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arXiv · 1106.1562

The Amazing Old Nova Q Cygni: A Far Ultraviolet Synthetic Spectral Analysis

Craig Kolobow·Edward M. Sion
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Abstract

Q Cygni (Nova Cygni 1876) is the third oldest old novae (after WY Sge and V841 Oph) with a long orbital period of 10.08 hours and spectroscopic peculiarities in the optical including the presence of variable wind outflow revealed by optical P Cygni profiles in the HeI lines and H alpha beta (Kafka et al. 2003). We have carried out a synthetic spectral analysis of a far ultraviolet IUE archival spectrum of Q Cygni using our optically thick, steady state, accretion disk models and model white dwarf photospheres. We find that the accretion light of a luminous accretion disk dominates the FUV flux of the hot component with a rate of accretion 2-3 1.E-9 Msun/yr. We find that Q Cygni lies at a distance of 741 \pm 110 pc . The implications of our results for theoretical predictions for old novae are presented.

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Craig Kolobow, Edward M. Sion. 2011-06-08. The Amazing Old Nova Q Cygni: A Far Ultraviolet Synthetic Spectral Analysis. https://doi.org/10.1086/661235

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