A remarkable recurrent nova in M 31: The predicted 2014 outburst in X-rays with Swift∗

M. Henze; J. U. Ness; M. J. Darnley; M. F. Bode; S. C. Williams; A. W. Shafter; G. Sala; M. Kato; I. Hachisu; M. Hernanz

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201526028

A remarkable recurrent nova in M 31: The predicted 2014 outburst in X-rays with Swift∗

M. Henze, J. U. Ness, M. J. Darnley, M. F. Bode, S. C. Williams, A. W. Shafter, G. Sala, M. Kato, I. Hachisu, M. Hernanz

Department of Foreign Languages and Liberal Arts

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

31 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Context. The M 31 nova M31N 2008-12a was recently found to be a recurrent nova (RN) with a recurrence time of about one year. This is by far the fastest recurrence time scale of any known RN. Aims. Our optical monitoring programme detected the predicted 2014 outburst of M31N 2008-12a in early October. We immediately initiated an X-ray/UV monitoring campaign with Swift to study the multiwavelength evolution of the outburst. Methods. We monitored M31N 2008-12a with daily Swift observations for 20 days after discovery, covering the entire supersoft X-ray source (SSS) phase. Results. We detected SSS emission around day six after outburst. The SSS state lasted for approximately two weeks until about day 19. M31N 2008-12a was a bright X-ray source with a high blackbody temperature. Conclusions. The X-ray properties of this outburst are very similar to the 2013 eruption. Combined X-ray spectra show a fast rise and decline of the effective blackbody temperature. The short-term X-ray light curve showed strong, aperiodic variability which decreased significantly after about day 14. Overall, the X-ray properties of M31N 2008-12a are consistent with the average population properties of M 31 novae. The optical and X-ray light curves can be scaled uniformly to show similar time scales to those of the Galactic RNe U Sco or RS Oph. The SSS evolution time scales and effective temperatures are consistent with a high-mass WD. We predict the next outburst of M31N 2008-12a to occur in Oct.-Dec. 2015.

Original language	English
Article number	A46
Journal	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume	580
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201526028
Publication status	Published - 2015 Aug 1

Keywords

Galaxies: individual: M 31
Novae, cataclysmic variables
Stars: individual: M31N 2008-12a
X-rays: binaries

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1051/0004-6361/201526028

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@article{6e9092a2ce514566af78e430c60cebe2,

title = "A remarkable recurrent nova in M 31: The predicted 2014 outburst in X-rays with Swift∗",

abstract = "Context. The M 31 nova M31N 2008-12a was recently found to be a recurrent nova (RN) with a recurrence time of about one year. This is by far the fastest recurrence time scale of any known RN. Aims. Our optical monitoring programme detected the predicted 2014 outburst of M31N 2008-12a in early October. We immediately initiated an X-ray/UV monitoring campaign with Swift to study the multiwavelength evolution of the outburst. Methods. We monitored M31N 2008-12a with daily Swift observations for 20 days after discovery, covering the entire supersoft X-ray source (SSS) phase. Results. We detected SSS emission around day six after outburst. The SSS state lasted for approximately two weeks until about day 19. M31N 2008-12a was a bright X-ray source with a high blackbody temperature. Conclusions. The X-ray properties of this outburst are very similar to the 2013 eruption. Combined X-ray spectra show a fast rise and decline of the effective blackbody temperature. The short-term X-ray light curve showed strong, aperiodic variability which decreased significantly after about day 14. Overall, the X-ray properties of M31N 2008-12a are consistent with the average population properties of M 31 novae. The optical and X-ray light curves can be scaled uniformly to show similar time scales to those of the Galactic RNe U Sco or RS Oph. The SSS evolution time scales and effective temperatures are consistent with a high-mass WD. We predict the next outburst of M31N 2008-12a to occur in Oct.-Dec. 2015.",

keywords = "Galaxies: individual: M 31, Novae, cataclysmic variables, Stars: individual: M31N 2008-12a, X-rays: binaries",

author = "M. Henze and Ness, {J. U.} and Darnley, {M. J.} and Bode, {M. F.} and Williams, {S. C.} and Shafter, {A. W.} and G. Sala and M. Kato and I. Hachisu and M. Hernanz",

note = "Funding Information: We are grateful to the Swift Team for the rapid scheduling of the ToO observations, in particular N. Gehrels, the duty scientists, as well as the science planners. M. Henze acknowledges support from an ESA fellowship. A.W.S. acknowledges support from NSF grant AST1009566. G.S. acknowledges the support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (MINECO) under the grant AYA2011-23102. M.K. and I.H. acknowledge support from the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (22540254, 24540227) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. M. Hernanz acknowledges the support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (MINECO) under the grant ESP2013-41268-R. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} ESO, 2015.",

year = "2015",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1051/0004-6361/201526028",

language = "English",

volume = "580",

journal = "Astronomy and Astrophysics",

issn = "0004-6361",

publisher = "EDP Sciences",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A remarkable recurrent nova in M 31

T2 - The predicted 2014 outburst in X-rays with Swift∗

AU - Henze, M.

