V2051 Oph Research Articles

Recurrent Nova V2487 Oph Had Superflares in 1941 and 1942 with Radiant Energies of 1042.5±1.6 erg

V2487 Ophiuchi (V2487 Oph) is a recurrent nova with classical nova eruptions in 1900 and 1998, and it is also the most extreme known superflare star. These superflares are roughly hour-long flares with amplitudes and optical energies reaching up to 1.10 mag and 1039.21 erg, respectively, with the superflares recurring once a day. The V2487 Oph superflares are certainly operating with the same mechanism as all the other types of superflare stars, where magnetic loops are twisted and stretched until reconnection occurs, whereupon ambient electrons are accelerated to relativistic energies and then emit bremsstrahlung radiation from X-ray to radio. V2487 Oph is unique among known superflare stars in that one of the loop footprints is in an accretion disk. This exact mechanism was theoretically predicted by M. R. Hayashi and colleagues in 1996. Now, I have found two superflares recorded on Harvard archival photographs from 1941 and 1942. These two superflares have B-magnitude amplitudes of >1.83 and >2.00 mag and total radiated energies of 1042.4 and 1042.5 erg, respectively, with bolometric corrections. Each has emitted energies of ∼30 billion Carringtons, in units of the most energetic solar flare. Further, I find superflares in Zwicky Transient Factory light curves, so V2487 Oph has been superflaring from 1941 to 2023. For the observed number distribution of dN/dE = 4E −2 superflares per year, for E in units of 1041 erg, the emitted energy in superflare light is 1042.1 erg in each year, or 1044.1 erg from 1941 to 2023.

The orbital period of the recurrent nova V2487 Oph revealed

ABSTRACT We present the first reliable determination of the orbital period of the recurrent nova V2487 Oph (Nova Oph 1998). We derived a value of 0.753 ± 0.016 d (18.1 ± 0.4 h) from the radial velocity curve of the intense He ii λ4686 emission line as detected in time-series X-shooter spectra. The orbital period is significantly shorter than earlier claims, but it makes V2487 Oph one of the longest period cataclysmic variables known. The spectrum of V2487 Oph is prolific in broad Balmer absorptions that resemble a white dwarf spectrum. However, we show that they come from the accretion disc viewed at low inclination. Although highly speculative, the analysis of the radial velocity curves provides a binary mass ratio q ≈ 0.16 and a donor star mass M2 ≈ 0.21 M⊙, assuming the reported white dwarf mass M1 = 1.35 M⊙. A subgiant M-type star is tentatively suggested as the donor star. We were lucky to inadvertently take some of the spectra when V2487 Oph was in a flare state. During the flare, we detected high-velocity emission in the Balmer and He ii λ4686 lines exceeding −2000 km s−1 at close to orbital phase 0.4. Receding emission up to 1200 km s−1 at about phase 0.3 is also observed. The similarities with the magnetic cataclysmic variables may point to magnetic accretion on to the white dwarf during the repeating flares.

Discovery of extreme, roughly daily superflares on the recurrent nova V2487 Oph

ABSTRACTV2487 Oph is a recurrent nova with detected eruptions in 1900 and 1998. Startlingly, V2487 Oph shows flares, called ‘Superflares’, with up to 1.10 mag amplitude, fast rises of under one-minute, always with an initial impulsive spike followed by a roughly exponential tail, typically one-hour durations, and with random event times averaging once-per-day. The typical flare energy E is over 1038 erg, while the yearly energy budget is 1041 erg. V2487 Oph Superflares obey three relations; the number distribution of flare energies scales as E−2.34 ± 0.35, the waiting time from one flare to the next is proportional to E of the first event, and flare durations scale as E0.44 ± 0.03. Scenarios involving gravitational energy and nuclear energy fail to satisfy the three relations. The magnetic energy scenario, however, can explain all three relations. This scenario has magnetic field lines above the disc being twisted and amplified by the motions of their footprints, with magnetic reconnection releasing energy that comes out as Superflare light. This exact mechanism is already well known to occur in white light solar flares, in ordinary M-type flare stars, and in the many Superflare stars observed all across the H-R diagram. Superflares on Superflare stars have rise times, light-curve shapes, and durations that are very similar to those on V2487 Oph. So we conclude that the V2487 Oph Superflares are caused by large-scale magnetic reconnection. V2487 Oph is now the most extreme Superflare star, exhibiting the largest known flare energy (1.6 × 1039 erg) and the fastest occurrence rate.

