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At least 433 records · Page 24

Dynamical models of novae.

Nova outburst dynamics investigation by time dependent hydrodynamics computer program including energy transport by radiation and convection

Sparks, W. M.↗

Infrared emission of Novae

Nova Ser 1970 and Aql 1970 luminous IR emission, discussing stellar brightness, grain formation and optical decay

Geisel, S. L.↗

Concerning the origin of novae and U Geminorum stars

The dynamical stability of the contact component in a semi-detached binary system is investigated by a linear time dependent analysis. The boundary condition imposed on the photosphere by the Roche lobe is assumed to be one of constant pressure over the whole surface of the lobe, which is treated as being spherically symmetric. The eigenvalues of the linear equation of motion are evaluated for sequences of stellar envelope models under the constraint of this boundary condition. An extensive region in the Hertzprung-Russell diagram is found to be dynamically unstable. This region coincides almost precisely with that predicted by a previous quasi-static study. Time scales for the growth of the instability are also evaluated. Color observations of several novae and U Geminorum stars are discussed in an attempt to provide semi-empirical tests of the proposed theoretical model of the outbursts. In particular the track in the H-R diagram of the U Geminorum star, EM Cygni, is shown to be consistent with an outburst which is purely a temperature change at constant radius, as is demanded by the theory.

Bath, G. T.↗

On the non-spherical structure of the nova nebulosity

The observed nonspherical structure of the material ejected during a nova outburst is explained by considering a component of the cataclysmic binaries ignored in previous theories - the ring of material which lies in the equatorial plane and surrounds the white dwarf. When the expanding shell collides with the ring, a shock is formed which heats the material in the ring and in the portion of the shell striking the ring. There is enough energy and density in the expanding shell for it to sweep the ring along, but with a final velocity somewhat lower than the shell moving perpendicular to the ring. The result is a prolate ellipsoid with the long axis perpendicular to the plane of the binary orbit. As the nebulosity evolves, the density remains greater in the equatorial plane than at the polar axis. This hypothesis is supported by calculations of the forbidden emission line ratios which also imply a higher equatorial density.

Sparks, W. M.↗

Gamma-ray lines from novae

An appropriate gamma-ray telescope could detect the gamma-rays associated with radioactive decays. The observable lines would be the annihilation radiation following the positron emission of N-13, O-14, O-15, and Na-22 and the 2.312-MeV line emitted following the O-14 decay and the 1.274-MeV line emitted following the Na-22 decay. The experimental possibility should be borne in mind for the occurrence of novae within a few kiloparsecs.

Clayton, D. D.↗

The peculiar star He 2-177 - A slow nova and a possible X-ray source

The remarkable detail resemblence of the spectrum of the peculiar emission-line star He 2-177 to that of the slow nova RR Telescopii is illustrated by tabulated data and discussed. The evolution of the spectrum since 1965 closely resembles the evolution of RR Tel between 1951 and 1954. A newly determined position of X-ray source 2U 1639-62 makes its identification with He 2-177 less probable than before.

Carlson, E. D.↗

Novae, supernovae, and neutron sources

The evolution of thermonuclear runaways is examined in two models of white dwarfs with extreme enhancements of C-12 in their envelopes to test the predictions of Hoyle and Clayton (1974) that novae will result from such stars and a large neutron flux will be produced. In agreement with these predictions, it is assumed that the large amount of C-12 is due to the accretion of hydrogen-rich material from a disk surrounding a carbon-oxygen white dwarf. The evolution of the two models is described in detail, and the results suggest that accretion of hydrogen-rich material will always result in a thermonuclear runaway, although mass ejection will not occur unless CNO nuclei are enhanced. It is noted that one model produces a substantial neutron flux for a short time which is sufficient to drive an intermediate neutron-capture process.

Starrfield, S.↗

The very slow nova He 3-558

The emission-line object He 3-558 has been found to be a very slow nova which rose to maximum brightness in 1948 and is probably still fading. Its spectrum and light curve are described, and a distance of 3.5 kpc is derived. No sign of an earlier outburst was found in the Harvard collection of photographs.

Henize, K. G.↗

All-sky monitor observations of the decay of A0620-00 (Nova monocerotis 1975)

The All-Sky X-ray Monitor onboard Ariel 5 has observed the 3-6 keV decline of the bright transient X-ray source A0620-00 on a virtually continuous basis during the period September 1975 - March 1976. The source behavior on timescales 100 minutes is characterized by smooth, exponential decays interrupted by substantial increases in October and February. The latter increase was an order-of-magnitude rise above the extrapolated exponential fall-off, and was followed by a final rapid decline. Upper limits of 2.5% and 10% were found for any periodicities in the range 0d.2 - 10d during the early and later decay phases, respectively. A probable correlation between the optical and 3-6 keV emission from A0620-00 was noted, effectively ruling out models involving traditional optical novae in favor of Roche-lobe overflow in a binary system. The existing data on the transient X-ray sources is consistent with two distinct luminosity-lifetime classes of these objects.

