No Arabic abstract
We review infrared observations of classical and recurrent novae, at wavelengths >3microns, including both broad-band and spectroscopic observations. In recent years infrared spectroscopy in particular has revolutionised our understanding of the nova phenomenon, by revealing fine-structure and coronal lines, and the mineralogy of nova dust. Infrared spectroscopic facilities that are, or will be, becoming available in the next 10 - 20 years have the potential for a comprehensive study of nova line emission and dust mineralogy, and for an unbiassed assessment of the extragalactic nova populations.
We review the near-infrared properties of classical novae in the J, H and K bands at wavelengths between 1.08 to 2.4 micron. A classification system exists for the early post-outburst optical spectra of novae on the basis of the strength of group of non-hydrogen emission lines. A similar scheme for the near-infrared regime, which is not available at present, is presented here. In the optical system there are two principal classes, namely, Fe II and He/N for novae with either prominent Fe II lines or prominent He/N lines. There is also a small subset of the hybrid Fe IIb type. From spectroscopic observations we show the differences and similarities between these classes of novae in the near-infrared. The spectral lines common to the two principal classes arise from H, He, N and O. However, the near-IR features that separate these two classes are the numerous, and often strong, Carbon lines which are seen only in the spectra of the Fe II class of novae. The dust formation process in novae is discussed based on broad-band observations. The first-overtone carbon monoxide (CO) detections in novae are analyzed to understand the formation and evolution of this molecule in the nova ejecta and to discuss the observed 12C/13C ratio.
The thermal radio emission of novae during outburst enables us to derive fundamental quantities such as the ejected mass, kinetic energy, and density profile of the ejecta. Recent observations with newly-upgraded facilities such as the VLA and e-MERLIN are just beginning to reveal the incredibly complex processes of mass ejection in novae (ejections appear to often proceed in multiple phases and over prolonged timescales). Symbiotic stars can also exhibit outbursts, which are sometimes accompanied by the expulsion of material in jets. However, unlike novae, the long-term thermal radio emission of symbiotics originates in the wind of the giant secondary star, which is irradiated by the hot white dwarf. The effect of the white dwarf on the giants wind is strongly time variable, and the physical mechanism driving these variations remains a mystery (possibilities include accretion instabilities and time-variable nuclear burning on the white dwarfs surface). The exquisite sensitivity of SKA1 will enable us to survey novae throughout the Galaxy, unveiling statistically complete populations. With SKA2 it will be possible to carry out similar studies in the Magellanic Clouds. This will enable high-quality tests of the theory behind accretion and mass loss from accreting white dwarfs, with significant implications for determining their possible role as Type Ia supernova progenitors. Observations with SKA1-MID in particular, over a broad range of frequencies, but with emphasis on the higher frequencies, will provide an unparalleled view of the physical processes driving mass ejection and resulting in the diversity of novae, whilst also determining the accretion processes and rates in symbiotic stars.
The Interferometric studies of novae in the optical and near-infrared is a nascent but fast emerging field which has begun to provide new and invaluable insights into the nova phenomenon. This is particularly so in the early stages of the eruption when all the relevant physical phenomena are on the scale of milli-arcseconds and thus are amenable to be studied only by interferometric techniques. In this review the instruments and arrays involved in this domain of work are briefly described, followed by a description of the major results obtained so far. A discussion is made of the physical aspects, where the application of interferometric techniques, can bring the most valuable information. Finally, prospects for the near future are discussed.
Gamma-ray emission at energies >100MeV has been detected from nine novae using the Fermi-LAT, and it can be explained by particle acceleration at shocks in these systems. Eight out of these nine objects are classical novae in which interaction of the ejecta with a tenuous circumbinary material is not expected to generate detectable gamma-ray emission. We examine whether particle acceleration at internal shocks can account for the gamma-ray emission from these novae. The shocks result from the interaction of a fast wind radiatively-driven by nuclear burning on the white dwarf with material ejected in the initial runaway stage of the nova outburst. We present a one-dimensional model for the dynamics of a forward and reverse shock system in a nova ejecta, and for the associated time-dependent particle acceleration and high-energy gamma-ray emission. Non-thermal proton and electron spectra are calculated by solving a time-dependent transport equation for particle injection, acceleration, losses, and escape from the shock region. The predicted emission is compared to LAT observations of V407 Cyg, V1324 Sco, V959 Mon, V339 Del, V1369 Cen, and V5668 Sgr. The 100MeV gamma-ray emission arises predominantly from particles accelerated up to ~100GeV at the reverse shock and undergoing hadronic interactions in the dense cooling layer downstream of the shock. The internal shock model can account for the gamma-ray emission of the novae detected by Fermi-LAT, including the main features in the observations of the recent gamma-ray nova ASASSN-16ma. Gamma-ray observations hold potential for probing the mechanism of mass ejection in novae, but should be combined to diagnostics of the thermal emission at lower energies to be more constraining. (abridged version)
We present the largest survey of spectrally resolved mid-infrared water emission to date, with spectra for 11 disks obtained with the Michelle and TEXES spectrographs on Gemini North. Water emission is detected in 6 of 8 disks around classical T Tauri stars. Water emission is not detected in the transitional disks SR 24 N and SR 24 S, in spite of SR 24 S having pre-transitional disk properties like DoAr 44, which does show water emission (Salyk et al. 2015). With R~100,000, the TEXES water spectra have the highest spectral resolution possible at this time, and allow for detailed lineshape analysis. We find that the mid-IR water emission lines are similar to the narrow component in CO rovibrational emission (Banzatti & Pontoppidan 2015), consistent with disk radii of a few AU. The emission lines are either single peaked, or consistent with a double peak. Single-peaked emission lines cannot be produced with a Keplerian disk model, and may suggest that water participates in the disk winds proposed to explain single-peaked CO emission lines (Bast et al. 2011, Pontoppidan et al. 2011). Double-peaked emission lines can be used to determine the radius at which the line emission luminosity drops off. For HL Tau, the lower limit on this measured dropoff radius is consistent with the 13 AU dark ring (ALMA partnership et al. 2015). We also report variable line/continuum ratios from the disks around DR Tau and RW Aur, which we attribute to continuum changes and line flux changes, respectively. The reduction in RW Aur line flux corresponds with an observed dimming at visible wavelengths (Rodriguez et al. 2013).