Time Development of Recurrent Nova CI Aquilae's 2000 Outburst Between 0.8 and 2.5 Microns
Abstract
We report 0.8 2.5 micrometer spectrophotometry of CI Aquilae at eight epochs between 2000 May 9 and 2001 June 2 UT, corresponding to approximately 3 and 391 days after peak brightness. Near peak brightness, the spectra showed emission lines that were characteristic of a low-excitation, nitrogen-rich shell. Within a few weeks, the spectra began to show higher excitation/ionization emission lines indicative of a harder illuminating source: the neutral metal lines faded, leaving only lines of H(SUB I), He(sub I), and He(sub II) and the emerging coronal lines. A month after peak brightness, the [Ca VIII] coronal line at 2.3205 micrometer appeared and persisted until the last of our observations, on day +391. From the O I line ratios, we deduced a reddening of E(sub B) V = 1.5 +/- 0.1 and a visual extinction of A(sub V) = 4.6 +/- 0.2. Along with the rate of decline from the light curve (t2), we derived a distance of 2.6 +/- 1.3 kpc. The frequently observed unidentified novae lines were present in CI Aquilae along with a potentially new member of the group at 2.425 +/- 0.002 micrometer.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA451581
Entities
People
- Catherine Venturint
- David K. Lynch
- J. C. Wilson
- Neal A. Miller
- Richard C. Puetter
- Richard J. Rudy
- Stephan Mazuk
Organizations
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration