Observations and Simulations prior to the next outburst of T Corona Borealis

T Corona Borealis is a recurrent nova (RNe) with recorded outbursts in 1866 and 1946. The system consists of a massive white dwarf (WD) and a red giant. Multiple observational indications (and predictions of an inter-outburst interval of about 80 years) suggest that T CrB could be going into outburst in early 2024. We have been obtaining spectra and photometry of this system for the past few years and have now performed new hydrodynamic simulations of a possible outburst with NOVA, or 1-dimensional hydrodynamic code. These simulations consist of a range of mass accretion rates and initial WD luminosities on massive WDs designed to bound the conditions necessary to achieve an initiation of an 80 year thermonuclear runaway cycle. We have also used a range of initial compositions in order to predict the observations of the next outburst. We will present the results of these new hydro-simulations and the recent spectra that provide observational constraints to test and explore model predictions. As the WD in the T CrB system is massive, and evidence suggest a net accretion of material (i.e., from the Red Giant onto the WD minus that ejected in the RN explosion), is positive, the secular evolution of the WD may allow it to reach to the Chandrasekhar limit and explode as either a Type Ia supernova or undergo accretion induced collapse, depending on the composition of the WD. Hence, furthering our understanding of this RN can thus yield a better understanding of the final evolution of the WDs in CV systems, which is a key to the determination of cosmic large-scale structure.