A study of the long-term activity of five intermediate polars with accretion discs

ABSTRACT Intermediate polars (IPs) are cataclysmic variables with mildly magnetized white dwarfs (WDs). This analysis of the long-term optical activity of five examples of IPs with accretion discs used data from the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey, Digital Access to a Sky Century @ Harvard (DASCH) and the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). It is shown that each of these IPs had their most preferred value of absolute magnitude Mopt, even if it significantly varied on the superorbital time-scale. The values of Mopt of these IPs were in the zone of thermal-viscous instability (TVI) of the disc most of the time. The properties of a series of outbursts of V426 Oph can be explained by an intermittently operating TVI. The activity of TV Col and DW Cnc is interpreted as caused by a gradually variable mass inflow rate from the secondary to a cool disc. The mass transfer rate from the secondary varied on a well-determined time-scale. It is shown that Mopt of EI UMa, close to the peaks of outbursts of non-magnetic dwarf novae, fluctuated on the time-scale of days; it also produced short flares, ascribed to the bursts of matter from the donor. HY Leo, with a presumably cool disc, fluctuated between its high and low states. A temporary brightening from an extended low state is ascribed to a short, intense burst of matter from the donor to the remaining cool disc or torus.

Search for Magnetic Accretion in SW Sextantis Systems

Abstract SW Sextantis systems are nova-like cataclysmic variables that have unusual spectroscopic properties, which are thought to be caused by an accretion geometry having part of the mass flux trajectory out of the orbital plane. Accretion onto a magnetic white dwarf is one of the proposed scenarios for these systems. To verify this possibility, we analyzed photometric and polarimetric time-series data for a sample of six SW Sex stars. We report possible modulated circular polarization in BO Cet, SW Sex, and UU Aqr with periods of 11.1, 41.2, and 25.7 minutes, respectively, and less significant periodicities for V380 Oph at 22 minutes and V442 Oph at 19.4 minutes. We confirm previous results that LS Peg shows variable circular polarization. However, we determine a period of 18.8 minutes, which is different from the earlier reported value. We interpret these periods as the spin periods of the white dwarfs. Our polarimetric results indicate that 15% of the SW Sex systems have direct evidence of magnetic accretion. We also discuss SW Sex objects within the perspective of being magnetic systems, considering the latest findings about the demography, formation, and evolution of cataclysmic variables.

Physical parameters of close binary systems: VIII

ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of a combined spectroscopic and photometric study of 20 contact binary systems: HV Aqr, OO Aql, FI Boo, TX Cnc, OT Cnc, EE Cet, RW Com, KR Com, V401 Cyg, V345 Gem, AK Her, V502 Oph, V566 Oph, V2612 Oph, V1363 Ori, V351 Peg, V357 Peg, Y Sex, V1123 Tau, and W UMa, which was conducted in the frame of the W UMa Project. Together with 51 already covered by the project and an additional 67 in the existing literature, these systems bring the total number of contact binaries with known combined spectroscopic and photometric solutions to 138. It was found that mass, radius, and luminosity of the components follow certain relations along the MS and new empirical power relations are extracted. We found that 30 per cent of the systems in the current sample show extreme values in their parameters, expressed in their mass ratio or fill-out factor. This study shows that, among the contact binary systems studied, some have an extremely low mass ratio (q < 0.1) or an ultrashort orbital period (Porb < 0.25 d), which are expected to show evidence of mass transfer progress. The evolutionary status of these components is discussed with the aid of correlation diagrams and their physical and orbital parameters compared to those in the entire sample of known contact binaries. The existence of very short orbital periods confirms the very slow nature of the merging process, which seems to explain why their components still exist as MS stars in contact configurations even after several Gyr of evolution.

