Continuing activity in the old novae HR Del and RR Pic

Conference item

Graphs of old nova ultraviolet luminosities against orbital inclination show that there is an inverse correlation between the two quantities. DQ Her and GK Per, which are thought to be magnetic systems with disrupted inner disks, appear to have low ultraviolet luminosities. Instead, HR Del has a considerably higher luminosity than other novae with similar inclination and RR Pic is brighter also. The question arises whether these novae have maintained a form of activity possibly involving a low level of nuclear burning on a low mass white dwarf for many decades after the outburst.

Authors: Friedjung, M; Selvelli, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: EVOLUTION OF BINARY AND MULTIPLE STAR SYSTEMS
• Volume: 229
• Pages: 363-366
• Publication date: 2001-01-01
• Event title: Conference on Evolution of Binary and Multiple Star Systems
• ISBN: 1583810617
• Keywords: ABSOLUTE MAGNITUDES; VARIABLES