170 research outputs found
Discovery, photometry, and astrometry of 49 classical nova candidates in M81 galaxy
This paper reports on a search for new classical nova candidates in the M81
galaxy based on archival, as well as recent, new images. We used images from
1999-2007 to search for optical transients in M81. The positions of the
identified classical nova candidates were used to study their spatial
distribution. Kolmogorov - Smirnov test (KS) and bottom-to-top (BTR) ratio
diagnostic were used to analyze the nova candidate distribution and
differentiate between the disk and the bulge populations. In total, 49
classical nova candidates were discovered. In this study, we present the
precise positions and photometry of these objects, plus the photometry of an
additional 9 classical nova candidates found by Neill and Shara (2004). With
our large sample, we find a different spatial distribution of classical nova
candidates when compared to the results of earlier studies. Also, an
extraordinarily bright nova was found and studied in detail.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 23 pages, 8
figure
Supersoft X-rays reveal a classical nova in the M 31 globular cluster Bol 126
[Abridged] Classical novae (CNe) represent the main class of supersoft X-ray
sources (SSSs) in the central region of our neighbouring galaxy M 31. Only
three confirmed novae and three SSSs have been discovered in globular clusters
(GCs) of any galaxy so far, of which one nova and two SSSs (including the nova)
were found in M 31 GCs. To study the SSS state of CNe we carried out a
high-cadence X-ray monitoring of the M 31 central area with XMM-Newton and
Chandra. We analysed X-ray and optical data of a new transient X-ray source in
the M 31 GC Bol 126, discovered serendipitously in Swift observations. Our
optical data set was based on regular M 31 monitoring programmes from five
different small telescopes. Additionally, we made use of Pan-STARRS 1 data
obtained during the PAndromeda survey. Our observations reveal that the X-ray
source in Bol 126 is the third SSS in an M 31 GC and can be confirmed as the
second CN in the M 31 GC system. This nova is named M31N 2010-10f. Its
properties in the X-ray and optical regimes agree with a massive white dwarf
(M_WD >~ 1.3 M_sun) in the binary system. Incorporating the data on previously
found (suspected) novae in M 31 GCs we used our high-cadence X-ray monitoring
observations to estimate a tentative nova rate in the M 31 GC system of 0.05
/yr/GC. An optical estimate, based on the recent 10.5-year WeCAPP survey, gives
a lower nova rate, which is compatible with the X-ray rate on the 95%
confidence level. There is growing evidence that the nova rate in GCs is higher
than expected from primordial binary formation and under conditions as in the
field. Dynamical binary formation and/or additional accretion from the
intracluster medium are possible scenarios for an increased nova rate, but
observational confirmation for this enhancement has been absent, so far.
Regular X-ray monitoring observations of M 31 provide a promising strategy to
find these novae.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables; accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic
RECURRENT NOVAE IN M31
The reported positions of 964 suspected nova eruptions in M31 recorded through the end of calendar year 2013 have been compared in order to identify recurrent nova candidates. To pass the initial screen and qualify as a recurrent nova candidate two or more eruptions were required to be coincident within 0.1', although this criterion was relaxed to 0.15' for novae discovered on early photographic patrols. A total of 118 eruptions from 51 potential recurrent nova systems satisfied the screening criterion. To determine what fraction of these novae are indeed recurrent the original plates and published images of the relevant eruptions have been carefully compared. This procedure has resulted in the elimination of 27 of the 51 progenitor candidates (61 eruptions) from further consideration as recurrent novae, with another 8 systems (17 eruptions) deemed unlikely to be recurrent. Of the remaining 16 systems, 12 candidates (32 eruptions) were judged to be recurrent novae, with an additional 4 systems (8 eruptions) being possibly recurrent. It is estimated that ~4% of the nova eruptions seen in M31 over the past century are associated with recurrent novae. A Monte Carlo analysis shows that the discovery efficiency for recurrent novae may be as low as 10% that for novae in general, suggesting that as many as one in three nova eruptions observed in M31 arise from progenitor systems having recurrence times <~100 yr. For plausible system parameters, it appears unlikely that recurrent novae can provide a significant channel for the production of Type Ia supernovae
A Spitzer Survey of Novae in M31
We report the results of the first infrared survey of novae in the nearby
spiral galaxy, M31. Both photometric and spectroscopic observations of a sample
of 10 novae (M31N 2006-09c, 2006-10a, 2006-10b, 2006-11a, 2007-07f, 2007-08a,
2007-08d, 2007-10a, 2007-11d, and 2007-11e) were obtained with the Spitzer
Space Telescope. Eight of the novae were observed with the IRAC (all but M31N
2007-11d and 2007-11e) and eight with the IRS (all but 2007-07f and 2007-08a),
resulting in six in common between the two instruments. The observations, which
were obtained between ~3 and ~7 months after discovery, revealed evidence for
dust formation in two of the novae: M31N 2006-10a and (possibly) 2007-07f, and
