V745 Sco is a recurrent nova, with the most recent eruption occurring in February 2014. V745 Sco was first observed by Swift a mere 3.7 h after the announcement of the optical discovery, with the ...super-soft X-ray emission being detected around 4 d later and lasting for only ∼2 d, making it both the fastest follow-up of a nova by Swift and the earliest switch-on of super-soft emission yet detected. Such an early switch-on time suggests a combination of a very high velocity outflow and low ejected mass and, together with the high effective temperature reached by the super-soft emission, a high mass white dwarf (>1.3 M⊙). The X-ray spectral evolution was followed from an early epoch where shocked emission was evident, through the entirety of the super-soft phase, showing evolving column density, emission lines, absorption edges, and thermal continuum temperature. UV grism data were also obtained throughout the super-soft interval, with the spectra showing mainly emission lines from lower ionization transitions and the Balmer continuum in emission. V745 Sco is compared with both V2491 Cyg (another nova with a very short super-soft phase) and M31N 2008-12a (the most rapidly recurring nova yet discovered). The longer recurrence time compared to M31N 2008-12a could be due to a lower mass accretion rate, although inclination of the system may also play a part. Nova V745 Sco (2014) revealed the fastest evolving super-soft source phase yet discovered, providing a detailed and informative data set for study.
MAXI J1659−152 is a bright X-ray transient black-hole candidate binary system discovered in September 2010. We report here on MAXI, RXTE, Swift, and XMM-Newton observations during its 2010/2011 ...outburst. We find that during the first one and a half week of the outburst the X-ray light curves display drops in intensity at regular intervals, which we interpret as absorption dips. About three weeks into the outbursts, again drops in intensity are seen. These dips have, however, a spectral behaviour opposite to that of the absorption dips, and are related to fast spectral state changes (hence referred to as transition dips). The absorption dips recur with a period of 2.414 ± 0.005 h, which we interpret as the orbital period of the system. This implies that MAXI J1659−152 is the shortest period black-hole candidate binary known to date. The inclination of the accretion disk with respect to the line of sight is estimated to be 65–80°. We propose the companion to the black-hole candidate to be close to an M5 dwarf star, with a mass and radius of about 0.15–0.25 M⊙ and 0.2–0.25 R⊙, respectively. We derive that the companion had an initial mass of about 1.5 M⊙, which evolved to its current mass in about 5–6 billion years. The system is rather compact (orbital separation of ≳1.33 R⊙), and is located at a distance of 8.6 ± 3.7 kpc, with a height above the Galactic plane of 2.4 ± 1.0 kpc. The characteristics of short orbital period and high Galactic scale height are shared with two other transient black-hole candidate X-ray binaries, i.e., XTE J1118+480 and Swift J1735.5−0127. We suggest that all three are kicked out of the Galactic plane into the halo, rather than being formed in a globular cluster.
An optical light curve of SU UMa type dwarf nova V1504 Cyg taken by Kepler was analysed in order to study fast optical variability (flickering). We calculated power density spectra and rms–flux ...relations for two different stages of activity, i.e. quiescence and regular outbursts. A multicomponent power density spectrum with two break frequencies was found during both activity stages. The rms–flux relation is obvious only in the quiescent data. However, while the collection of all outburst data do not show this variability, every individual outburst does show it in the majority of cases keeping the rms value approximately in the same interval. Furthermore, the same analysis was performed for light-curve subsamples taken from the beginning, middle and the end of the supercycle both for quiescence and regular outbursts. Every light-curve subsample shows the same multicomponent power density spectrum. The stability of the break frequencies over the supercycle can be confirmed for all frequencies except for the high break frequency during outburst, which shows variability, but with rather low confidence. Finally, the low break frequency can be associated with the geometrically thin disc or its inner edge, while the high break frequency can originate from the inner geometrically thick hot disc. Furthermore, with our statistical method to simulate flickering light curves, we show that the outburst flickering light curve of V1504 Cyg needs an additional constant flux level to explain the observed rms–flux behaviour. Therefore, during the outbursts another non-turbulent radiation source should be present.