AU - Ness, J. U.

AU - Darnley, M. J.

AU - Bode, M. F.

AU - Williams, S. C.

AU - Shafter, A. W.

AU - Sala, G.

AU - Kato, M.

AU - Hachisu, I.

AU - Hernanz, M.

N1 - Funding Information: We are grateful to the Swift Team for the rapid scheduling of the ToO observations, in particular N. Gehrels, the duty scientists, as well as the science planners. M. Henze acknowledges support from an ESA fellowship. A.W.S. acknowledges support from NSF grant AST1009566. G.S. acknowledges the support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (MINECO) under the grant AYA2011-23102. M.K. and I.H. acknowledge support from the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (22540254, 24540227) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. M. Hernanz acknowledges the support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (MINECO) under the grant ESP2013-41268-R. Publisher Copyright: © ESO, 2015.

PY - 2015/8/1

Y1 - 2015/8/1

N2 - Context. The M 31 nova M31N 2008-12a was recently found to be a recurrent nova (RN) with a recurrence time of about one year. This is by far the fastest recurrence time scale of any known RN. Aims. Our optical monitoring programme detected the predicted 2014 outburst of M31N 2008-12a in early October. We immediately initiated an X-ray/UV monitoring campaign with Swift to study the multiwavelength evolution of the outburst. Methods. We monitored M31N 2008-12a with daily Swift observations for 20 days after discovery, covering the entire supersoft X-ray source (SSS) phase. Results. We detected SSS emission around day six after outburst. The SSS state lasted for approximately two weeks until about day 19. M31N 2008-12a was a bright X-ray source with a high blackbody temperature. Conclusions. The X-ray properties of this outburst are very similar to the 2013 eruption. Combined X-ray spectra show a fast rise and decline of the effective blackbody temperature. The short-term X-ray light curve showed strong, aperiodic variability which decreased significantly after about day 14. Overall, the X-ray properties of M31N 2008-12a are consistent with the average population properties of M 31 novae. The optical and X-ray light curves can be scaled uniformly to show similar time scales to those of the Galactic RNe U Sco or RS Oph. The SSS evolution time scales and effective temperatures are consistent with a high-mass WD. We predict the next outburst of M31N 2008-12a to occur in Oct.-Dec. 2015.

AB - Context. The M 31 nova M31N 2008-12a was recently found to be a recurrent nova (RN) with a recurrence time of about one year. This is by far the fastest recurrence time scale of any known RN. Aims. Our optical monitoring programme detected the predicted 2014 outburst of M31N 2008-12a in early October. We immediately initiated an X-ray/UV monitoring campaign with Swift to study the multiwavelength evolution of the outburst. Methods. We monitored M31N 2008-12a with daily Swift observations for 20 days after discovery, covering the entire supersoft X-ray source (SSS) phase. Results. We detected SSS emission around day six after outburst. The SSS state lasted for approximately two weeks until about day 19. M31N 2008-12a was a bright X-ray source with a high blackbody temperature. Conclusions. The X-ray properties of this outburst are very similar to the 2013 eruption. Combined X-ray spectra show a fast rise and decline of the effective blackbody temperature. The short-term X-ray light curve showed strong, aperiodic variability which decreased significantly after about day 14. Overall, the X-ray properties of M31N 2008-12a are consistent with the average population properties of M 31 novae. The optical and X-ray light curves can be scaled uniformly to show similar time scales to those of the Galactic RNe U Sco or RS Oph. The SSS evolution time scales and effective temperatures are consistent with a high-mass WD. We predict the next outburst of M31N 2008-12a to occur in Oct.-Dec. 2015.

KW - Galaxies: individual: M 31

KW - Novae, cataclysmic variables

KW - Stars: individual: M31N 2008-12a

KW - X-rays: binaries

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U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361/201526028

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361/201526028

M3 - Article

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SN - 0004-6361

VL - 580

JO - Astronomy and Astrophysics

JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics

M1 - A46

ER -

A remarkable recurrent nova in M 31: The predicted 2014 outburst in X-rays with Swift∗

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Keywords

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