Infrared photometry of the dwarf nova V2051 Ophiuchi – II. The quiescent accretion disc and its spiral arms

ABSTRACT We report the analysis of time-series of infrared JHKs photometry of the dwarf nova V2051 Oph in quiescence with eclipse mapping techniques to investigate structures and the spectrum of its accretion disc. The light curves after removal of the ellipsoidal variations caused by the mass-donor star show a double-wave modulation signalling the presence of two asymmetric light sources in the accretion disc. Eclipse maps reveal two spiral arms on top of the disc emission, one at $R_1= 0.28\pm 0.02 \, R_\mathrm{L1}$ and the other at $R_2= 0.42\pm 0.02 \, R_\mathrm{L1}$ (where RL1 is the distance from disc centre to the inner Lagrangian point), which are seen face-on at binary phases consistent with the maxima of the double-wave modulation. The wide open angle inferred for the spiral arms (θs = 21° ± 4°) suggests the quiescent accretion disc of V2051 Oph has high viscosity. The accretion disc is hot and optically thin in its inner regions ($T_\mathrm{gas}\sim 10\!-\!12 \times 10^3\, \mathrm{ K}$ and surface densities $\sim 10^{-3}\text{ to }10^{-2}\, \mathrm{ g}\, \mathrm{ cm}^{-2}$), and becomes cool and opaque in its outer regions.

A simultaneous spectroscopic and photometric study of two eclipsing binaries: V566 Oph and V972 Her

In this study, we have performed simultaneous solutions of light and radial velocity curves of two eclipsing binary systems, V566 Oph and V972 Her. We observed both systems spectroscopically with a very recently installed spectrograph on the 40 cm telescope, T40, located in Ankara University Kreiken Observatory (AUKR), for the first time. We made use of the photometric data from the Hipparcos satellite for V972 Her, while we obtained the photometric observations of V566 Oph by using the 35 cm telescope, T35, located also in our observatory campus. We derived the absolute parameters for both systems and discussed their evolutionary states. In addition to the simultaneous analysis, we have also analyzed the change in mid-eclipse times for V566 Oph, and found cyclic variations, for which we have discussed light-time effect and magnetic activity as their potential origin, superimposed on a secular change due to a mass transfer between the components of the binary.

Infrared photometry of the dwarf nova V2051 Ophiuchi – I. The mass-donor star and the distance★

We report the analysis of time-series of infrared $JHK_s$ photometry of the dwarf nova V2051 Oph in quiescence. We modelled the ellipsoidal variations caused by the distorted mass-donor star to infer its $JHK_s$ fluxes. From its infrared colors we estimate a spectral type of $M(8.0\pm 1.5)$ and an equivalent blackbody temperature of $T_\mathrm{BB}=(2700\pm270)\,K$. We used the Barnes & Evans relation to infer a photometric parallax distance of $d_\mathrm{BE}=(102\pm16)$ pc to the binary. At this short distance, the corresponding accretion disc temperatures in outburst are too low to be explained by the disc-instability model for dwarf nova outbursts, underscoring a previous suggestion that the outbursts of this binary are powered by mass-transfer bursts.

Period changes of cataclysmic variables below the period gap: V2051 Oph, OY Car and Z Cha

We present our results of a long-term monitoring of cataclysmic variable stars (CVs). About 40 new eclipses were measured for the three southern SU UMa-type eclipsing CVs: V2051 Oph, OY Car and Z Cha. Based on the current O−C diagrams we confirmed earlier findings that V2051 Oph and OY Car present cyclic changes of their orbital periods lasting 25 and 29 years, respectively. In case of Z Cha we propose the light-time effect caused probably by a presence of the third component orbiting the eclipsing CV with the period of 43.5 years. The minimal mass of this companion results about 15 MJup.

Spiral structures and temperature distribution in the quiescent accretion disc of the cataclysmic binary V2051 Ophiuchi

We present the capabilities of our new code for obtaining Doppler maps implementing the maximum likelihood approach. As test data, we used observations of the dwarf nova V2051 Ophiuchi. The system was observed in quiescence at least 16 d before the onset of the next outburst. Using Doppler maps obtained for ten emission lines covering three orbital cycles, we detected spiral structures in the accretion disc of V2051 Oph. However, these structures could be biased as our data sampled the orbital period of the binary at only eight different orbital phases. Our Doppler maps show evolution from a one-arm wave structure in H$\alpha$ to two-armed waves in the other lines. The location of the two-arm structures agrees with simulations showing tidally driven spiral waves in the accretion disc. During consecutive cycles, the qualitative characteristics of the detected structures remained similar but the central absorption increased. For the first time, using the Doppler tomography method, we obtained temperature maps of the accretion disc. However, taking into account all the assumptions involved when using our method to retrieve them, the result should be treated with caution. Our maps present a relatively flat distribution of the temperature over the disc, showing no temperature increase at the location of the spiral arms. Using `ring masking', we have revealed an ionized region located close to the expected location of stream--disc interactions. We found the average temperature of the accretion disc to be 5600 K, which is below the critical limit deduced from the disc instability model.

Physical properties and evolutionary status of the W-subtype contact binary V502 Oph with a stellar companion

Abstract Multi-color (B, V, Rc, Ic) CCD photometric light curves of the contact binary V502 Oph are analyzed using the Wilson–Devinney program. The solutions reveal that V502 Oph is a W-subtype contact (f = 35.3%) binary system. The temperature difference between its two components is 240 K and the more massive star has a lower surface temperature. A cool spot is added in our model to account for the light curves’ asymmetry (O'Connell effect) and a third light is detected for the first time in the light curves’ modeling. Combining the orbital inclination (i = 76 $_{.}^{\circ}$4) with the published mass function of V502 Oph, the absolute physical parameters of the two components are determined, which are M1 = 0.46(±0.02) M⊙, M2 = 1.37(±0.02) M⊙, R1 = 0.94(±0.01) R⊙, R2 = 1.51(±0.01) R⊙, L1 = 1.13(±0.02) L⊙, and L2 = 2.49(±0.03) L⊙. The formation and the evolutionary status of V502 Oph are discussed. All photoelectric and CCD times of light minimum about V502 Oph are gathered and its orbital period variations are analyzed. The results show that the orbital period of V502 Oph is decreasing continuously at a rate of dP/dt = −1.69 × 10−7 d yr−1,which corresponds to a conservative mass transfer rate of dM2/dt = −3.01 × 10− 8 M⊙ yr−1. The light-travel time effect is due to the presence of a close-in tertiary component with a period of P3 = 18.7 yr and an amplitute of 0.00402 d. V502 Oph is an ideal target to test the formation and evolution theories of binary and multiple systems in which the light curves, the O − C curve and spectroscopic observations are comprehensively researched.

LONG-TERM DECREASE AND CYCLIC VARIATION IN THE ORBITAL PERIOD OF THE ECLIPSING DWARF NOVA V2051 OPH

V2051 Oph is a deeply eclipsing dwarf nova with an orbital period below the period gap of cataclysmic variables (CVs). It has been photometrically monitored since 2008 June and 24 mid-eclipse times of the white dwarf have been obtained. The changes in the orbital period are investigated using all of the available mid-eclipse times. A continuous period decrease with a rate of was discovered to be superimposed on a periodic variation with a small amplitude of 0000329 and a period of 21.64 years. The standard theory predicted that the evolution of CVs below the period gap is driven by gravitational radiation. However, angular momentum loss (AML) via gravitational radiation is insufficient to explain this decrease, and additional AML via magnetic braking that is about five times the gravitational radiation rate is required. This is consistent with the theoretical requirement indicating that magnetic braking of the fully convective star is not completely stopped. The cyclic oscillation was interpreted as the variation of the arriving eclipse time via the presence of a third body because the required energy for the Applegate mechanism is much larger than that radiated from the secondary in 10 years. Its mass is derived as Jupiter mass. For orbital inclinations it would be a planetary object. The giant circumbinary planet is orbiting around V2051 Oph at an orbital separation of about 9.0 astronomical units (AU) in an eccentric orbit (e' = 0.37). These conclusions support the ideas that some planets could survive stellar late evolution and that dwarf novae are also planetary hosting stars.

Emission line tomography of the short period cataclysmic variables CC Scl and V2051 Oph

We present time-series spectroscopy of two short period cataclysmic variables, CC Scl and V2051 Oph, to test the efficiency of Doppler tomography-based methods in constraining orbital parameters of evolved cataclysmic variables. We find that the Ca~II triplet lines offer superior diagnostics, revealing emission components from the mass donors and sharp images of the accretion discs. Furthermore, we use Monte-Carlo methods to estimate the uncertainties from ensembles of Doppler maps. We compare our new methods against traditional radial velocity methods and show that they offer a valid route towards system parameter determination. Our analysis of CC Scl suggests a low mass ratio of $q=0.08\pm0.03$ with a primary velocity of $K_1=37\pm14$ km/s. This mass ratio is in between the pre- and post-period minimum status, however our $K_1$ solution favours a post-period minimum system. Our derived parameters for V2051 Oph ($q= 0.16\pm 0.03$, $K_1=97\pm10$ km/s) are in agreement with the eclipse solution ($q=0.19\pm0.03$), offering a direct validation of our methods.

V2487 Oph 1998: a post nova in an intermediate polar

V2487 Oph (Nova Oph 1998) is a nova that exploded in 1998. XMM-Newton observations performed between 2 and 9 years after the explosion showed emission related to restablished accretion, and indicative of a magnetic white dwarf. The spectrum looks like that of a cataclysmic variable of the polar type. Anyway, we don't have yet a definitive confirmation of the polar character, through determination of spin and orbital periods. Although it is not the first nova exploding in a magnetic white dwarf, it is always challenging to reach explosive conditions when a stan- dard accretion disk can't be formed, because of the magnetic field. In addition, V2487 Oph has been the first nova where a detection of X-rays - in the host binary system - has been reported prior to its eruption, in 1990 with the ROSAT satellite. V2487 Oph has been also detected in hard X-rays with INTEGRAL/IBIS and RXTE/PCA. Last but not least, V2487 Oph has been identified as a nova in 2008, since a prior eruption in 1900 has been reported through analysis of Harvard photographic plates. Therefore, it is expected to host a massive white dwarf and be a candidate for a type Ia supernova explo- sion. In a recent study of the progenitors of galactic novae, it has been emphasized that V2487 Oph is an important and interesting object, intermediate between the standard novae and other historical and well-known novae with shorter recur- rence periods. It could be that in the end there's a continuous distribution of recurrence periods, instead of the common understanding up to now that classical and recurrent novae were quite apart (with recurrence periods of more than 10 4 years and less than 100 years - approximately - respectively). We present the results of our campaign of sev- eral observations with XMM-Newton. The consequences for the understanding of such a puzzling object are discussed.

ON THE PROGENITORS OF GALACTIC NOVAE

Of the approximately 400 known Galactic classical novae, only ten of them, the recurrent novae, have been seen to erupt more than once. At least eight of these recurrents are known to harbor evolved secondary stars, rather than the main sequence secondaries typical in classical novae. In this paper, we propose a new nova classification system, based solely on the evolutionary state of the secondary, and not (like the current schemes) based on the properties of the outbursts. Using archival optical and near-infrared photometric observations of a sample of thirty eight quiescent Galactic novae we show that the evolutionary state of the secondary star in a quiescent system can predicted and several objects are identified for follow-up observations; CI Aql, V2487 Oph, DI Lac and EU Sct.

Application of a probabilistic neural network in radial velocity curve analysis of the spectroscopic binary stars PV Pup, BV Dra, AI Phe, V1130 Tau, NSV 223, and V502 Oph

Using measured radial velocity data from six double-lined spectroscopic binary systems PV Pup, BV Dra, AI Phe, V1130 Tau, NSV 223 (or DZ Psc), and V502 Oph, we find corresponding orbital and spectroscopic elements via the method introduced by Karami et al. (New Astron. 14, 478 (2009)). Our numerical results are in good agreement with those obtained by others using more traditional methods. Using a statistical analysis, we also conclude that for BV Dra, V1130 Tau, NSV 223 (or DZ Psc), and V502 Oph, a circular orbit is quite consistent.

