34 research outputs found
Abundance analysis of the slow nova PW Vulpeculae 1984
We determine the elemental abundances for the ejecta of the slow nova PW Vul
1984. Our technique uses a minimization of the emission line fits of a
photoionization model to available ultraviolet, optical and infrared spectra.
We find the following abundances (by number) with respect to solar: He/H = 1.0
0.4, C/H = 7.0 , N/H = 85 and O/H = 6
. In addition, there is weak evidence for solar Ne and Mg and twice
solar Fe. Previous studies (Saizar et al. 1991 and Andre\"{a} et al. 1991,
1994) of PW Vul have yielded considerable differences in their derived
elemental abundances for the ejecta. Our abundances fall in between the
previous studies. To explain the discrepant abundances, we analyze in detail
the data and methods used to obtain the previous results. The abundances of
Saizar et al. (1991) are significantly smaller then our values because of the
lower electron temperature used by Saizar et al. in deriving elemental
abundances from ion abundances. Andre\"{a} et al. (1991) used an ionization
correction method to obtain their abundances and verified their results with a
photoionization model (Andre\"{a} et al. 1994). Our analysis of their data
shows that the absolute fluxes of the optical emission lines used by Andre\"{a}
are underestimated by 15% leading to a factor of 2 increase in their derived
abundances. We also find the photoionization model used by Andre\"{a} et al.
(1994) predicts 2 times more carbon than the photoionization code we used even
when fitting the same data with similar model parameters.Comment: 9 pages, figures not included, full text with figures available at
ftp://calvin.physast.uga.edu/pub/preprints/PW-Vul.ps.gz, MNRAS, in pres
Pan-chromatic observations of the remarkable nova LMC 2012
We present the results of an intensive multiwavelength campaign on nova LMC
2012. This nova evolved very rapidly in all observed wavelengths. The time to
fall two magnitudes in the V band was only 2 days. In X-rays the super soft
phase began 135 days after discovery and ended around day 50 after
discovery. During the super soft phase, the \Swift/XRT and \Chandra\ spectra
were consistent with the underlying white dwarf being very hot, 1 MK,
and luminous, 10 erg s. The UV, optical, and near-IR
photometry showed a periodic variation after the initial and rapid fading had
ended. Timing analysis revealed a consistent 19.240.03 hr period in all
UV, optical, and near-IR bands with amplitudes of 0.3 magnitudes which
we associate with the orbital period of the central binary. No periods were
detected in the corresponding X-ray data sets. A moderately high inclination
system, = 6010^{\arcdeg}, was inferred from the early optical
emission lines. The {\it HST}/STIS UV spectra were highly unusual with only the
\ion{N}{5} (1240\AA) line present and superposed on a blue continuum. The lack
of emission lines and the observed UV and optical continua from four epochs can
be fit with a low mass ejection event, 10 M, from a hot
and massive white dwarf near the Chandrasekhar limit. The white dwarf, in turn,
significantly illuminated its subgiant companion which provided the bulk of the
observed UV/optical continuum emission at the later dates. The inferred extreme
white dwarf characteristics and low mass ejection event favor nova LMC 2012
being a recurrent nova of the U Sco subclass.Comment: 18 figures, 6 tables (one online only containing all the photometry
Elemental Abundances in the Ejecta of Old Classical Novae from Late-Epoch Spitzer Spectra
We present Spitzer Space Telescope mid-infrared IRS spectra, supplemented by
ground-based optical observations, of the classical novae V1974 Cyg, V382 Vel,
and V1494 Aql more than 11, 8, and 4 years after outburst respectively. The
spectra are dominated by forbidden emission from neon and oxygen, though in
some cases, there are weak signatures of magnesium, sulfur, and argon. We
investigate the geometry and distribution of the late time ejecta by
examination of the emission line profiles. Using nebular analysis in the low
density regime, we estimate lower limits on the abundances in these novae. In
V1974 Cyg and V382 Vel, our observations confirm the abundance estimates
presented by other authors and support the claims that these eruptions occurred
on ONe white dwarfs. We report the first detection of neon emission in V1494
Aql and show that the system most likely contains a CO white dwarf.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figure
Swift X-Ray Observations of Classical Novae. II. The Super Soft Source sample
The Swift GRB satellite is an excellent facility for studying novae. Its
rapid response time and sensitive X-ray detector provides an unparalleled
opportunity to investigate the previously poorly sampled evolution of novae in
the X-ray regime. This paper presents Swift observations of 52
Galactic/Magellanic Cloud novae. We included the XRT (0.3-10 keV) X-ray
instrument count rates and the UVOT (1700-8000 Angstroms) filter photometry.
Also included in the analysis are the publicly available pointed observations
of 10 additional novae the X-ray archives. This is the largest X-ray sample of
Galactic/Magellanic Cloud novae yet assembled and consists of 26 novae with
super soft X-ray emission, 19 from Swift observations. The data set shows that
the faster novae have an early hard X-ray phase that is usually missing in
slower novae. The Super Soft X-ray phase occurs earlier and does not last as
long in fast novae compared to slower novae. All the Swift novae with
sufficient observations show that novae are highly variable with rapid
variability and different periodicities. In the majority of cases, nuclear
burning ceases less than 3 years after the outburst begins. Previous
relationships, such as the nuclear burning duration vs. t_2 or the expansion
velocity of the eject and nuclear burning duration vs. the orbital period, are
shown to be poorly correlated with the full sample indicating that additional
factors beyond the white dwarf mass and binary separation play important roles
in the evolution of a nova outburst. Finally, we confirm two optical phenomena
that are correlated with strong, soft X-ray emission which can be used to
further increase the efficiency of X-ray campaigns.Comment: Accepted to ApJ Supplements. Full data for Table 2 and Figure 17
available in the electronic edition. New version of the previously posted
paper since the earlier version was all set in landscape mod
The Early Ultraviolet Evolution of the ONeMg Nova V382 Velorum 1999
We present a multiwavelength study of the ONeMg Galactic nova V382 Velorum 1999 using HST/STIS and FUSE ultraviolet spectra and comparisons with published groundbased optical spectra. We find a close match to the basic phenomenology of another well-studied ONeMg nova, V1974 Cygni (Nova Cygni 1992), in particular to the spectral development through the start of the nebular phase. Following an ``iron curtain'' phase, the nova proceeded through a stage of P Cygni line profiles on all important resonance lines, as in many ONeMg novae and unlike the CO class. Emergent emission lines displayed considerable structure, as seen in V1974 Cyg, indicating fragmentation of the ejecta at the earliest stages of the outburst. Analysis and modeling of our ultraviolet spectra suggest that 4 - 5 10M of material was ejected and that the distance to the nova is kpc. Relative to solar values, we find the following abundances: He = 1.0, C = 0.60.3, N = 174, O = 3.40.3, Ne = 173, Mg = 2.60.1, Al = 212, and Si = 0.50.3. Finally, we briefly draw comparisons with Nova LMC 2000, another ONeMg nova, for which similar data were obtained with HST and FUSE
The Dusty Nova V1065 Centauri (Nova Cen 2007): a Spectroscopic Analysis of Abundances and Dust Properties
We examine the ejecta evolution of the classical nova V1065 Centauri, constructing a detailed picture of the system based on spectrophotometric observations obtained from 9 to approximately 900 days post-outburst with extensive coverage from optical to mid-infrared wavelengths. We estimate a reddening toward the system of E(B-V) = 0.5 {+-} 0.1, based upon the B-V color and analysis of the Balmer decrement, and derive a distance estimate of 8.7{sub -2.1}{sup +2.8} kpc. The optical spectral evolution is classified as P{sub fe}{sup o} N{sub ne}A{sub 0} according to the CTIO Nova Classification system of Williams et al. Photoionization modeling yields absolute abundance values by number, relative to solar of He/H = 1.6 {+-} 0.3, N/H = 144 {+-} 34, O/H = 58 {+-} 18, and Ne/H = 316 {+-} 58 for the ejecta. We derive an ejected gas mass of M{sub g} = (1.6 {+-} 0.2) x 10{sup -4} M{circle_dot}. The infrared excess at late epochs in the evolution of the nova arises from dust condensed in the ejecta composed primarily of silicate grains. We estimate a total dust mass, Md , of order (0.2-3.7) x 10{sup -7} M{circle_dot}, inferred from modeling the spectral energy distribution observed with the Spitzer IRSmore » and Gemini-South GNIRS spectrometers. Based on the speed class, neon abundance, and the predominance of silicate dust, we classify V1065 Cen as an ONe-type classical nova.« les
Binary systems and their nuclear explosions
Peer ReviewedPreprin
Multi-temporal TM-NDVI Vectors at Rodent Webs from the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico (1984-1993)
This database contains mean NDVI values for 200 m diameter circles encompassing Rodent Webs on the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), for 21 Landsat TM scene dating from 1984 to 1993. These NDVI vectors were generated as part of cooperative project between the Sevilleta LTER and the Indian Health Service, to study the 1992 Hantavirus outbreak