A Multiwavelength Light-curve Model of the Classical Nova V339 Del: A Mechanism for the Coexistence of Dust Dip and Supersoft X-Rays

Abstract

The classical nova V339 Del 2013 is characterized by a 1.5 mag dip of the V light curve owing to a dust shell formation, with which soft X-ray emissions coexist. We present a Strömgren y -band light curve, which represents continuum emission, not influenced by strong [O iii ] emission lines. The y light curve monotonically decreases in marked contrast to the V light curve that shows a 1.5 mag dip. We propose a multiwavelength light-curve model that reproduces the y and V light curves as well as the gamma-ray and X-ray light curves. In our model, a strong shock arises far outside the photosphere after optical maximum, because later ejected matter collides with earlier ejected gas. Our shocked shell model explains optical emission lines, H α , hard X-ray, and gamma-ray fluxes. A dust shell forms behind the shock that suppresses [O iii ]. This low flux of [O iii ] shapes a 1.5 mag drop in the V light curve. Then, the V flux recovers with an increasing contribution from [O iii ] lines, while the y flux does not. However, the optical depth of the dust shell is too small to absorb the photospheric (X-ray) emission of the white dwarf. This is the reason that a dust shell and soft X-ray radiation coexist. We determined the white dwarf mass to be M _WD = 1.25 ± 0.05 M _☉ and the distance modulus in the V band to be ( m − M ) _V = 12.2 ± 0.2; the distance is d = 2.1 ± 0.2 kpc for the reddening of E ( B − V ) = 0.18.

Keywords

• Classical novae
• Fast novae
• X-ray astronomy
• High energy astrophysics
• Shocks
• Gamma-ray astronomy