Abundance Anomalies in CP Crucis (Nova Crux 1996)

Abstract

We present spectroscopic observations of the classical nova CP Crucis (Nova Crux 1996) obtained with the Infrared Space Observatory Short Wavelength Spectrometer (ISO SWS) and the Anglo-Australian Telescope using both the Infrared Imaging Spectrograph and the Royal Greenwich Observatory Spectrograph. From the expansion parallax, we find that CP Crucis lies at a distance of 2.6 ± 0.5 kpc and reached a maximum MV of -8.7 at 0.96 days after discovery. We find abundance enhancements versus solar by mass of 75, 17, and 27 for N, O, and Ne, respectively. Additionally, we constrain the Mg abundance in the ejecta to be approximately solar. Abundance analysis suggests CP Crucis is an old Population I binary system. Combining the strong N and Ne abundances with the relatively low Mg abundance and a Ne/O ratio of 0.5, we propose that CP Crucis is an example of the missing link between CO and ONeMg novae.