We have applied grids of NLTE high gravity model atmospheres and optically thick accretion disk models for the first time to archival IUE and FUSE spectra of the S-type symbiotic variable EG And taken at superior spectroscopic conjunction when Rayleigh scattering should be minimal and the hot component is viewed in front of the red giant .
For EG And ’ s widely accepted , published hot component mass , orbital inclination and distance from the Hipparcos parallax , we find that hot , high gravity , NLTE photosphere model fits to the IUE spectra yield distances from the best-fitting models which agree with the Hipparcos parallax distance but at temperatures substantially lower than the modified Zanstra temperatures .
NLTE fits to an archival FUSE spectrum taken at the same orbital phase as the IUE spectra yield the same temperature as the IUE temperature ( 50,000K ) .
However , for the same hot component mass , inclination and parallax-derived distance , accretion disk models at moderately high inclinations , \sim 60 - 75 ^ { \circ } with accretion rates \dot { M } = 1 \times 10 ^ { -8 } to 1 \times 10 ^ { -9 } M _ { \sun } / yr for white dwarf masses M _ { wd } = 0.4 M _ { \sun } yield distances grossly smaller than the distance from the Hipparcos parallax .
Therefore , we rule out an accretion disk as the dominant source of the FUV flux .
Our findings support a hot bare white dwarf as the dominant source of FUV flux .