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| Paper: |
Optical Light Curves of RS Ophiuchi (2006) and the Hydrogen Burning Turnoff |
| Volume: |
401, RS Ophiuchi (2006) and the Recurrent Nova Phenomenon |
| Page: |
206 |
| Authors: |
Hachisu, I.; Kato, M.; Kiyota, S.; Kubotera, K.; Maehara, H.; Nakajima, K.; Ishii, Y.; Kamada, M.; Mizoguchi, S.; Nishiyama, S.; Sumitomo, N.; Tanaka, K.; Yamanaka, M.; Sadakane, K. |
| Abstract: |
We report coordinated multi-band photometry of the RS Oph 2006 outburst and highlight the emission line free y-band photometry that shows a mid-plateau phase at y ∼ 10.2 mag from day 40 to day 75 after the discovery followed by a sharp drop in the final decline. Such mid-plateau phases are observed in other two recurrent novae, U Sco and CI Aql, and are interpreted as a bright disk irradiated by the white dwarf. We have calculated theoretical light curves based on the optically thick wind theory and have reproduced the early decline, mid-plateau phase, and final decline. The final decline is identified with the end of steady hydrogen shell-burning, which turned out at about day 80. This turnoff date is consistent with the end of a supersoft X-ray phase observed with Swift. Our model suggests a white dwarf mass of 1.35 ± 0.01 M⊙, which indicates that RS Oph is a progenitor of Type Ia supernovae. We strongly recommend the y-filter observation of novae to detect both the presence of a disk and the hydrogen burning turnoff. Observational data of y magnitudes are provided in astro-ph/ arXiv:0807.1240, together with other multi-wavelength light curve data. |
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