The formation and detection of strongly magnetic white dwarf binaries in globular clusters

Abstract

We discuss the mechanism for the formation of magnetic cataclysmic variables (MCVs) by the tidal capture of isolated magnetized white dwarfs and determine those globular clusters where the largest number of them are likely to be formed. By performing a statistical analysis of the X-ray emission of known MCVs, in the solar neighborhood, we determine the hard X-ray luminosity functions of the DQ Her and AM Her binaries and the soft X-ray luminosity function of the AM Her binaries. We find that the DQ Her binaries have a mean hard X-ray luminosity a factor of 10 higher than that for the AM Her binaries. We also estimate the X-ray fluxes of globular cluster MCVs by using a solar neighborhood survey, for the first time, and identify those globular clusters which are likely to contain MCVs which may be detectable by means of their X-ray emission.