Contributions of Classical Novae to the Interstellar Medium
Abstract
We review the use of infrared (IR) photometric and spectroscopic observations to quantify the physical parameters of classical nova outbursts and to assess their contributions to the Inter-Stellar Medium (ISM) where star formation occurs. Metal abundances in the ejecta can be deduced from dust emission features and metallic forbidden line emission. The observations described here can provide basic information about the thermonuclear runaway (TNR) that causes the nova explosion, the chemical composition of the white dwarf (WD) upon which the TNR occurs, and the nature of the WD's progenitor star. We conclude that some recent bright novae ejected shells are extremely overabundant in CNO, Ne, Mg, Al, and Si. The properties of dust grains produced in nova explosions are compared to the properties of grains in circumstellar environments and grains released from comet nuclei during perihelion passage. We describe recent IR observations of classical novae from the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). Expectations for future observations of classical novae with SOFIA are anticipated.
- Publication:
-
IAU General Assembly
- Pub Date:
- August 2015
- Bibcode:
- 2015IAUGA..2246143G