Published June 10, 2016 | Version v1
Journal article

Shortest recurrence periods of forced Novae

  • 1. Department of Earth Science and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902 (Japan)
  • 2. Astronomical Institute, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan)
  • 3. Department of Astronomy, Keio University, Hiyoshi, Yokohama 223-8521 (Japan)

Description

We revisit hydrogen shell burning on white dwarfs (WDs) with higher mass accretion rates than the stability limit, M ˙ s t a b l e , above which hydrogen burning is stable. Novae occur with mass accretion rates below the limit. For an accretion rate > M ˙ s t a b l e , a first hydrogen shell flash occurs followed by steady nuclear burning, so the shell burning will not be quenched as long as the WD continuously accretes matter. On the basis of this picture, some persistent supersoft X-ray sources can be explained by binary models with high accretion rates. In some recent studies, however, the claim has been made that no steady hydrogen shell burning exists even for accretion rates > M ˙ s t a b l e . We demonstrate that, in such cases, repetitive flashes occurred because mass accretion was artificially controlled. If we stop mass accretion during the outburst, no new nuclear fuel is supplied, so the shell burning will eventually stop. If we resume mass accretion after some time, the next outburst eventually occurs. In this way, we can design the duration of outburst and interpulse time with manipulated mass accretion. We call such a controlled nova a "forced nova." These forced novae, if they exist, could have much shorter recurrence periods than "natural novae." We have obtained the shortest recurrence periods for forced novae for various WD masses. Based on the results, we revisit WD masses of some recurrent novae, including T Pyx.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/824/1/22

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Astrophysical Journal
Journal Volume
824
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
[10 p.]
ISSN
0004-637X
CODEN
ASJOAB

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
51030894
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Descriptors DEI
HYDROGEN; HYDROGEN BURNING; MASS; NOVAE; STABILITY; WHITE DWARF STARS; X RADIATION; X-RAY SOURCES
Descriptors DEC
BINARY STARS; DWARF STARS; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; ELEMENTS; ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS; IONIZING RADIATIONS; NONMETALS; RADIATION SOURCES; RADIATIONS; STAR BURNING; STARS; VARIABLE STARS