Kaluzienski, L. J.↗

An extremely carbon enhanced 'nova' model

Expanding upon the authors' earlier work, Hoyle and Clayton (1974) have suggested that a thermonuclear runaway in a white dwarf envelope that consists of equal numbers of protons and C-12 nuclei will produce the s or r-process elements. The present work studies such a runaway and finds that these initial conditions cause a 'super' nova outburst that does not result in any s or r-process nucleosynthesis. However, the model is very interesting in that it reaches peak temperatures of 1.6 billion K and peak burning rates exceeding 2 times 10 to the 23rd erg/gm/sec. A shock forms and ejects 10 to the 29th grams moving with speeds up to 60,000 km/sec. The peak bolometric magnitude is -21.2 and this model will also produce a gamma-ray burst.

Starrfield, S. G.↗

On Li-7 production in nova explosions

Calculations of Li-7 production occurring as a concomitant of thermonuclear runaways in hydrogen envelopes of white dwarfs are reported. It is found that sufficient Li-7 can be produced in models displaying fast-nova-like features to suggest that the corresponding objects represent significant contributors to the enrichment of galactic matter. The sensitivities of these results to various assumptions and uncertainties are discussed.

Starrfield, S.↗

Extreme-ultraviolet observations of dwarf novae from Apollo-Soyuz

The paper reports on EUV observations of four dwarf novae (SS Cyg, Z Cha, VW Hyi, and AE Aqr) in July 1975 during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, which were performed by using pointed grazing-incidence optics and a channel-electron multiplier as a photon detector. An EUV flux in the range from 55 to 150 A was detected from SS Cyg during an optical outburst at an intensity level considerably below that of Rappaport et al. (1974). Upper limits are placed on the EUV fluxes from Z Cha, VW Hyi, and AE Aqr. Multicolor optical photometry of SS Cyg and AE Aqr is also examined which was obtained simultaneously with the EUV observations. It is concluded that intrinsic EUV flux variability is probably a characteristic of SS Cyg and that the same system exhibits an extremely large range of soft X-ray luminosities while remaining at about the same visible light level. Several models for the SS Cyg system are compared with the EUV data.

Margon, B.↗

Origin of the coronal line emission from novae

It is proposed that the coronal line emission from V1500 Cyg and other fast novae originates in gas shocked to about 10 to the 6th power K as a result of supersonic random motions within the principal ejecta. This model simultaneously explains the similar widths of the coronal and nebular lines, the temperature and luminosity of the coronal line region, the gradual decrease in ionization, the variability of the coronal line profiles, and the progressive sharpening of velocity structure in the nebular line profiles. The ejecta are characterized by approximately 10 to the 3rd power clouds with a relative velocity dispersion of about 10 to the 2.2 power km/s, compared with an expansion velocity about 10 to the 3.2 power km/s. Alternative models for the coronal lines involving photoionization or interaction of the principal shell with circumstellar gas or with a fast wind from the central object are considered and rejected.

Shields, G. A.↗

Soft X-ray emission from the vicinity of the dwarf nova AY Lyrae

The detection of a low-intensity soft X-ray source in the region of the dwarf nova AY Lyrae is reported. The source, designated H1839 plus 37, appeared in superpositions of HEAO A2 X-ray scans taken on October 9, 1977; it was observed only in the energy interval 0.18 to 0.43 keV. The peak intensity was 0.014 plus or minus 0.0027 counts/sq cm/sec. If a thermal bremsstrahlung spectrum is assumed, the estimated upper temperature limit of the source is 5 million K; an upper limit of 1.4 million K is implied if a black-body fit is assumed.

Cordova, F. A.↗

The evolution of rapid oscillations in an outburst of a dwarf nova

High-speed photometric observations of the dwarf nova AH Her on nine consecutive days during an outburst have been made, and rapid coherent oscillations on every day except two near maximum light have been detected. The period, amplitude, and luminosity for each day is presented and the progression of the periods is discussed.

Hildebrand, R. H.↗

Detection of periodic light variations in the old nova V 603 Aquilae /1918/

Periodic visible light variations of the old nova V 603 Aql (1918) were detected with the Fine Error Sensor Instrument (FES) aboard the IUE satellite. Continuous observations were carried out during more than two complete cycles. The light curve shows a broad maximum and a pronounced minimum which was covered three times, and is tentatively interpreted as an eclipse of the accretion disk around the white dwarf by the late main sequence component.

Rahe, J.↗

On the nature of the nova-like variable CD-42 deg 14462

Low dispersion long and short wavelength IUE spectra of the nova like system CD-42 deg 14462 were obtained on August 24 U.T. The short wave spectrum exhibits absorption features due to C III (lambda 1175), Lalpha 1216), NV (lambda1240), HeII (lambda 1640), SiIV (lambda1394), NIV (lambda1875) with CIV (lambda1550) as a P Cygni feature with blue shifted absorption suggesting the presence of material leaving the system. Possible interpretations of this object are discussed.

Guinan, E. F.↗