Sextantis Stars,
which is maintained by D. W. Hoard.
A footnote giving this URL, located near the usage of Big List data in
the publication text; for example,
\footnote{See the Big List of SW Sextantis Stars at
\url{http://spider.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/hoard/biglist.html}.}
Latest Updates:
- 18 Dec 2007: Deleted duplicate entry for TT Tri/HS0129+2933 (Thanks Boris!)
- 22 May 2007:
- Added old nova counter to statistics
- Added new inclination category ("Moderate" for shallow eclipses of disk only)
- Added RR Pic (possible)
- 21 May 2007: Updated SDSS0809 (alternate names, SW Sex status, orbital period)
- 17 May 2007: Added TT Tri (definite); updated HS0220+0603, HS0455+8315, HS1813+6122 (from possible to definite)
- 16 May 2007: Added AH Pic (probable), LN UMa (probable)
- 15 May 2007: Added V380 Oph (definite)
- 10 May 2007: Transition of all current entries to Mk III format
- 02 May 2007: Added CZ Aql (possible), AH Men (definite)
- 01 May 2007:
- Finished transition of all current entries to Mk II format
- Added CP Lac (possible)
- 30 Apr 2007: Added pages with list of SW Sex characteristics and summary of evidence for/against magnetic nature of SW Sex stars
- 15 Mar 2007: Started transition of all current entries to Mk II format
(not all data fields are populated for every CV)
- Older Updates...
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