80 research outputs found
A Modeling of the Super-Eddington Luminosity in Nova Outbursts: V1974 Cygni
We have modeled nova light curves exceeding the Eddington luminosity. It has
been suggested that a porous structure develops in nova envelopes during the
super Eddington phase and the effective opacity is much reduced for such a
porous atmosphere. Based on this reduced opacity model, we have calculated
envelope structures and light curves of novae. The optically thick wind model
is used to simulate nova winds. We find that the photospheric luminosity and
the wind mass-loss rate increase inversely proportional to the reducing factor
of opacities, but the wind velocity hardly changes. We also reproduce the
optical light curve of V1974 Cygni (Nova Cygni 1992) in the super-Eddington
phase, which lasts 13 days from the optical peak 1.7 mag above the Eddington
luminosity.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, to appear in ApJ
Magnetic field, chemical composition and line profile variability of the peculiar eclipsing binary star AR Aur
AR Aur is the only eclipsing binary known to contain a HgMn star, making it
an ideal case for a detailed study of the HgMn phenomenon. HgMn stars are a
poorly understood class of chemically peculiar stars, which have traditionally
been thought not to possess significant magnetic fields. However, the recent
discovery of line profile variability in some HgMn stars, apparently
attributable to surface abundance patches, has brought this belief into
question. In this paper we investigate the chemical abundances, line profile
variability, and magnetic field of the primary and secondary of the AR Aur
system, using a series of high resolution spectropolarimetric observations. We
find the primary is indeed a HgMn star, and present the most precise abundances
yet determined for this star. We find the secondary is a weak Am star, and is
possibly still on the pre-main sequence. Line profile variability was observed
in a range of lines in the primary, and is attributed to inhomogeneous surface
distributions of some elements. No magnetic field was detected in any
observation of either stars, with an upper limit on the longitudinal magnetic
field in both stars of 100 G. Modeling of the phase-resolve longitudinal field
measurements leads to a 3 sigma upper limit on any dipole surface magnetic
field of about 400 G.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 11 pages, 9 figure
Toward a unified light curve model for multi-wavelength observations of V1974 Cygni (Nova Cygni 1992)
We present a unified model for optical, ultraviolet (UV), and X-ray light
curves of V1974 Cygni (Nova Cygni 1992). Based on an optically thick wind model
of nova outbursts, we have calculated light curves and searched for the best
fit model that is consistent with optical, UV, and X-ray observations. Our best
fit model is a white dwarf (WD) of mass 1.05 M_\sun with a chemical composition
of X=0.46, C+N+O=0.15, and Ne = 0.05 by mass weight. Both supersoft X-ray and
continuum UV 1455 \AA light curves are well reproduced. Supersoft X-rays
emerged on day ~ 250 after outburst, which is naturally explained by our model:
our optically thick winds cease on day 245 and supersoft X-rays emerge from
self-absorption by the winds. The X-ray flux keeps a constant peak value for ~
300 days followed by a quick decay on day ~ 600. The duration of X-ray flat
peak is well reproduced by a steady hydrogen shell burning on the WD. Optical
light curve is also explained by the same model if we introduce free-free
emission from optically thin ejecta. A t^{-1.5} slope of the observed optical
and infrared fluxes is very close to the slope of our modeled free-free light
curve during the optically thick wind phase. Once the wind stops, optical and
infrared fluxes should follow a t^{-3} slope, derived from a constant mass of
expanding ejecta. An abrupt transition from a t^{-1.5} slope to a t^{-3} slope
at day ~ 200 is naturally explained by the change from the wind phase to the
post-wind phase on day ~ 200. The development of hard X-ray flux is also
reasonably understood as shock-origin between the wind and the companion star.
The distance to V1974 Cyg is estimated to be ~ 1.7 kpc with E(B-V)= 0.32 from
the light curve fitting for the continuum UV 1455 \AA.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, to appear in the Astrophysical Journa
The nature of premaximum halts of classical nova outbursts: V723 Cassiopeiae and V463 Scuti
We present a new interpretation of long premaximum halts of nova outbursts.
