Abstract
We show that the degree of excess soft X-ray emission measured in AM Her stars during their high intensity state is correlated with the magnetic field strength of the accretion region and the radius at which material couples on to the magnetic field lines of the white dwarf. AM Her in an intermediate intensity state, however, does not follow the same correlation and shows an apparent soft X-ray deficiency. ST LMi in a low intensity state exhibits a bremsstrahlung temperature that is over an order of magnitude lower than in the high state. One interpretation of these results is that only a small fraction of the accretion region accretes at a rate sufficiently high for a shock to form in the intermediate state so that the observed blackbody flux severely underestimates the true bolometric flux. In the low state, no shock at all forms over the accretion region.
Published Version
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