Gehrz, R. D. and Jones, T. J. and Matthews, K. and Neugebauer, G. and Woodward, Charles E. and Hayward, T. L. and Greenhouse, M. A. (1995) The Neon Nova. III. The Infrared Light Curves of Nova QU Vulpeculae (Nova Vul 1984 #2). Astronomical Journal, 110 (1). pp. 325-335. ISSN 0004-6256. doi:10.1086/117523. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20180130-105817023
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Abstract
We report 1.25 to 19.5 µm broadband infrared (IR) photometric measurements acquired during an eight year period on the prototypical ONeMg “neon nova” QU Vulpeculae (Nova Vul 1984 #2). The energy distribution of the ejecta evolved through several phases. An early free-free emission phase was followed by an IR coronal phase characterized by the appearance of strong emission lines from forbidden atomic transitions. The lines of [Ne Vi] at 7.6 /xm, and [Ne il] at 12.8 µm were especially strong during the coronal phase. A small amount of silicate dust condensed in the ejecta after about a year. The evidence provided by our IR observations for high abundances of metals in the ejecta of QU Vul is reviewed. We present the IR light curves of QU Vul, and show that the temporal development of its persistent IR coronal emission phase was evident in the broadband K (2.3 µm) and L (3.6 µm) photometry. Using data from our previous studies of classical novae, we suggest that K and L photometry can distinguish between the slower ONeMg novae with persistent IR coronal activity and CO novae that produce copious quantities of circumstellar dust. The most striking signature is produced in the L band, which contains emission from [Mg Vlll] at 3.02 µm, [A1 Vi] at 3.66 µm, and [Si ix] at 3.92 µm. We comment on the peculiar tendency of the IR light curves of novae to decay exponentially.
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Additional Information: | © 1995 American Astronomical Society. Received 1994 December 13; revised 1995 March 28. We thank A. Bentley, D. Dietz, G. Grasdalen, J. Hackwell, C. Jaworoski, D. Mikelson, M. Oswalt, and R. Seama for their participation in some of the observations at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory. Sumner Stanfield, who refereed the original manuscript, offered useful suggestions that refined our representation of the contributions of novae to the ISM and that clarified our assignment of several novae to the CO and ONeMg classes. Support for the Wyoming participation in these observations during 1984-1986 was funded through grants to R.D.G. and his collaborators by the National Science Foundation, the United States Air Force, and the University of Wyoming Department of Physics and Astronomy. The Minnesota/Wyoming participation after 1986 was supported by grants to the Minnesota IR Astronomy group by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the United States Air Force, the National Science Foundation, and the Graduate School at the University of Minnesota. The Caltech group is supported by the National Science Foundation and is grateful for the assistance of the Palomar staff in making these observations. C.E.W. was supported by the Ford Foundation while he was a resident at the University of Minnesota during 1990-1991. | ||||||||||||||
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Issue or Number: | 1 | ||||||||||||||
DOI: | 10.1086/117523 | ||||||||||||||
Record Number: | CaltechAUTHORS:20180130-105817023 | ||||||||||||||
Persistent URL: | https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20180130-105817023 | ||||||||||||||
Official Citation: | The Neon Nova. III. The Infrared Light Curves of Nova QU Vulpeculae (Nova VUL 1984#2) Gehrz, R. D.; Jones, T. J.; Matthews, K.; Neugebauer, G.; Woodward, C. E.; Hayward, T. L.; Greenhouse, M. A. Astronomical Journal v.110, pgs. 325-335 | ||||||||||||||
Usage Policy: | No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided. | ||||||||||||||
ID Code: | 84578 | ||||||||||||||
Collection: | CaltechAUTHORS | ||||||||||||||
Deposited By: | Ruth Sustaita | ||||||||||||||
Deposited On: | 31 Jan 2018 18:21 | ||||||||||||||
Last Modified: | 15 Nov 2021 20:21 |
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