Evolution of short-period cataclysmic variables: implications from eclipse modeling and stage A superhump method (with New Year's gift)

In 2013, the method of determining mass ratios of dwarf novae using stage A superhumps (growing superhumps) was established. This method is a dynamical one in that it relies only on celestial mechanics. It is not dependent on an experimental calibration. Since then, more than 100 objects have been measured by this method. In this paper, I provide an updated description of the method. Comparisons with the results of the modern eclipse modeling method, which is considered to be the golden standard, have shown that these two methods agree very well and the stage A superhump method has been confirmed to be as accurate and as reliable as the modern eclipse modeling method. The number of the object by the former methods is now a few time those by the latter method, and the former is indispensable to study the terminal evolution of cataclysmic variables. I also showed that past studies by the other groups assumed incorrect fractional superhump excess relations, causing biases in discussing the evolution. I also derived a new experimental relation for stage B superhumps. The updated evolutionary track around the period minimum suggests that the angular momentum loss is 1.9 times larger than expected by gravitational wave radiation. The measurements of stage A superhumps greatly owe to international collaborations with amateurs and professionals. There is similarity with the world of ornithology in that both play a role in uniting the world via international exchanges of observations. I describe a summary of these collaborations and describe my thoughts about the relation between astronomy and ornithology, and give prospects how multidisciplinary works can be made possible between these seemingly distant fields of science (abridged).