[Ne II] 12.8 micron line emission in a third (2007-11e). The Spitzer
observations were supplemented with ground-based optical photometric and
spectroscopic data that were used to determine the speed classes and
spectroscopic types of the novae in our survey. After including data for
dust-forming Galactic novae, we show that dust formation timescales are
correlated with nova speed class in that dust typically forms earlier in faster
novae. We conclude that our failure to detect the signature of dust formation
in most of our M31 sample is likely a result of the relatively long delay
between nova eruption and our Spitzer observations. Indeed, the two novae for
which we found evidence of dust formation were the two "slowest" novae in our
sample. Finally, as expected, we found that the majority of the novae in our
sample belong to the Fe II spectroscopic class, with only one clear example of
the He/N class (M31N 2006-10b). Typical of an He/N system, M31N 2006-10b was
the fastest nova in our sample, not detected with the IRS, and just barely
detected in three of the IRAC bands when it was observed ~4 months after
eruption.Comment: 37 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
Recurrent Novae in M31
The reported positions of 964 suspected nova eruptions in M31 recorded through the end of calendar year 2013 have been compared in order to identify recurrent nova candidates. To pass the initial screen and qualify as a recurrent nova candidate two or more eruptions were required to be coincident within 0.1', although this criterion was relaxed to 0.15' for novae discovered on early photographic patrols. A total of 118 eruptions from 51 potential recurrent nova systems satisfied the screening criterion. To determine what fraction of these novae are indeed recurrent the original plates and published images of the relevant eruptions have been carefully compared. This procedure has resulted in the elimination of 27 of the 51 progenitor candidates (61 eruptions) from further consideration as recurrent novae, with another 8 systems (17 eruptions) deemed unlikely to be recurrent. Of the remaining 16 systems, 12 candidates (32 eruptions) were judged to be recurrent novae, with an additional 4 systems (8 eruptions) being possibly recurrent. It is estimated that ~4% of the nova eruptions seen in M31 over the past century are associated with recurrent novae. A Monte Carlo analysis shows that the discovery efficiency for recurrent novae may be as low as 10% that for novae in general, suggesting that as many as one in three nova eruptions observed in M31 arise from progenitor systems having recurrence times <~100 yr. For plausible system parameters, it appears unlikely that recurrent novae can provide a significant channel for the production of Type Ia supernovae
X-ray monitoring of optical novae in M31 from July 2004 to February 2005
Optical novae have recently been identified as the major class of supersoft X-ray sources in M31 based on ROSAT and early XMM-Newton and Chandra observations. This paper reports on a search for X-ray counterparts of optical novae in M31 based on archival Chandra HRC-I and ACIS-I as well as XMM-Newton observations of the galaxy center region obtained from July 2004 to February 2005. We systematically determine X-ray brightness or upper limit for counterparts of all known optical novae with outbursts between November 2003 to the end of the X-ray coverage. In addition, we determine the X-ray brightnesses for counterparts of four novae with earlier outbursts. For comparison with the X-ray data we created a catalogue of optical novae in M31 based on our own nova search programs and on all novae reported in the literature. We collected all known properties and named the novae consistently following the CBAT scheme. We detect eleven out of 34 novae within a year after the optical outburst in X-rays. While for eleven novae we detect the end of the supersoft source phase, seven novae are still bright more than 1200, 1600, 1950, 2650, 3100, 3370 and 3380 d after outburst. One nova is detected to turn on 50 d, another 200 d after outburst. Three novae unexpectedly showed short X-ray outbursts starting within 50 d after the optical outburst and lasting only two to three months. The X-ray emission of several of the novae can be characterized as supersoft from hardness ratios and/or X-ray spectra or by comparing HRC-I count rates with ACIS-I count rates or upper limits. The number of detected optical novae at supersoft X-rays is much higher than previously estimated (>30%). We use the X-ray light curves to estimate the burned masses of the White Dwarf and of the ejecta
A flattening in the Optical Light Curve of SN 2002ap
We present the broad band optical photometry of the Type Ic
supernova SN 2002ap obtained during 2002 February 06 -- March 23 in the early
decline phases and also later on 2002 15 August. Combining these data with the
published ones, the general light curve development is studied. The time and
luminosity of the peak brightness and the peak width are estimated. There is a
flattening in the optical light curve about 30 days after the maximum. The
flux decline rates before flattening are 0.1270.005, 0.0820.001,
0.0740.001, 0.0620.001 and 0.0400.001 mag day in ,
, , and passbands respectively, while the corresponding
values after flattening are about 0.02 mag day in all the passbands. The
maximum brightness of SN 2002ap mag, is comparable to that of
the type Ic 1997ef, but fainter than that of the type Ic hypernova SN 1998bw.
