2002ApJ...569..418W

We report the photometry and spectroscopy of TT Arietis around the turn of the millennium, when the nova-like variable is in high state. A positive superhump since 1997 still exists. A more precise orbital period than before, 0.13755040±1.7x10^–7 days, is established. The intensity of the Balmer emission core is found to modulate at the superhump period rather than the orbital period and 180° out of phase with continuum. The intensity of Balmer absorption wings is approximately proportional to the continuum flux. The correlation between Balmer lines and continuum provides a new clue to the study of sources of continuum and emission lines. The mass ratio of the binary is found to be in the range of 0.19±0.04, which lends strong support to the proposition that superhumps arise from the inner Lindblad 3:1 resonance in TT Ari, as in superoutbursts of SU UMa stars.