Optical Flickering of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi: amplitude - flux relation


Abstract in English

We report observations of the flickering variability of the symbiotic recurrent nova RS~Oph at quiescence in five bands ($UBVRI$). We find evidence of a correlation between the peak-to-peak flickering amplitude ($Delta F$) and the average flux of the hot component ($F_{rm av}$). The correlation is highly significant, with a correlation coefficient of 0.85 and a $p$-value of~$sim 10^{-20}$. Combining the data from all wavebands, we find a dependence of the type $Delta F propto F^k_{rm av}$, with power-law index $k = 1.02 pm 0.04$ for the $UBVRI$ flickering of RS~Oph. Thus, the relationship between the amplitude of variability and the average flux of the hot component is consistent with linearity. The rms amplitude of flickering is on average 8 per cent ($pm2$ per cent) of $F_{rm av}$. The detected correlation is similar to that found in accreting black holes/neutron stars and cataclysmic variables. The possible reasons are briefly discussed. The data are available upon request from the authors.

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