7Be detection in the 2021 outburst of RS Oph

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  • P. Molaro
  • Izzo, Luca
  • P. Selvelli
  • P. Bonifacio
  • E. Aydi
  • G. Cescutti
  • E. Guido
  • E. J. Harvey
  • M. Hernanz
  • M. Della Valle

The recurrent nova RS Oph underwent a new outburst on 2021 August 8, reaching a visible brightness of V = 4.8 mag. Observations of the 2021 outburst made with the high-resolution UVES spectrograph at the Kueyen-UT2 telescope at ESO-VLT in Parana) enabled detection of the possible presence of Be-7 newly made in the thermonuclear runaway reactions. The Be-7 yields can be estimated at N(Be-7)/N(H) = 5.7 x 10(-6), which are close to the lowest yields measured in classical novae so far. Be-7 is short-lived and decays only into Li-7. By means of a spectrum taken during the nebular phase we estimated an ejected mass of approximate to 1.1 x 10(-5) M-circle dot, providing an amount of approximate to 4.4 x 10(-10) M-circle dot of Li-7 created in the 2021 event. Recurrent novae of the RS Oph type may synthesize slightly lower amounts of Li-7 per event than classical novae, but occur 10(3) times more frequently. The recurrent novae fraction is in the range of 10-30 per cent and they could have contributed to the making of the Li-7 that we observe today. The detection of Be-7 in RS Oph provides further support to the recent suggestion that novae are the most effective source of Li-7 in the Galaxy.

Original languageEnglish
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume518
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)2614-2626
Number of pages13
ISSN0035-8711
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 Sep 2022

    Research areas

  • stars: individual: RS Oph; stars: novae, novae, cataclysmic variables, Galaxy: abundances, Galaxy: evolution, GAMMA-RAY LINES, RECURRENT NOVA, CLASSICAL NOVAE, LITHIUM, LI-7, OPHIUCHI, EVOLUTION, EMISSION, PROGENITORS, ABSORPTION

ID: 333618991