The recurrent nova M31N 2008-12a experiences annual eruptions, contains a near-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf, and has the largest mass accretion rate in any nova system. In this paper, we present ...Hubble Space Telescope (HST) WFC3/UVIS photometry of the late decline of the 2015 eruption. We couple these new data with archival HST observations of the quiescent system and Keck spectroscopy of the 2014 eruption. The late-time photometry reveals a rapid decline to a minimum luminosity state, before a possible recovery/rebrightening in the run up to the next eruption. Comparison with accretion disk models supports the survival of the accretion disk during the eruptions, and uncovers a quiescent disk mass accretion rate of the order of 10 − 6 M yr − 1 , which may rise beyond 10 − 5 M yr − 1 during the super-soft source phase-both of which could be problematic for a number of well-established nova eruption models. Such large accretion rates, close to the Eddington limit, might be expected to be accompanied by additional mass loss from the disk through a wind and even through collimated outflows. The archival HST observations, combined with the disk modeling, provide the first constraints on the mass donor: L donor = 103 − 11 + 12 L , R donor = 14.14 − 0.47 + 0.46 R , and T eff , donor = 4890 110 K, which may be consistent with an irradiated M31 red-clump star. Such a donor would require a system orbital period 5 days. Our updated analysis predicts that the M31N 2008-12a WD could reach the Chandrasekhar mass in < 20 kyr.
Abstract
All X-ray light curves of nova V4743 Sgr (2002), taken during and after outburst, contain a 0.75 mHz periodic signal that can most plausibly be interpreted as being excited by the rotation ...of the white dwarf in an intermediate polar system. This interpretation faces the challenge of an apparent multifrequency nature of this signal in the light curves taken days 180 and 196 after outburst. We show that the multisine fit method, based on a superposition of two sine functions, yields two inherently indistinguishable solutions, i.e. the presence of two close frequencies, or a single signal with constant frequency but variable modulation amplitude. Using a power spectrum time map, we show that on day 180, a reduction of the modulation amplitude of the signal coincides with a substantial overall flux decline, while on day 196, the signal is present only during the first half of the observation. Supported by simulations, we show that such variations in amplitude can lead to false beating, which manifests itself as a multiple signal if computing a periodogram over the full light curve. Therefore, the previously proposed double-frequency nature of both light curves was probably an artefact, while we consider a single signal with frequency equal to the white dwarf rotation as more plausible.
The recurrent nova (RN) V3890 Sgr was observed during the seventh day after the onset of its most recent outburst, with the Chandra ACIS-S camera and High Energy Transmission Gratings. A rich ...emission line spectrum was detected, due to transitions of Fe-L and K-shell ions ranging from neon to iron. The measured absorbed flux is 10−10 erg cm−2 s−1 in the 1.4-15 range (0.77-8.86 keV). The line profiles are asymmetric, blueshifted, and skewed toward the blue side, as if the ejecta moving toward us are less absorbed than the receding ejecta. The full width at half-maximum of most emission lines is 1000-1200 km s−1, with some extended blue wings. The spectrum is thermal and consistent with a plasma in collisional ionization equilibrium with column density 1.3 × 1022 cm−2 and at least two components at temperatures of about 1 and 4 keV, possibly a forward and a reverse shock, or regions with differently mixed ejecta and a red giant wind. The spectrum is remarkably similar to the symbiotic RNe V745 Sco and RS Oph, but we cannot distinguish whether the shocks occurred at a distance of a few au from the red giant, or near the giant's photosphere, in a high-density medium containing only a low mass. The ratios of the flux in lines of aluminum, magnesium, and neon relative to the flux in lines of silicon and iron probably indicate a carbon-oxygen white dwarf.
Context.
The 30-yr recurrent symbiotic nova V3890 Sgr exploded on 2019 August 28 and was observed with multiple X-ray telescopes.
Swift
and AstroSat monitoring revealed slowly declining hard X-ray ...emission from shocks between the nova ejecta and the stellar wind of the companion. Later, highly variable super-soft-source (SSS) emission was seen. An
XMM-Newton
observation during the SSS phase captured the high degree of X-ray variability in terms of a deep dip in the middle of the observation.
Aims.
This observation adds to the growing sample of diverse SSS spectra and allows spectral comparison of low- and high-state emission to identify the origin of variations and subsequent effects of such dips, all leading to new insights into how the nova ejecta evolve.
Methods.
