A Theory for the Maximum Magnitude versus Rate of Decline (MMRD) Relation of Classical Novae

Abstract

We propose a theory for the MMRD relation of novae, using free-free emission model light curves built on the optically thick wind theory. We calculated $(t_3,M_{V,\max })$ for various sets of $({\dot{M}}_{\mathrm{acc}},M_{\mathrm{WD}})$, where $M_{V,\max }$ is the peak absolute $V$ magnitude, $t_3$ is the 3-mag decay time from the peak, and ${\dot{M}}_{\mathrm{acc}}$ is the mass accretion rate on to the white dwarf (WD) of mass $M_{\mathrm{WD}}$. The model light curves are uniquely characterized by $x\equiv M_{\mathrm{env}}/M_{\mathrm{sc}}$, where $M_{\mathrm{env}}$ is the hydrogen-rich envelope mass and $M_{\mathrm{sc}}$ is the scaling mass at which the wind has a certain wind mass-loss rate. For a given ignition mass $M_{\mathrm{ig}}$, we can specify the first point $x_0=M_{\mathrm{ig}}/M_{\mathrm{sc}}$ on the model light curve, and calculate the corresponding peak brightness and $t_3$ time from this first point. Our $(t_3,M_{V,\max })$ points cover well the distribution of existing novae. The lower the mass accretion rate, the brighter the peak. The maximum brightness is limited to $M_{V,\max }\gtrsim -10.4$ by the lowest mass-accretion rate of ${\dot{M}}_{\mathrm{acc}}\gtrsim 1\times 10^{-11}{M}_{\odot }$ yr${}^{-1}$. A significant part of the observational MMRD trend corresponds to the ${\dot{M}}_{\mathrm{acc}}\sim 5\times 10^{-9}{M}_{\odot }$ yr${}^{-1}$ line with different WD masses. A scatter from the trend line indicates a variation in their mass-accretion rates. Thus, the global trend of an MMRD relation does exist, but its scatter is too large for it to be a precision distance indicator of individual novae. We tabulate $(t_3,M_{V,\max })$ for many sets of $({\dot{M}}_{\mathrm{acc}},M_{\mathrm{WD}})$.

arXiv comment23 pages, 9 figures, to appear in ApJ

References in corpus (29)

• The Evolution of Cataclysmic Variables as Revealed by their Donor Stars
• Comprehensive Photometric Histories of All Known Galactic Recurrent Novae
• Catalog of 93 Nova Light Curves: Classification and Properties
• Hydrogen Burning on Accreting White Dwarfs: Stability, Recurrent Novae, and the Post-Novae Supersoft Source
• Optical Imaging of Nova Shells and the Maximum Magnitude-Rate of Decline Relationship
• Theoretical Modeling of the Thermal State of Accreting White Dwarfs Undergoing Classical Novae
• A Universal Decline Law of Classical Novae
• The Distances to Novae As Seen By Gaia
• Discovery of a new photometric sub-class of faint and fast classical novae
• Observations of Galactic and Extragalactic Novae
• Shortest Recurrence Periods of Novae
• A Prediction Formula of Supersoft X-ray Phase of Classical Novae
• A Spectroscopic and Photometric Survey of Novae in M31
• Classical Novae in Andromeda: Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory and GALEX
• A UV and optical study of 18 old novae with Gaia DR2 distances: mass accretion rates, physical parameters, and MMRD
• A Universal Decline Law of Classical Novae. II. GK Persei 1901 and Novae in 2005
• Light Curve Analysis of Neon Novae
• A Light Curve Analysis of Classical Novae: Free-free Emission vs. Photospheric Emission
• Novae With Long-Lasting Supersoft Emission That Drive a High Accretion Rate
• Comprehensive models of novae at metallicity $Z=0.02$ and $Z=10^{-4}$
• A New Catalogue of Galactic Novae: Investigation of the MMRD relation & Spatial Distribution
• A Light Curve Analysis of 32 Recent Galactic Novae --- Distances and White Dwarf Masses
• A Light Curve Analysis of Recurrent and Very Fast Novae in our Galaxy, Magellanic Clouds, and M31
• A Hubble Space Telescope Survey for Novae in M87. II. Snuffing out the Maximum Magnitude - Rate of Decline Relation for Novae as a Non-Standard Candle, and a Prediction of the Existence of Ultrafast Novae
• Photometric and Spectroscopic Properties of Novae in the Large Magellanic Cloud
• Shortest Recurrence Periods of Forced Novae
• The $UBV$ Color Evolution of Classical Novae. III. Time-Stretched Color-Magnitude Diagram of Novae in Outburst
• A Millennium-Long Evolution of One-Year-Recurrence-Period Nova -- Search for Any Indication of the Forthcoming He Flash
• Recurrent novae and long-term evolution of mass-accreting white dwarfs -- toward the accurate mass retention efficiency

Cited by in corpus (8)

• A strong shock during a nova outburst: an origin of multiple velocity systems in optical spectra and of high-energy emissions
• Physics of nova outbursts: A theoretical model of classical nova outbursts with self-consistent wind mass loss
• The $UBV$ Color Evolution of Classical Novae. IV. Time-Stretched $(U-B{)}_0$-$(M_B-2.5\log f_{\mathrm{s}})$ and $(V-I{)}_0$-$(M_I-2.5\log f_{\mathrm{s}})$ Color-Magnitude Diagrams of Novae in Outburst
• A multiwavelength light curve analysis of the classical nova YZ Ret: An extension of the universal decline law to the nebular phase
• Mixing fraction in classical novae
• Theoretical light curve models of the symbiotic nova CN Cha -- Optical flat peak for three years
• Morpho-kinematic modeling of the expanding ejecta of the extremely slow nova V1280 Scorpii
• A light curve model of V2491 Cyg: Classical nova outburst on a cool and massive white dwarf