The Formation of Optical CNO Emission Lines in Cataclysmic Variables

Abstract

Spectroscopic observations of CNO emission lines are presented for old nova systems, and possible excitation processes for the lines are considered. The Bowen fluorescence mechanism cannot generally be responsible for the strength of N III λ4640 because of the weakness of 0 III λ3429. Other CNO lines are observed which indicate that all of the lines are excited by resonance fluorescence of UV continuum radiation. Several nonfluorescent excited lines of carbon are also present in old novae, probably formed by recombination processes. The available data for the optical CNO lines suggest that non-solar CNO enhancements exist in quiescent novae, indicating that some of the binary systems may be evolved.KeywordsResonance LineFluorescent ExcitationEnergy Level DiagramPlanetary NebulaDielectronic RecombinationThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.