Radial velocity studies of cataclysmic binaries. I - KR Aurigae

Abstract

Spectroscopic observations of KR Aur are presented which reveal the object to be a close binary system with an orbital period of 3.907 hr. This result, in conjunction with the overall spectroscopic characteristics of the object, confirms the classification of KR Aur as a cataclysmic variable. Under this assumption, masses of 0.7 and 0.48 solar masses have been estimated for the white dwarf and the red dwarf, respectively. The methods employed in measuring the radial velocities and in estimating the masses are discussed.