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The RS Oph outburst of 2021 monitored in X-rays with NICER
The 2021 outburst of the symbiotic recurrent nova RS Oph was monitored with
the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer Mission (NICER) in the 0.2-12
keV range from day one after the optical maximum, until day 88, producing an
unprecedented, detailed view of the outburst development. The X-ray flux
preceding the supersoft X-ray phase peaked almost 5 days after optical maximum
and originated only in shocked ejecta for 21 to 25 days. The emission was
thermal; in the first 5 days only a non-collisional-ionization equilibrium
model fits the spectrum, and a transition to equilibrium occurred between days
6 and 12. The ratio of peak X-rays flux measured in the NICER range to that
measured with Fermi in the 60 MeV-500 GeV range was about 0.1, and the ratio to
the peak flux measured with H.E.S.S. in the 250 GeV-2.5 TeV range was about
100. The central supersoft X-ray source (SSS), namely the shell hydrogen
burning white dwarf (WD), became visible in the fourth week, initially with
short flares. A huge increase in flux occurred on day 41, but the SSS flux
remained variable. A quasi-periodic oscillation every ~35 s was always observed
during the SSS phase, with variations in amplitude and a period drift that
appeared to decrease in the end. The SSS has characteristics of a WD of mass >1
M(solar). Thermonuclear burning switched off shortly after day 75, earlier than
in 2006 outburst. We discuss implications for the nova physics.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa