The 2006 outburst of RS Oph - Second epoch HST observations of evolving structures

Details The 2006 outburst of RS Oph - Second epoch HST observations of evolving structures The 2006 outburst of RS Oph - Second epoch HST observations of evolving structures

Jul 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006hst..prop11075b&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #11075. Cycle 15

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Scientific paper

We propose to use second epoch HST DD time to perform high resolution optical imaging of the 2006 outburst of the Recurrent Nova RS Ophiuchi, which underwent its last recorded outburst in 1985. In this system, high velocity ejecta from a WD near the Chandrasekhar mass impact the companion red giant wind, setting up shock systems analogous to those in SNR. Our first epoch observations in July 2006 day 155 revealed for the first time what appear to be the sub-arcsecond optical counterparts of the "jets" we have observed in the radio. A striking similarity to the double rings of SN 1987A is however evident. In addition, previously unseen structures ~1 arcsec to the East and South are apparent. In addition to determining the true source geometry and disentagling the contributions different regions of the source make to unresolved spectra, the specific aims of our second epoch observations are to determine i the expansion rate of the inner extended features, allowing comparison with simple shock models and helping to constrain the distance to RS Oph; ii whether the eastern "arc" and southern "blob" show any motion, helping to determine whether they are the result of previous outbursts, and iii the rate of change of emission in the observed lines, for direct comparison with shock models, and also to compare with the overall changes in line fluxes seen in infrared, optical and uv spectroscopy. Our work on RS Oph has far wider-ranging importance which includes furthering our understanding of the outbursts of novae, the structure of red giant winds, jet ejection and collimation in astrophysical sources, the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae and the evolution of supernova remnants. Continued HST observations complement our multi-frequency observing campaign, in particular our unrivalled coverage of this event with VLBI.

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