For V723 Cas (Nova Cas 1995) and V463 Sct (Nova Sct 2000), we have reproduced
light curves, excluding the brightness maxima, starting from the long
premaximum halt through the late decay phase of the outbursts using a
steady-state optically thick wind model. When the hydrogen-rich envelope of the
white dwarf (WD) is massive enough, the star expands to \sim 100 R_\sun or over
and its surface temperature decreases to below 7000 K. At this supergiant
mimicry stage, the changes in both the photospheric radius and the temperature
are small against the large increase in the envelope mass. These changes cause
a saturation in visual magnitude that lasts a long time before it begins to
decline. This saturation is known as the premaximum halt of a classical nova
outburst. The visual magnitude during the saturation is close to the bolometric
magnitude, which is an upper limit for a given WD mass. Since the WD masses are
estimated to be 0.59 M_\sun for V723 Cas and 1.1 M_\sun for V463 Sct by fitting
the decline rate of nova light curves, we can determine the absolute magnitude
of premaximum halts. It is a refined Eddington luminosity. Thus, the premaximum
halt of a nova works as a standard candle.Comment: corrections for distance estimate of V463 Sct and several typos, 8
pages including 5 figures, to appear in ApJL, 2004 September
The Distance and Morphology of V723 Cassiopeiae (NOVA CASSIOPEIA 1995)
We present spatially resolved infrared spectra of V723 Cas (Nova Cassiopeia
1995) obtained over four years with the integral field spectrograph OSIRIS on
Keck II. Also presented are one epoch of spatially unresolved spectra from the
long slit spectrograph NIRSPEC on Keck II. The OSIRIS observations made use of
the laser guide star adaptive optics facility that produced diffraction-limited
spatial resolution of the strong coronal emission features in the nova ejecta.
We remove the point-like continuum from V723 Cas data cubes to reveal details
of the extended nebula and find that emission due to [Si VI] and [Ca VIII] has
an equatorial ring structure with polar nodules-a strikingly different
morphology than emission due to [Al IX], which appears as a prolate spheroid.
The contrast in structure may indicate separate ejection events. Using the
angular expansion and Doppler velocities observed over four epochs spaced at
one year intervals, we determine the distance to V723 Cas to be 3.85+0.23-0.21
kpc. We present the OSIRIS three-dimensional data here in many ways: as
narrowband images, one- and two-dimensional spectra, and a volume rendering
that reveals the true shape of the ejecta.Comment: 37 pages, 8 figure
The O-type eclipsing binary SZ Cam revisited
We analyse new spectra of the multiple system SZ Cam because previous studies
found different values of the primary radial velocity amplitude. The older
solutions of light curves also have different ratios of secondary to primary
luminosity as inferred from the observed equivalent widths of spectral lines.
We therefore reanalyse the light curves of the eclipsing pair. Only the light
curve derived by Wesselink has a solution that agrees with the observed
equivalent width ratio. The resulting parameters of the binary are discussed.
