A UNIVERSAL DECLINE LAW OF CLASSICAL NOVAE. IV. V838 HER (1991): A VERY MASSIVE WHITE DWARF

Journal Article · Tue Oct 20 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/704/2/1676· OSTI ID:21367322

Kato, Mariko ^[1]; Hachisu, Izumi ^[2]; Cassatella, Angelo ^[3]

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1. Department of Astronomy, Keio University, Hiyoshi, Yokohama 223-8521 (Japan)
2. Department of Earth Science and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902 (Japan)
3. INAF, Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma (Italy)

We present a unified model of optical and ultraviolet (UV) light curves for one of the fastest classical novae, V838 Herculis (Nova Herculis 1991), and estimate its white dwarf (WD) mass. Based on an optically thick wind theory of nova outbursts, we model the optical light curves with free-free emission and the UV 1455 A light curves with blackbody emission. Our models of 1.35 +- 0.02 M {sub sun} WD simultaneously reproduce the optical and UV 1455 A observations. The mass lost by the wind is DELTAM {sub wind} approx 2 x 10{sup -6} M {sub sun}. We provide new determinations of the reddening, E(B - V) = 0.53 +- 0.05, and of the distance, 2.7 +- 0.5 kpc.

• OSTI ID: 21367322
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 704; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
BINARY STARS
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
DWARF STARS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
MASS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NOVAE
NUCLEAR MODELS
RADIATIONS
STARS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
UNIFIED MODEL
VARIABLE STARS
VISIBLE RADIATION
WHITE DWARF STARS