A triple star origin for T Pyx and other short-period recurrent novae

Abstract

ABSTRACT Recurrent novae are star systems in which a massive white dwarf accretes material at such a high rate that it undergoes thermonuclear runaways every 1–100 yr. They are the only class of novae in which the white dwarf can grow in mass, making some of these systems strong Type Ia supernova progenitor candidates. Almost all known recurrent novae are long-period ($P_{\mathrm{orb}} \gtrsim 12\, \mathrm{h}$) binary systems in which the requisite mass supply rate can be provided by an evolved (sub-)giant donor star. However, at least two recurrent novae are short-period ($P_{\mathrm{orb}} \lesssim 3\, \mathrm{h}$) binaries in which mass transfer would normally be driven by gravitational radiation at rates three to four orders of magnitude smaller than required. Here, we show that the prototype of this class – T Pyxidis – has a distant proper motion companion and therefore likely evolved from a hierarchical triple star system. Triple evolution can naturally produce exotic compact binaries as a result of three-body dynamics, either by Kozai–Lidov eccentricity cycles in dynamically stable systems or via mass-loss-induced dynamical instabilities. By numerically evolving triple progenitors with physically reasonable parameters forward in time, we show explicitly that the inner binary can become so eccentric that mass transfer is triggered at periastron, driving the secondary out of thermal equilibrium. We suggest that short-period recurrent novae likely evolved via this extreme state, explaining their departure from standard binary evolution tracks.