Abstract

Broad-band photometry from the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite of five dwarf novae at 1550, 1800, 2200, 2500, and 3300 A is presented. EM Cyg in standstill exhibits a flux excess at 3300 A. The lack of a strong extinction feature at 2200 A is seen as suggesting that the reddening is small toward all five systems. Using an independent estimate of the distances, mass flux rates are derived by fitting steady-state, optically thick accretion disk models to the observed UV luminosity. The rate is found to be 3 x 10 to the 17th g/s for Z Cam and EM Cyg in outburst and a factor of 3 smaller of Z Cam in standstill. The models, however, do not reproduce the slope of the Balmer continuum. Of special interest are the observations of outburst rises of SS Aur, SU UMa, and EM Cyg. SS Aur exhibits an exponential increase at a rate of 3.5 mag in 0.5 d. The outburst in EM Cyg also reveals an exponential rise, but at a rate of only 1.2 mag per day.

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