Variability of the spin period of the white dwarf in the intermediate polar V405 Aur: Low-mass third body or precession?

Abstract

We present the results of photometric CCD observations of the magnetic cataclysmic variable V405 Aurigae (RX J0558.0+5353 = 1RXS J055800.7+535358) obtained using different instruments. We analysed variability of the spin period of the white dwarf in the V405 Aur (RX J0558.0+5353) system using our observations and previously published maxima timings. The spin period of the system in 2010-2012 is P = 545.4558163(94) s. As we have gaps in observational data, we present 2 hypotheses of the spin period variability of this system - a cubic ephemeris which may be interpreted by a precession of the magnetic white dwarf or a periodic change with a period of 6.2 years and semi-amplitude of 17.2 ± 1.8 sec. The periodic variations may be interpreted by a lighttime effect caused by a low-mass star (M 3 ≥ 0.09M ⊙). In this case, the system belongs to a rare class of cataclysmic variables with a third body.