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| Paper: |
The Supersoft X-ray Light Curve of RS Ophiuchi – The White Dwarf Mass is Increasing |
| Volume: |
401, RS Ophiuchi (2006) and the Recurrent Nova Phenomenon |
| Page: |
308 |
| Authors: |
Kato, M.; Hachisu, I.; Luna, G.J.M. |
| Abstract: |
The recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi, a candidate Type Ia supernova progenitor, underwent its sixth recorded outburst in February 2006. We report on a complete supersoft X-ray light curve obtained for the first time. A numerical table of the X-ray data is provided. The supersoft X-ray flux emerges about 30 days after the optical peak and continues until about 85 days when the optical flux shows the final decline. Such a long duration of the supersoft X-ray phase can be naturally understood by our model in which a significant amount of helium piles up in a layer beneath the hydrogen burning zone during the outburst, suggesting that the white dwarf mass is effectively increasing in mass. We have estimated the white dwarf mass in RS Oph to be 1.35 ± 0.01 M⊙ and its growth rate to be on average about (0.5 − 1) × 10−7M⊙ yr−1. |
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