Unveiling the accretion geometry of QS Tel through coordinated photometric, spectroscopic, and polarimetric observations

We present phase-resolved analysis of the polar QS Telescopii using photometry, spectroscopy, Doppler tomography, photopolarimetry, and circular spectropolarimetry collected between 2017 and 2025. We report the first detection of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in QS Tel, with timescales of 6–10 minutes, revealing dynamic accretion behavior. Doppler tomography of Hα and HeII (4686 Å) lines uncovers two distinct magnetically confined accretion streams, a feature rarely resolved in polars, confirming complex magnetic accretion. Flux-modulated Doppler maps further support complex magnetic accretion. Circular spectropolarimetry identifies two phase dependent strong cyclotron harmonics, implying magnetic field strengths ranging from 38 to 60 MG, indicating a non-dipolar, structured magnetic topology. We observe polarity reversals in circular polarization from +25% to −15%, supporting a two-pole geometry. A refined orbital ephemeris was derived from combined TESS and spectroscopic data. Collectively, our observations confirm that QS Tel exhibits an offset-dipole and complex magnetically channeled accretion flows. These results place QS Tel among a growing class of high-field polars with complex magnetic accretion.

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Publication Details

Published
2025-12-04
DOI
https://doi.org/10.22323/1.514.0048
Primary Topic
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
Type
article
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article

Unveiling the accretion geometry of QS Tel through coordinated photometric, spectroscopic, and polarimetric observations

Prof. WOUDT Patrick, Lutho Booi
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
article

Unveiling the accretion geometry of QS Tel through coordinated photometric, spectroscopic, and polarimetric observations

Prof. WOUDT Patrick, Lutho Booi
article en

Abstract

We present phase-resolved analysis of the polar QS Telescopii using photometry, spectroscopy, Doppler tomography, photopolarimetry, and circular spectropolarimetry collected between 2017 and 2025. We report the first detection of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in QS Tel, with timescales of 6–10 minutes, revealing dynamic accretion behavior. Doppler tomography of Hα and HeII (4686 Å) lines uncovers two distinct magnetically confined accretion streams, a feature rarely resolved in polars, confirming complex magnetic accretion. Flux-modulated Doppler maps further support complex magnetic accretion. Circular spectropolarimetry identifies two phase dependent strong cyclotron harmonics, implying magnetic field strengths ranging from 38 to 60 MG, indicating a non-dipolar, structured magnetic topology. We observe polarity reversals in circular polarization from +25% to −15%, supporting a two-pole geometry. A refined orbital ephemeris was derived from combined TESS and spectroscopic data. Collectively, our observations confirm that QS Tel exhibits an offset-dipole and complex magnetically channeled accretion flows. These results place QS Tel among a growing class of high-field polars with complex magnetic accretion.

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Unveiling the accretion geometry of QS Tel through coordinated photometric, spectroscopic, and polarimetric observations — Prof. WOUDT Patrick, Lutho Booi · (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS