NASA NTRS1976
The effects of grain formation in nova ejecta are studied in order to model the optical and infrared luminosities schematically and to identify the anomalies of isotopic composition that should be present in large abundance in these grains. The large carbon concentration makes rapid and efficient grain formation possible and accounts for the peculiar luminosities observed in Nova Serpentis 1970. In the anticipated range of nova conditions, rapid addition of hot protons during the outburst produces large overabundances of C-13, O-18, Na-22, Al-26, Si-30, and perhaps others. Anomalous C-14 is expected subsequent to the C-13(alpha, n)O-16 reaction, and will be trapped in grains formed by subsequent atmospheric loss. Each of these anomalies may have been detected on the moon (due to accretion of interstellar dust) or in carbonaceous chondrites. Perhaps nova grains are responsible.