RS Ophiuchi is a recurrent nova with a period of about 22 years, consisting of a wind accreting binary system with a white dwarf (WD) very close to the Chandrasekhar limit and a red giant star (RG). The system is considered a prime candidate to evolve into an SNIa. We present a 3D hydrodynamic simulation of the quiescent accretion and the subsequent explosive phase. The computed circumstellar mass distribution in the quiescent phase is highly structured with a mass enhancement in the orbital plane of about a factor of 2 as compared to the poleward directions. The simulated nova remnant evolves aspherically, propagating faster toward the poles. The shock velocities derived from the simulations are in agreement with those derived from observations. For v_RG = 20 km/s and for nearly isothermal flows, we derive a mass transfer rate to the WD of 10% of the mass loss of the RG. For an RG mass loss of 10^{-7} solar masses per year, we found the orbit of the system to decay by 3% per million years. With the derived mass transfer rate, multi-cycle nova models provide a qualitatively correct recurrence time, amplitude, and fastness of the nova. Our simulations provide, along with the observations and nova models, the third ingredient for a deeper understanding of the recurrent novae of the RS Oph type. In combination with recent multi-cycle nova models, our results suggests that the WD in RS Oph will increase in mass. Several speculative outcomes then seem plausible. The WD may reach the Chandrasekhar limit and explode as an SN Ia. Alternatively, the mass loss of the RG could result in a smaller Roche volume, a common envelope phase, and a narrow WD+WD system. Angular momentum loss due to graviational wave emission could trigger the merger of the two WDs and - perhaps - an SN Ia via the double degenerate scenario.
V2540 Oph (Nova Oph 2002) is a classical nova discovered by Katsumi Haseda and Yuji Nakamura on 2002 January 24. The light curve of this nova shows strong post-outburst oscillations as were observed in V1178 Sco and V4361 Sgr. Accurate astrometry of the nova yeilded an upper limit of 21 mag for the nova precursor. In combination with the observed decline rate, We propose that the nova should have either a short orbital period or a high inclination. We suggest that V2540 Oph may be analogous to V2214 Oph, a presumed magnetic nova inside the period gap.
We present optical spectroscopy and multi colour photometry of the old nova V840 Oph. We rediscovered the nova based on its position in the colour--colour diagrams. It stands out as a very blue object with an additional red component. We present the first optical spectroscopy of this candidate and confirm its nova character. Furthermore, V840\,Oph has been found as one of very few cataclysmic variables showing C IV emission at lambda = 580/1 nm. From the analysis of the carbon lines it seems probable that V840 Oph contains actually a carbon-rich secondary star. So far, only the nova-like QU Ca…
Intermediate resolution spectroscopy of NOVA Oph 2003 (V2573 Oph), which was first detected March 21th 2003 but reported July 19th} 2003, obtained 19th to 23rd of July is presented here. The photometry during the early phases of the object is shortly discussed. We also retrieved very accurate astrometry of the target in this crowded field. This is needed to be able to do further observations of the post-nova during the next years. The inspection of the sky survey plates gives a possible progenitor candidate and allows to derive a lower limit for the outburst magnitude of about 10.0 mag. The sp…
During the last two years we have used the Palomar Testbed Interferometer to observe several explosive variable stars, including V838 Monocerotis, V1663 Aquilae and recently RS Ophiuchi. We observed V838 Monocerotis approximately 34 months after its eruption, and were able to resolve the ejecta. Observations of V1663 Aql were obtained starting 9 days after peak brightness and continued for 10 days. We were able to resolve the milliarcsecond-scale emission and follow the expansion of the nova photosphere. When combined with radial-velocity information, these observations can be used to infer th…
Stellar explosions such as novae and supernovae produce most of the heavy elements in the Universe. Although the onset of novae from runaway thermonuclear fusion reactions on the surface of a white dwarf in a binary star system is understood[1], the structure, dynamics, and mass of the ejecta are not well known. In rare cases, the white dwarf is embedded in the wind nebula of a red-giant companion; the explosion products plow through the nebula and produce X-ray emission. Early this year, an eruption of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi[2,3] provided the first opportunity to perform comprehensive…
Near-infrared spectra are presented for the recent 2006 outburst of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi (RS Oph).We report the rare detection of an infrared shock wave as the nova ejecta plows into the pre-existing wind of the secondary in the RS Oph system consisting of a white dwarf (WD) primary and a red giant secondary. The evolution of the shock is traced through a free expansion stage to a decelerative phase. The behavior of the shock velocity with time is found to be broadly consistent with current shock models. The present observations also imply that the WD in the RS Oph system has a high …
The recurrent nova RS Oph experienced an outburst in 2006, 21 years after its previous explosion in 1985, as expected. It was observed at almost all wavelengths, and important information about its properties is still being extracted. We present theoretical models of the explosion of this fascinating object, which indicate that the mass of the accreting white dwarf should be very close to the Chandrasekhar mass, to allow for such a short recurrence period. In addition, since models suggest that this nova ejects less mass than it accretes, it is an excellent candidate for a thermonuclear supern…
We have reanalyzed Keck observations of Nova Oph 1977 to extend the work done by Filippenko et al. (1997), who recently determined a mass function f(M_x) = 4.86 +/- 0.13 M_o for the compact object. We constrain the rotational broadening, v sin i < 79 km/s, at the 90% confidence level, which gives a mass ratio q < 0.053. The K-type companion star of Nova Oph 1977 contributes 28-37% of the light at red wavelengths. The abnormal LiI 6708 absorption line from the companion star is not detected (EW < 0.12 A), in contrast to four other X-ray binaries. An Halpha Doppler image of the system shows emis…
The moderately fast Nova Oph 2007 reached maximum brightness on March 28, 2007 at V=8.52, B-V=+1.12, V-Rc=+0.76, V-Ic=+1.59 and Rc-Ic=+0.83, after fast initial rise and a pre-maximum halt lasting a week. Decline times were t(V,2)=26.5, t(B,2)=30, t(V,3)=48.5 and t(B,3)=56.5 days. The distance to the nova is d=3.7 kpc, the height above the galactic plane z=215 pc, the reddening E(B-V)=0.90 and the absolute magnitude at maximum M(V,max)=-7.2 and M(B,max)=-7.0. The spectrum four days before maximum resembled a F6 super-giant, in agreement with broad-band colors. It later developed into that of a …
Light curve analysis of decay phase of nova outburst are summarized. Nova duration is determined by the strong wind mass-loss which depends only on the white dwarf mass. Fast novae correspond very massive white dwarfs and very slow novae correspond almost lower mass limit of white dwarfs. This relation is shown in both of classical novae and recurrent novae. Light curves are theoretically reproduced for recurrent novae, U Sco, V394 CrA, CI Aql, V2487 Oph, RS Oph, T CrB, V745 Sco and V3890 Sgr, using binary model composed of a white dwarf, an irradiated accretion disk, and partly irradiated com…
We have carried out a synthetic spectral analysis of archival IUE spectra of the old nova V841 Oph (Nova Oph 1848) taken 15 years apart. The spectra reveal a rising continuum shortward of 1560Å, a C {\sc iv} P-Cygni profile indicative of wind outflow associated with disk accretion in one spectrum, a deep Ly $α$ profile, and strong N {\sc v} (1238Å, 1242Å) and O {\sc v} (1371Å) wind/coronal absorption lines. Numerous sharp interstellar resonance lines are also present. A grid of high gravity atmospheres and accretion disk models, spanning a wide range of inclinations, accretion rates and white …
We present the results of 26 nights of CCD photometry of the nova V2540 Oph (2002) from 2003 and 2004. We find a period of 0.284781 +/- 0.000006 d (6.8347 +/- 0.0001 h) in the data. Since this period was present in the light curves taken in both years, with no apparent change in its value or amplitude, we interpret it as the orbital period of the nova binary system. The mass-period relation for cataclysmic variables yields a secondary mass of about 0.75 +/- 0.04 Msun. From maximum magnitude - rate of decline relation, we estimate a maximum absolute visual magnitude of M(V)=-6.2 +/- 0.4 mag. Th…
The light curve of the 1998 outburst of V2487 Ophiuchi (Nova Oph 1998) shows a very rapid decline (t_3 ~ 9 day) and a mid-plateau phase from 10 to 30 days after the optical maximum, which are characteristics common to the U Sco subclass of the recurrent novae. We have numerically reproduced light curves of the 1998 outburst based on a thermonuclear runaway model with optically thick winds. The results show that the mass of the white dwarf (WD) is as massive as 1.35 \pm 0.01 M_\sun; the envelope mass of the WD at the optical maximum is ~ 6 x 10^{-6} M_\sun; the hydrogen content of the WD envelo…
Spectroscopic observations of the 2006 outburst of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi at both infrared (IR) and X-ray wavelengths have shown that the blast wave has decelerated at a higher rate than predicted by the standard test-particle adiabatic shock-wave model. Here we show that the observed evolution of the nova remnant can be explained by the diffusive shock acceleration of particles at the blast wave and the subsequent escape of the highest energy ions from the shock region. Nonlinear particle acceleration can also account for the difference of shock velocities deduced from the IR and X-ra…
Nova outbursts take place in binary star systems comprising a white dwarf and either a low-mass Sun-like star or, as in the case of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi, a red giant. Although the cause of these outbursts is known to be thermonuclear explosion of matter transferred from the companion onto the surface of the white dwarf, models of the previous (1985) outburst of RS Ophiuchi failed to adequately fit the X-ray evolution and there was controversy over a single-epoch high-resolution radio image, which suggested that the remnant was bipolar rather than spherical as modelled. Here we report…
Following the recent outburst of the recurrent nova RS Oph on 2006 Feb 12, we measured its near-infrared size using the IOTA, Keck, and PTI Interferometers at multiple epochs. The characteristic size of ~3 milliarcseconds hardly changed over the first 60 days of the outburst, ruling out currently-popular models whereby the near-infrared emission arises from hot gas in the expanding shock. The emission was also found to be significantly asymmetric, evidenced by non-zero closure phases detected by IOTA. The physical interpretation of these data depend strongly on the adopted distance to RS Oph. …
We present further results from a high speed photometric survey of faint cataclysmic variables. We find that V842 Cen (Nova Cen 1986 No. 2) is highly active, but with no evident orbital modulation. BY Cir (Nova Cir 1995) is an eclipsing system with an orbital period P(orb) of 6.76 h. TV Crv, an SU UMa type dwarf nova, is found to have P(orb) = 1.509 h from photometry at quiescence. DD Cir (Nova Cir 1999) is an eclipsing system with P(orb) = 2.339 h, a possible secondary eclipse, and a ~670 s photometric modulation. V655 CrA is highly active but shows no orbital modulation. The identification o…
We present infrared spectroscopy of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi, obtained 11.81, 20.75 and 55.71 days following its 2006 eruption. The spectra are dominated by hydrogen recombination lines, together with HeI, OI and OII lines; the electron temperature of ~10^4 K implied by the recombination spectrum suggests that we are seeing primarily the wind of the red giant, ionized by the ultraviolet flash when RS Oph erupted. However, strong coronal emission lines (i.e. emission from fine structure transitions in ions having high ionization potential) are present in the last spectrum. These imply a t…
Dust has been detected in the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi on several occassions. I model the historical mid-infrared photometry and a recent Spitzer Space Telescope spectrum taken only half a year after the 2006 eruption. The dust envelope is little affected by the eruptions. I show evidence that the eruptions and possibly the red giant wind of RS Oph may sculpt the interstellar medium, and show similar evidence for the recurrent dwarf nova T Pyxidis.
Following the early Swift X-ray observations of the latest outburst of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi in February 2006 (Paper I), we present new 1D hydrodynamical models of the system which take into account all three phases of the remnant evolution. The models suggest a novel way of modelling the system by treating the outburst as a sudden increase then decrease in wind mass-loss rate and velocity. The differences between this wind model and previous Primakoff-type simulations are described. A more complex structure, even in 1D, is revealed through the presence of both forward and reverse sho…
The recurrent nova RS Oph undergoes nova eruptions every ~ 10-20years as a result of thermonuclear runaway on the surface of a white dwarf close to the Chandrasekhar limit. Both the progress of the eruption, and its aftermath, depend on the (poorly known) composition of the red giant in the RS Oph system. Our aim is to understand better the effect of the giant secondary on the recurrent nova eruption. Synthetic spectra were computed for a grid of M-giant model atmospheres having a range of effective temperatures 3200 < Teff < 4400 K, gravities 0 < log g < 1 and abundances -4 <[Fe/H] < 0.5, and…
Theoretical light curves of four recurrent novae in outburst are modeled to obtain various physical parameters. They are those with a red giant companion, T CrB, RS Oph, V745 Sco, and V3890 Sgr. Our model includes irradiations of the companion star and the accretion disk together with a shadowing effect on the companion by the accretion disk. The early visual light curves are well reproduced with a thermonuclear runaway model on a very massive white dwarf of 1.37 Mo for T CrB, 1.37 Mo for RS Oph with low metallicity (Z=0.004), 1.35 Mo for V745 Sco, and 1.35 Mo for V3890 Sgr. Each envelope mass…
We present results from high speed photometry of a further thirteen faint cataclysmic variables. V356 Aql (Nova Aql 1936) shows flare-like outbursts with recurrence time scales ~ 3000 s, but no coherent periodicities. Aqr1 is an intermediate polar with a spin period of 6.7284 min and a probable orbital period P(orb) = 3.226 h derived from orbital sidebands. Its orbital sideband frequencies show very variable amplitudes. The published spectroscopic period of 2.0 h suggests that Aqr1 is similar to GW Lib and FS Aur in having an additional periodicity of unknown origin. FIRST J1023+0038 has P(orb…
