Polars: Long-term
light curves
€Unlike disk-dominated CVs, polars tend to emit at an approximately constant level, with occasional drops to fainter levels
€There is a continuum of levels, but the states tend to be called ³high², ³intermediate² and ³low²
€In low states the accretion rate drops, no reservoir in a disk, so the underlying stars can become visible: important for measuring the system parameters
Feigelson, Dexter & Liller (1978)