Search for 7Be in the outbursts of four recent novae

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  • P. Molaro
  • Izzo, Luca
  • P. Bonifacio
  • M. Hernanz
  • P. Selvelli
  • M. della Valle

Following the recent detection of Be-7 II in the outburst spectra of classical novae, we report the search for this isotope in the outbursts of four recent bright novae by means of high-resolution Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) observations. The Be-7 II lambda lambda 313.0583,313.1228 nm doublet resonance lines are detected in the high-velocity components of Nova Mus 2018 and ASASSN-18fv during outbursts. However, 7Be?II is not detected in ASASSN-17hx and possibly not in Nova Cir 2018, which shows that 7Be is not always ejected in the thermonuclear runaway. Taking into account the Be-7 decay, we find X(Be-7)/X(H) approximate to 1.5 x 10(-5) and 2.2 x 10(-5) in Nova Mus 2018 and ASASSN-18fv, respectively. A value of 7Be/H approximate to 2 x 10(-5) is found in five out of the seven extant measurements, and it can be considered as a typical 7Be yield for novae. However, this value is almost one order of magnitude larger than predicted by current theoretical models. We argue that the variety of high Be-7/H abundances could be the result of a higher than solar content of 3He in the donor star. The cases with Be-7 not detected might be related to the small mass of the white dwarf (WD) or to relatively little mixing with the core material of the WD. The Be-7/H, or Li-7/H, abundance is approximate to 4 dex above meteoritic abundance, thus confirming the novae as the main sources of Li-7 in the Milky Way.

Original languageEnglish
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume492
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)4975-4985
Number of pages11
ISSN0035-8711
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2020

    Research areas

  • nuclear reactions, nucleosynthesis, abundances, stars: individual: ASASSN-17hx, stars: individual: Nova Mus 2018, stars: individual: Nova Cir 2018, stars: individual: ASASSN-18fv, novae, Galaxy: evolution, EXPLOSIVE THERMONUCLEAR FORMATION, GALACTIC EVOLUTION, STELLAR EVOLUTION, CLASSICAL NOVAE, LI-7, HE-3, EMISSION, NUCLEOSYNTHESIS, CATALOG, LITHIUM

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