PW Vulpeculae - A nova with nearly solar abundances

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/169630· OSTI ID:6002636

Saizar, P; Ferland, G J; Wagner, R M; Starrfield, S; Truran, J W ^[1]

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1. Ohio State Univ., Columbus (USA) Arizona State Univ., Tempe (USA) Illinois Univ., Urbana (USA)

Optical spectrophotometry of PW Vulpeculae is combined with ultraviolet data to estimate electron temperatures, densities, and abundances in the ejecta of this slow classical nova. The reddening, the distance, and the evolution of the ultraviolet spectrum are discussed. Abundances are nearly solar, with the exception of nitrogen, which is substantially higher. Although neon has been reported to be enhanced in several novae, it does not seem to be the case for PW Vul. Photoionization model calculations of the ejecta that give a reasonable match of the observed emission spectrum are presented. A strong featureless continuum shows that very hot, presumably shock-heated, gas plays a major role in determining the energetics of this nova. Emission from this hot gas is responsible for the ionization of the nebular gas. A calculation of the masses of both the hot coronal gas and the cooler nebular gas shows that the former may account for most of the mass of the ejecta. 32 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6002636
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Vol. 367; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
NOVAE
MASS TRANSFER
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COSMIC GASES
DENSITY
DISTANCE
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELEMENT ABUNDANCE
EMISSION SPECTRA
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
IONIZATION
MASS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NEON
NITROGEN
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
STAR EVOLUTION
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA
ABUNDANCE
ELEMENTS
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
FLUIDS
GASES
NONMETALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RARE GASES
SPACE
SPECTRA
STARS
VARIABLE STARS
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources