Recurrent Novae as a progenitor system of Type Ia Supernovae

Abstract

Theoretical light curves of 8 recurrent novae in outburst are modeled to obtain various physical parameters. Light curve calculation includes reflection effects of the companion star and the accretion disk by the photosphere of the white dwarf (WD). We also include a radiation‐induced warping instability of the accretion disk in order to reproduce the second peak of T CrB outbursts. The early visual light curves are well reproduced with an expanded WD photosphere of a thermonuclear runaway model on a very massive WD close to the Chandrasekhar mass limit, i.e., MWD = 1.35 – 1.37 M⊙ except for CI Aql. The white dwarf mass of CI Aql is estimated to be MWD = 1.2 ± 0.05 M⊙. Optically thick winds, which blow from the WDs during the outbursts, play a key role in determining the nova duration and the speed of decline because the wind quickly reduces the envelope mass on the WD. Each envelope mass at the optical maximum is estimated, which indicates an average mass accretion rate on to the WDs during the quiescent...