This web page provides a reference atlas of spectral features that have been observed in cataclysmic variables to aid in the identification of features in newly obtained spectra. I will add to the list of sample spectra whenever I happen to run across a good sample spectrum in the literature. Figures and captions are from the journal articles cited in each section.

• General table of wavelengths (>1175 Å).
• Table of spectral features observed in far-ultraviolet spectra of CVs (900–1175 Å).
• Table of ISM lines observed in far-ultraviolet spectra of CVs (900–1175 Å).

• Far-ultraviolet (approximately 900–1200 Å):
  
  

  1. DW UMa (novalike/SW Sex type) – FUSE 915–1185 Å spectrum from Figure 1 of Hoard et al. 2003, AJ, 126, 2473 (ADS = 2003AJ....126.2473H)

     
     

     Total combined FUV spectrum of DW UMa. The spectrum spans 915–1185 Å the top and bottom panels overlap the ends of the middle panel by 7.5 Å. Emission lines are labeled, with widely spaced lines of the same multiplet indicated by short horizontal bars on the "bookend" transitions, and multiplets with many closely spaced lines indicated by a vertical pointer at the midpoint wavelength joined to a horizontal bar spanning the multiplet transition wavelengths. Airglow lines (encircled plus signs; identified from Feldman et al. 2001, J. Geophys. Res., 106, 8119) and ISM lines (ions in italics) are indicated below the spectrum. The airglow lines have been truncated at the upper flux limit of the plot. Wavelengths of H I and He II transitions are shown outside and below the top and middle panels. Unlabeled hashmarks at the top of each panel are interstellar molecular hydrogen (H₂) transitions.



• Ultraviolet (approximately 1200–3200 Å):
  
  

  1. DW UMa (novalike/SW Sex type) – HST/STIS and IUE 1150–1700 Å spectrum from Figure 1 of Knigge et al. 2000, ApJL, 539, L49 (ADS = 2000ApJ...539L..49K)

     
     

     Top: DW UMa's out-of-eclipse UV spectrum in the low state (thick black line). Also shown are the best-fit synthetic WD spectrum (thin red line) and the out-of-eclipse UV spectrum in the high state, as observed with IUE (blue dashed line). The strongest transitions in the WD-dominated low-state spectrum are indicated. Bottom: Residuals of the WD model fit to the low-state spectrum (thin black line); the region shaded in red encloses +/– 1σ. Suspected interstellar lines are marked, as are three features that are probably formed in an outflow from the system. The thick lines on the axis separating the panels mark the fit windows.

  
  

  2. V884 Her (AM Her type) – IUE (a) short (1150–2000 Å) and (b) long (2200–3200 Å) wavelength spectra from Figure 1 of Shrader et al. 1997, ApJ, 486, 1006 (ADS = 1997ApJ...486.1006S)

     
     

     (a) SWP Spectrum resulting from the coaddition of four individual SWPs obtained over arbitrary phase intervals. The vertical axis is flux in ergs cm^-2 s^-1 and the labels indicate our line identifications. (b) LWP Spectrum of RX J1802.1+1804 [= V884 Her]. Note the unusually strong line of He II 2733 Å as well as the apparent presence of He II 2386 Å, 2511 Å. The Bowen fluorescence lines of O III 3047 Å, 3133 Å are also evident. The latter may be blended with O III 3123 Å indicating that multiple branches of the Bowen process are probably occurring.



• Optical (approximately 3200–8000 Å):
  
  

  1. AR UMa (high field AM Her type) – MMT echellete spectrum (4300–8700 Å) from Figure 7 of Schmidt et al. 1999, ApJ, 525, 407 (ADS = 1999ApJ...525..407S) (NOTE: an emission line at approximately 4540 Å is identified as He II, but is likely N III or O III as no He II line exists near this wavelength.)

     
     

     Single 300 s MMT echellette exposure showing the wide range of emission lines available for analysis. Taken at φ = 0.92, near inferior conjunction of the secondary, line components due to the free-falling stream and field-dominated flow are well separated. The inset depicts Hα at a magnification at which the narrow, high-velocity component (NHVC) is apparent (see Section 4.3.2). When all 57 exposures are phased, many additional weak lines are visible. Each panel is the combination of two spectral orders, except for the bottom panel, which is a single order.

  
  

  2. V442 Oph (novalike/SW Sex type) – APO (4200–5000 Å, 5800–6800 Å) and MMT (4200–7600 Å) optical spectra from Figure 1 of Hoard, Thorstensen, and Szkody 2000, ApJ, 537, 936 (ADS = 2000ApJ...537..936H)

     
     

     Representative spectra of V442 Oph from each observing run. The flux scale is accurate for the 1999 (MMT) spectrum; the 1995 (APO) and 1998 (APO) spectra have been normalized to a constant continuum of 1.0 and shifted by arbitrary amounts for clarity.