The 2006 Outburst of RS Ophiuchi

Details The 2006 Outburst of RS Ophiuchi The 2006 Outburst of RS Ophiuchi

Jul 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007uasb.conf....1n&link_type=abstract

UV Astronomy: Stars from Birth to Death. Proceedings of the Joint Discussion n.4 during the IAU general Assembly of 2006. Ana I.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Euv/X-Ray Astronomy, X-Ray Spectroscopy, White Dwarfs, Recurrent Nova, Rs Ophiuchi, Timing Analysis

Scientific paper

We present X-ray observations of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi in outburst, obtained with the Chandra and XMM-Newton observatories on six different dates post discovery. An important goal of the observations was to study the central UEV-supersoft X-ray source. X-ray grating spectra are the best way to place constraints on the physical parameters of the white dwarfs in these systems. In the first month after the outburst, we detected emission lines of H and He -like ions of metals including Si, Mg and Ne. The presence of these lines indicates a range of plasma temperatures, and most likely we were detecting emission from red giant wind material shocked by the nova ejecta. Later spectra show a large increase in emission at longer wavelengths, peaking two months after the outburst. We attribute this to the emergence of the underlying white dwarf. We used NLTE white dwarf atmosphere models to fit the spectra, finding log g = 9, and T ˜800,000K. This indicates a white dwarf mass of >1.2 M⊕). We also present a preliminary timing analysis of the XMM-Newton light curves. We find a period of ˜ 35 s both in March and April. Although the origin of this period is still a question for debate, it may be the spin period of the white dwarf. If this is the case, the white dwarf must again be very massive, making RS Ophiuchi a likely supernova Ia progenitor.

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