Masses of and M, and radii and
R are derived. We point out that radial velocities measured
with the CCF method can be misleading when the method is applied to multiple
systems with complex line blends. New radial velocities are also obtained for
the visual component ADS 2984 A (HD 25639).Comment: Astronomy and Astrophysics, accepte
V723 Cas (Nova Cassiopeiae 1995): MERLIN observations from 1996 to 2001
MERLIN observations of the unusually slow nova V723 Cas are presented. Nine
epochs of 6-cm data between 1996 and 2001 are mapped, showing the initial
expansion and brightening of the radio remnant, the development of structure
and the final decline. A radio light curve is presented and fitted by the
standard Hubble flow model for radio emission from novae in order to determine
the values of various physical parameters for the shell. The model is
consistent with the overall development of the radio emission. Assuming a
distance of 2.39 (+/-0.38) kpc and a shell temperature of 17000 K, the model
yields values for expansion velocity of 414 +/- 0.1 km s^-1 and shell mass of
1.13 +/- 0.04 * 10^-4 Msolar. These values are consistent with those derived
from other observations although the ejected masses are rather higher than
theoretical predictions. The structure of the shell is resolved by MERLIN and
shows that the assumption of spherical symmetry in the standard model is
unlikely to be correct.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
Early evolution of the extraordinary Nova Del 2013 (V339 Del)
We determine the temporal evolution of the luminosity L(WD), radius R(WD) and
effective temperature Teff of the white dwarf (WD) pseudophotosphere of V339
Del from its discovery to around day 40. Another main objective was studying
the ionization structure of the ejecta. These aims were achieved by modelling
the optical/near-IR spectral energy distribution (SED) using low-resolution
spectroscopy (3500 - 9200 A), UBVRcIc and JHKLM photometry. During the fireball
stage (Aug. 14.8 - 19.9, 2013), Teff was in the range of 6000 - 12000 K, R(WD)
was expanding non-uniformly in time from around 66 to around 300 (d/3 kpc)
R(Sun), and L(WD) was super-Eddington, but not constant. After the fireball
stage, a large emission measure of 1.0-2.0E+62 (d/3 kpc)**2 cm**(-3)
constrained the lower limit of L(WD) to be well above the super-Eddington
value. The evolution of the H-alpha line and mainly the transient emergence of
the Raman-scattered O VI 1032 A line suggested a biconical ionization structure
of the ejecta with a disk-like H I region persisting around the WD until its
total ionization, around day 40. It is evident that the nova was not evolving
according to the current theoretical prediction. The unusual non-spherically
symmetric ejecta of nova V339 Del and its extreme physical conditions and
evolution during and after the fireball stage represent interesting new
challenges for the theoretical modelling of the nova phenomenon.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables, accepted for Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Modeling of the Super-Eddington Phase for Classical Novae: Five IUE Novae
We present a light curve model for the super-Eddington luminosity phase of
five classical novae observed with IUE. Optical and UV light curves are
calculated based on the optically thick wind theory with a reduced effective
opacity for a porous atmosphere. Fitting a model light curve with the UV 1455
\AA light curve, we determine the white dwarf mass and distance to be (1.3
M_sun, 4.4 kpc) for V693 CrA, (1.05 M_sun, 1.8 kpc) for V1974 Cyg, (0.95 M_sun,
4.1 kpc) for V1668 Cyg, (1.0 M_sun, 2.1 kpc) for V351 Pup, and (1.0 M_sun, 4.3
kpc) for OS And.Comment: 9 pages including 8 figures, to appear in the Astrophysical Journa
Low- and Medium-Dispersion Spectropolarimetry of Nova V475 Sct (Nova Scuti 2003): Discovery of an Asymmetric High-Velocity Wind in a Moderately Fast Nova
We present low-resolution () and medium-resolution ()
spectropolarimetry of Nova V475 Sct with the HBS instrument, mounted on the
0.91-m telescope at the Okayama Astrophysical Observatory, and with FOCAS,
mounted on the 8.2-m Subaru telescope. We estimated the interstellar
polarization toward the nova from the steady continuum polarization components
and H line emission components. After subtracting the interstellar
polarization component from the observations, we found that the H
emission seen on 2003 October 7 was clearly polarized. In the polarized flux
spectrum, the H emission had a distinct red wing extending to km s and a shoulder around km s, showing a
constant position angle of linear polarization \theta_{\rm *}\simeq
155\arcdeg\pm 15\arcdeg. This suggests that the nova had an asymmetric outflow
with a velocity of km s or more, which is six
times higher than the expansion velocity of the ionized shell at the same
epoch. Such a high-velocity component has not previously been reported for a
nova in the `moderately fast' speed class. Our observations suggest the
occurrence of violent mass-loss activity in the nova binary system even during
the common-envelope phase. The position angle of the polarization in the
H wing is in good agreement with that of the continuum polarization
found on 2003 September 26 (--0.6 %), which disappeared
within the following 2 d. The uniformity of the PA between the continuum
polarization and the wing polarization on October 7 suggests that the axis of
the circumstellar asymmetry remained nearly constant during the period of our
observations.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in A
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