F. Schrey

OPTIMA: A Photon Counting High-Speed Photometer

OPTIMA is a small, versatile high-speed photometer which is primarily intended for time resolved observations of young high energy pulsars at optical wavelengths. The detector system consists of eight fiber fed photon counters based on avalanche photodiodes, a GPS timing receiver, an integrating CCD camera to ensure the correct pointing of the telescope and a computerized control unit. Since January 1999 OPTIMA proves its scientific potential by measuring a very detailed light-curve of the Crab Pulsar as well as by observing cataclysmic variable stars on very short timescales. In this article we describe the design of the detector system focussing on the photon counting units and the software control which correlates the detected photons with the GPS timing signal.

OPTIMA: A High Time Resolution Optical Photo-Polarimeter

A high-speed photo-polarimeter, “OPTIMA” short for Optical Pulsar Timing Analyzer, has been designed and developed in the group for gamma-ray astronomy of the Max-Planck-Institut fur Extraterrestrische Physik. This sensitive, portable detector is used to observe optical emissions of sources that radiate mainly at X- and gamma-ray energies, like pulsars and other highly variable compact sources. The single photon counting instrument is based on fiber fed avalanche photodiodes (APDs), a GPS timing receiver,a CCD camera for target acquisition and a stand-alone data acquisition and control system. Several configurations are available: for photometry a hexagonal bundle with seven channels and one fiber offset for sky background monitoring; for polarimetry a rotating polarization filter in front of the photometer or a newly developed 4-channel double Wollaston system; and for coarse spectroscopy a 4-colour prism spectrograph.

Multiwavelength observations of eclipsing polars

Multiwavelength observations of polars are essential for developing the big picture of these systems, particularly to gain understanding of the relevant accretion-induced heating and cooling processes. Eclipsing polars are prime targets for such studies since different radiation processes can be disentangled by observations with high-time resolution. We present a preliminary combined analysis of space-based observations (XMM-Newton, ROSAT, HST) with ground-based high-speed photometry (MCCP, OPTIMA, ULTRACAM) of DP Leo, HU Aqr and UZ For. We determine the location and extent of different emission components and find secular and short-term changes in the accretion geometries. We find displaced optical and X-ray emission regions in DP Leo and HU Aqr as well as mini-bursts and accretion arcs of variable size in HU Aqr. We report marked changes in the X-ray eclipse length of UZ For between high and low states.