HIGH GALACTIC LATITUDE CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES

We have isolated a sample of stars which are either known or are good candidates for being halo cataclysmic variables. This sample consists of 84 stars of which 57 are dwarf novae (two of these are probable DQ Her systems), 12 are nova-like stars, seven are AM Her objects, and eight are classical novae. Periodicities are known for 27 of the systems. If these stars are indeed halo members, then their distances range from 350 pc to 8 kpc and they represent objects that should be significantly older than their disk counterparts. If they do not represent true halo members, then they are intrinsically very faint systems (Mv> +10). Comparing the gross properties of this sample to those for the disk cataclysmic variables, we find that below the period gap, the mean outburst amplitude for the halo dwarf novae is 3 mag greater than for the disk dwarf novae. For systems with periods ≤4 hr, the halo cataclysmic variables have a higher percentage of systems below the period gap than the disk cataclysmic variables. The implications of these findings are discussed, as well as possible sample biases and selection effects.