Based on an initial visual inspection, quantitative modelling approaches were conceptualised to test hypotheses of interpretation. The light curve was analysed with a power spectrum analysis before and after the dip and with an eclipse model to test the hypothesis of occulting clumps as in U Sco. A phenomenological spectral model (SPEX) was used to fit the complex Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) spectrum accounting for all known atomic physics. A blackbody source function was assumed, as in all atmosphere radiation transport models, while the complex radiation transport processes were not modelled. Instead, one or multiple absorbing layers were used to model the absorption lines and edges, taking into account all state-of-the-art knowledge of atomic physics.
Results.
In addition to the central deep dip, there is an initial rise of similar depth and shape, and, after the deep dip, there are smaller dips of ~10% amplitude, which might be periodic over 18.1-min. Our eclipse model of the dips yields clump sizes and orbital radii of 0.5–8 and 5–150 white dwarf radii, respectively. The simultaneous
XMM-Newton
UV light curve shows no significant variations beyond slow fading. The RGS spectrum contains both residual shock emission at short wavelengths and the SSS emission at longer wavelengths. The shock temperature has clearly decreased compared to an earlier
Chandra
observation (day 6). The dip spectrum is dominated by emission lines as in U Sco. The intensity of underlying blackbody-like emission is much lower with the blackbody normalisation yielding a similar radius to that of the brighter phases, while the lower bolometric luminosity is ascribed to lower
T
eff
. This would be inconsistent with clump occultations unless Compton scattering of the continuum emission reduces the photon energies to mimic a lower effective temperature. However, systematic uncertainties are high. The absorption lines in the bright SSS spectrum are blueshifted by 870 ± 10 km s
−1
before the dip and are slightly faster, 900 ± 10 km s
−1
, after the dip. The reproduction of the observed spectrum is astonishing, especially that only a single absorbing layer is necessary while three such layers are needed to reproduce the RGS spectrum of V2491 Cyg. The ejecta of V3890 Sgr are thus more homogeneous than many other SSS spectra indicate. Abundance determination is in principle possible but highly uncertain. Generally, solar abundances are found, except for N and possibly O, which are higher by an order of magnitude.
Conclusions.
High-amplitude variability of SSS emission can be explained in several ways without having to give up the concept of constant bolometric luminosity. Variations in the photospheric radius can expose deeper lying plasma that could pulse with 18.1 min and that would yield a higher outflow velocity. Also, clump occultations are consistent with the observations.
ABSTRACT Nova LMC 2009a is confirmed as a recurrent nova (RN) from positional coincidence with nova LMC 1971b. The observational data set is one of the most comprehensive for any Galactic or ...extragalactic RN: optical and near-IR photometry from outburst until over 6 years later; optical spectra for the first 6 months, and Swift satellite ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray observations from 9 days to almost 1 year post-outburst. We find MV = −8.4 0.8r 0.7s and expansion velocities between 1000 and 4000 km s−1. Coronal line emission before day 9 indicates shocks in the ejecta. Strengthening of He iiλ4686 preceded the emergence of the super-soft source (SSS) in X-rays at ∼63-70 days, which was initially very variable. Periodic modulations, P = 1.2 days, most probably orbital in nature, were evident in the UV and optical from day 43. Subsequently, the SSS shows an oscillation with the same period but with a delay of 0.28P. The progenitor system has been identified; the secondary is most likely a sub-giant feeding a luminous accretion disk. Properties of the SSS infer a white dwarf (WD) mass 1.1 M MWD 1.3 M . If the accretion occurs at a constant rate, yr−1 is needed, consistent with nova models for an inter-eruption interval of 38 years, low outburst amplitude, progenitor position in the color-magnitude diagram, and spectral energy distribution at quiescence. We note striking similarities between LMC 2009a and the Galactic nova KT Eri, suggesting that KT Eri is a candidate RN.
We analysed an X-ray light curve of the dwarf nova RU Peg taken by XMM–Newton with a duration of 46300 s. The power density spectrum has a complicated shape with two red noise and two white noise ...components, indicating the presence of two turbulent regions. We developed a statistical ‘toy model’ to study light curves with variability produced by an unstable turbulent accretion flow from the inner disc. Our results are consistent with a disc truncation radius maximally 0.8 × 109 cm. We found that any fluctuation of the viscous mass accretion at the inner disc are visible as UV and X-ray variations with the same break frequency in the power density spectrum. This process is generating low-frequency variability. A second break suggests the presence of a faster X-ray variability component which must be generated by another process likely localized between the inner disc and the white dwarf.
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