The peak luminosity indicates an ejection of 0.06 M
Ni mass.
We also present low-resolution optical spectra obtained during the early
phases.
The SiII absorption minimum indicates that the photospheric velocity
decreased from
21,360 km s to 10,740 km s during a period of 6
days.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, Submitted to MNRA
YORP and Yarkovsky effects in asteroids (1685) Toro, (2100) Ra-Shalom, (3103) Eger, and (161989) Cacus
The rotation states of small asteroids are affected by a net torque arising
from an anisotropic sunlight reflection and thermal radiation from the
asteroids' surfaces. On long timescales, this so-called YORP effect can change
asteroid spin directions and their rotation periods. We analyzed lightcurves of
four selected near-Earth asteroids with the aim of detecting secular changes in
their rotation rates that are caused by YORP. We use the lightcurve inversion
method to model the observed lightcurves and include the change in the rotation
rate as a free parameter of optimization. We
collected more than 70 new lightcurves. For asteroids Toro and Cacus, we used
thermal infrared data from the WISE spacecraft and estimated their size and
thermal inertia. We also used the currently available optical and radar
astrometry of Toro, Ra-Shalom, and Cacus to infer the Yarkovsky effect. We
detected a YORP acceleration of for asteroid Cacus. For
Toro, we have a tentative () detection of YORP from a significant
improvement of the lightcurve fit for a nonzero value of . For asteroid
Eger, we confirmed the previously published YORP detection with more data and
updated the YORP value to . We also updated the shape model of
asteroid Ra-Shalom and put an upper limit for the change of the rotation rate
to . Ra-Shalom has a greater than
Yarkovsky detection with a theoretical value consistent with observations
assuming its size and/or density is slightly larger than the nominally expected
values
The binary near-Earth asteroid (175706) 1996 FG3 - An observational constraint on its orbital evolution
Using our photometric observations taken between 1996 and 2013 and other
published data, we derived properties of the binary near-Earth asteroid
(175706) 1996 FG3 including new measurements constraining evolution of the
mutual orbit with potential consequences for the entire binary asteroid
population. We also refined previously determined values of parameters of both
components, making 1996 FG3 one of the most well understood binary asteroid
systems. We determined the orbital vector with a substantially greater accuracy
than before and we also placed constraints on a stability of the orbit.
Specifically, the ecliptic longitude and latitude of the orbital pole are
266{\deg} and -83{\deg}, respectively, with the mean radius of the uncertainty
area of 4{\deg}, and the orbital period is 16.1508 +/- 0.0002 h (all quoted
uncertainties correspond to 3sigma). We looked for a quadratic drift of the
mean anomaly of the satellite and obtained a value of 0.04 +/- 0.20 deg/yr^2,
i.e., consistent with zero. The drift is substantially lower than predicted by
the pure binary YORP (BYORP) theory of McMahon and Scheeres (McMahon, J.,
Scheeres, D. [2010]. Icarus 209, 494-509) and it is consistent with the theory
of an equilibrium between BYORP and tidal torques for synchronous binary
asteroids as proposed by Jacobson and Scheeres (Jacobson, S.A., Scheeres, D.
[2011]. ApJ Letters, 736, L19). Based on the assumption of equilibrium, we
derived a ratio of the quality factor and tidal Love number of Q/k = 2.4 x 10^5
uncertain by a factor of five. We also derived a product of the rigidity and
quality factor of mu Q = 1.3 x 10^7 Pa using the theory that assumes an elastic
response of the asteroid material to the tidal forces. This very low value
indicates that the primary of 1996 FG3 is a 'rubble pile', and it also calls
for a re-thinking of the tidal energy dissipation in close asteroid binary
systems.Comment: Many changes based on referees comment
- …