The Polar IL Leo in a Low Accretion State

We performed an optical study of the magnetic period-bouncer candidate IL Leo. Long-term photometric analysis over ≈20 yr reveals multiple state transitions. Modeling the ultraviolet and optical spectral energy distribution refined the white dwarf parameters, yielding a mass of Mwd = 0.74 ± 0.05 M⊙ and an effective temperature of Teff = 12,700 ± 360 K. We analyzed phase-resolved spectroscopy obtained with the 6 m BTA telescope and the VLT during the low state. Orbital variability of the Hα emission, inferred from dynamical spectra and Doppler tomograms, suggests that it originates in the accretion stream. Zeeman splitting gives a mean magnetic field of B = 40.7 ± 0.5 MG. Modeling two sets of cyclotron spectra determined a low-state accretion rate of Ṁ=(2.5−4.1)×10−13M⊙ yr−1 and a magnetic field of Bm ≈ 41 MG near the magnetic pole.