Facial reconstruction

Search LJMU Research Online

Browse Repository | Browse E-Theses

A remarkable recurrent nova in M 31: The predicted 2014 outburst in X-rays with Swift

Henze, M, Ness, JU, Darnley, MJ, Bode, MF, Williams, SC, Shafter, AW, Sala, G, Kato, M, Hachisu, I and Hernanz, M (2015) A remarkable recurrent nova in M 31: The predicted 2014 outburst in X-rays with Swift. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 580. ISSN 0004-6361

[img]
Preview
Text
1504.06237v1.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (512kB) | Preview

Abstract

The M 31 nova M31N 2008-12a was recently found to be a recurrent nova (RN) with a recurrence time of about 1 year. This is by far the fastest recurrence time scale of any known RNe. Our optical monitoring programme detected the predicted 2014 outburst of M31N 2008-12a in early October. We immediately initiated an X-ray/UV monitoring campaign with Swift to study the multiwavelength evolution of the outburst. We monitored M31N 2008-12a with daily Swift observations for 20 days after discovery, covering the entire supersoft X-ray source (SSS) phase. We detected SSS emission around day six after outburst. The SSS state lasted for approximately two weeks until about day 19. M31N 2008-12a was a bright X-ray source with a high blackbody temperature. The X-ray properties of this outburst were very similar to the 2013 eruption. Combined X-ray spectra show a fast rise and decline of the effective blackbody temperature. The short-term X-ray light curve showed strong, aperiodic variability which decreased significantly after about day 14. Overall, the X-ray properties of M31N 2008-12a are consistent with the average population properties of M 31 novae. The optical and X-ray light curves can be scaled uniformly to show similar time scales as those of the Galactic RNe U Sco or RS Oph. The SSS evolution time scales and effective temperatures are consistent with a high-mass WD. We predict the next outburst of M31N 2008-12a to occur in autumn 2015.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: astro-ph.HE; astro-ph.HE; astro-ph.SR
Subjects: Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions: Astrophysics Research Institute
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Related URLs:
Date Deposited: 30 Apr 2015 09:56
Last Modified: 04 Sep 2021 14:28
URI: https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/949
View Item View Item