The Amazing Old Nova Q Cygni: A Far-Ultraviolet Synthetic Spectral Analysis

ABSTRACTQ Cygni (Nova Cygni 1876) is the third-oldest old novae (after WY Sge and V841 Oph), with a long orbital period of 10.08 hr and spectroscopic peculiarities in the optical, including the presence of variable wind outflow revealed by optical P Cygni profiles in the He i lines and Hαβ. We have carried out a synthetic spectral analysis of a far-ultraviolet IUE archival spectrum of Q Cygni using our optically thick, steady state, accretion disk models and model white dwarf photospheres. We find that the accretion light of a luminous accretion disk dominates the FUV flux of the hot component with a rate of accretion of 2–3 × 10-9 M⊙ yr-1. We find that Q Cygni lies at a distance of 741 ± 110 pc. The implications of our results for theoretical predictions for old novae are presented.

Rotation Modulations and Distributions of the Flare Occurrence Rates on the Surface of Five UV Ceti Type Stars

Abstract In this study, we considered stellar spots, stellar flares, and also the relation between these two magnetic proccesses that take place on UV Cet stars. In addition, the hypothesis about slow flares described by Gurzadyan (1986 Ap&SS, 125, 127) was investigated. All of these discussions were based on the results of three years of observations of UV Cet-type stars: AD Leo, EV Lac, V1005 Ori, EQ Peg, and V1054 Oph. First of all, the results show that stellar spot activity occurs on the stellar surface of EV Lac, V1005 Ori, and EQ Peg, while AD Leo does not show any short-term variability and V1054 Oph does not exhibit any variability. We report on new ephemerides for EV Lac, V1005 Ori, and EQ Peg, obtained from time-series analyses. The phases, computed at intervals of 0.10 phase length, where the mean flare occurence rates to obtain maximum amplitude; also, the phases of rotational modulation were compared in order to investigate whether there is any longitudinal relation between stellar flares and spots. Although the results show that flare events are related with spotted areas on stellar surfaces during some of the observing seasons, we did not find any clear correlation among them. Finally, it was tested whether slow flares are fast flares occurring on the opposite side of the stars according to the direction of the observers, as mentioned in a hypothesis developed by Gurzadyan (1986). The flare occurence rates reveal that both slow and fast flares can occur in any rotational phases. The flare occurence rates of both fast and slow flares vary in the same way along the longitudes for all program stars. These results are not expected based on the case mentioned in the hypothesis.

INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS OF THE SECONDARY STARS OF SHORT-PERIOD SUB-GAP CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES

We present K-band spectroscopy of short period, "sub-gap" cataclysmic variable (CV) systems obtained using ISAAC on the VLT. We show the infrared spectra (IR) for nine systems below the 2-3 hour period gap: V2051 Oph, V436 Cen, EX Hya, VW Hyi, Z Cha, WX Hyi, V893 Sco, RZ Leo, and TY PsA. We are able to clearly detect the secondary star in all but WX Hyi, V893 Sco, and TY PsA. We present the first direct detection of the secondary stars of V2051 Oph, V436 Cen, and determine new spectral classifications for EX Hya, VW Hyi, Z Cha, and RZ Leo. We find that the CO band strengths of all but Z Cha appear normal for their spectral types, in contrast to their longer period cousins above the period gap. This brings the total number of CVs and pre-CVs with moderate resolution (R >~ 1500) IR spectroscopy to sixty-one systems: nineteen pre-CVs, thirty-one non-magnetic systems, and eleven magnetic or partially magnetic systems. We discuss the trends seen in the IR abundance patterns thus far, and highlight a potential link between anomalous abundances seen in the IR with the C IV/N V anomaly seen in the ultraviolet. We present a compilation of all systems with sufficient resolution IR observations to assess the CO band strengths, and, by proxy, obtain an estimate on the C abundance on the secondary star.