We report on interferometric AMBER/VLTI observations of the recurrent nova RS Oph five days after its outburst on 2006 Feb 12. Using three baselines from 44 to 86m, and a spectral resolution of 1500, we measured the extension of the emission in the K band continuum and in the BrG and HeI2.06 micron lines. The continuum visibilities were interpreted by fitting simple geometric models consisting of uniform and Gaussian ellipses, ring and binary models. The visibilities and differential phases in the BrG line were interpreted using skewed ring models aiming to perform a limited parametric reconst…
We report Hubble Space Telescope imaging obtained 155 days after the 2006 outburst of RS Ophiuchi. We detect extended emission in both [O III] and [Ne V] lines. In both lines, the remnant has a double ring structure. The E-W orientation and total extent of these structures (580+-50 AU at d=1.6kpc) is consistent with that expected due to expansion of emitting regions imaged earlier in the outburst at radio wavelengths. Expansion at high velocity appears to have been roughly constant in the E-W direction (v_{exp} = 3200+-300 km/s in the plane of the sky), with tentative evidence of deceleration …
We report on the investigation of the spatial distribution of the flickering sources in the dwarf nova V2051 Oph with eclipse mapping techniques. Low-frequency flickering originates in the gas stream and is related to the mass transfer process, whereas high-frequency flickering arises in the accretion disk and is probably connected to magneto-hydrodynamic turbulence.
RS Ophiuchi began its latest outburst on 2006 February 12. Previous outbursts have indicated that high velocity ejecta interact with a pre-existing red giant wind, setting up shock systems analogous to those seen in Supernova Remnants. However, in the previous outburst in 1985, X-ray observations did not commence until 55 days after the initial explosion. Here we report on Swift observations covering the first month of the 2006 outburst with the Burst Alert (BAT) and X-ray Telescope (XRT) instruments. RS Oph was clearly detected in the BAT 14-25 keV band from t=0 to $t\sim6$ days. XRT observat…
We report on the observations of five recent galactic classical novae, performed with XMM-Newton. Some of them show emission in the whole range from 0.2 to 8.0 keV, up to 3 years after the explosion. Nova Oph 1998 shows clear evidence of resumed accretion less than 3 years after its explosion, indicating a very fast recovery of the cataclysmic variable after the nova outburst. In another case, Nova Sgr 1998, it is difficult to disentangle if the emission is produced in the ejecta and/or in the accretion stream.
We report a coordinated multi-band photometry of the RS Oph 2006 outburst and highlight the emission line free y-band photometry that shows a mid-plateau phase at y ~ 10.2 mag from day 40 to day 75 after the discovery followed by a sharp drop of the final decline. Such mid-plateau phases are observed in other two recurrent novae, U Sco and CI Aql, and are interpreted as a bright disk irradiated by the white dwarf. We have calculated theoretical light curves based on the optically thick wind theory and have reproduced the early decline, mid-plateau phase, and final decline. The final decline is…
The advent of the large effective apertures of the Keck telescopes has resulted in the determination with unprecedented accuracy of the mass functions and mass ratios of faint (R ~ 21 mag) X-ray transients (GS 2000+25, GRO J0422+32, Nova Oph 1977, Nova Vel 1993), as well as constraining the main-sequence companion star parameters and producing images of the accretion disks around the black holes.
The recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi, one of the candidates for Type Ia supernova progenitors, underwent the sixth recorded outburst in February 2006. We report a complete light curve of supersoft X-ray that is obtained for the first time. A numerical table of X-ray data is provided. The supersoft X-ray flux emerges about 30 days after the optical peak and continues until about 85 days when the optical flux shows the final decline. Such a long duration of supersoft X-ray phase can be naturally understood by our model in which a significant amount of helium layer piles up beneath the hydrogen burning…
The latest outburst of the recurrent nova RS Oph occurred in 2006 February. Photometric data presented here show evidence of the resumption of optical flickering, indicating re-establishment of accretion by day 241 of the outburst. Magnitude variations of up to 0.32 mag in V-band and 0.14 mag in B on timescales of 600-7000 s are detected. Over the two week observational period we also detect a 0.5 mag decline in the mean brightness, from V~11.4 to V~11.9, and record B~12.9 mag. Limits on the mass accretion rate of ~10^{-10} to 10^{-9} Msun/yr are calculated, which span the range of accretion r…
