J/ApJ/734/12 Survey of novae in M31 (Shafter+, 2011)
A spectroscopic and photometric survey of novae in M31.
Shafter A.W., Darnley M.J., Hornoch K., Filippenko A.V., Bode M.F.,
Ciardullo R., Misselt K.A., Hounsell R.A., Chornock R., Matheson T.
<Astrophys. J., 734, 12 (2011)>
=2011ApJ...734...12S 2011ApJ...734...12S
ADC_Keywords: Galaxies, nearby ; Photometry ; Novae ; Surveys ; Spectroscopy
Keywords: galaxies: individual (M31) - novae, cataclysmic variables
Abstract:
We report the results of a multi-year spectroscopic and photometric
survey of novae in M31 that resulted in a total of 53 spectra of 48
individual nova candidates. Two of these, M31N 1995-11e and M31N
2007-11g, were revealed to be long-period Mira variables, not novae.
These data double the number of spectra extant for novae in M31
through the end of 2009 and bring to 91 the number of M31 novae with
known spectroscopic classifications. We find that 75 novae (82%) are
confirmed or likely members of the FeII spectroscopic class, with the
remaining 16 novae (18%) belonging to the He/N (and related) classes.
These numbers are consistent with those found for Galactic novae. We
find no compelling evidence that spectroscopic class depends
sensitively on spatial position or population within M31 (i.e., bulge
versus disk), although the distribution for He/N systems appears
slightly more extended than that for the FeII class. We confirm the
existence of a correlation between speed class and ejection velocity
(based on line width), as in the case of Galactic novae. Follow-up
photometry allowed us to determine light-curve parameters for a total
of 47 of the 91 novae with known spectroscopic class. We confirm that
more luminous novae generally fade the fastest and that He/N novae are
typically faster and brighter than their FeII counterparts. In
addition, we find a weak dependence of nova speed class on position in
M31, with the spatial distribution of the fastest novae being slightly
more extended than that of slower novae.
Description:
During the early part of our survey, optical spectra were obtained
primarily with the Lick 3m Shane reflector using the Kast double
spectrograph (from 1992 Nov 18 to 2008 Sep 8), although the
observation of M31N 1990-10b was taken with the older UV Schmidt
spectrograph (in 1990 Nov 11). Most of the spectra in this survey, and
all of the ones obtained in the past few years, were acquired with the
Marcario Low-Resolution Spectrograph (LRS) on the HET (from 2006 Sep
to 2009 Feb).
The photometric data consist both of targeted (mostly B- and V-band)
observations, which were obtained primarily with the Liverpool
Telescope (LT) and the Faulkes Telescope North (FTN), and survey
images (mainly R band), taken over the years with a variety of
telescopes.
File Summary:
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FileName Lrecl Records Explanations
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ReadMe 80 . This file
table3.dat 61 1901 Photometric observations
table4.dat 58 91 Full spectroscopic sample of M31 novae
refs.dat 88 79 References
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See also:
J/A+A/533/A52 : X-ray monitoring of M31 novae (Henze+, 2011)
J/A+A/477/67 : Search for M31 novae from Schmidt plates (Henze+, 2008)
J/A+A/465/375 : X-ray monitoring of optical novae in M31 (Pietsch+, 2007)
J/A+A/418/869 : M31-RV evolution (1942-1993) (Boschi+, 2004)
http://www.mpe.mpg.de/~m31novae/opt/m31/index.php : Optical novae in M31 page
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table3.dat
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Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
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1- 4 A4 --- --- [M31N]
6- 13 A8 --- M31N Nova identification (YYYY-MMa)
15- 30 A16 --- n_M31N Note "(recurrent nova)" for M31N 2009-11b
32- 39 F8.3 d JD Julian Date of observation (JD-2450000)
41 A1 --- l_mag Limit flag on mag
43- 48 F6.3 mag mag [14.95/23] Observed magnitude in Filt
49 A1 --- u_mag [:] Uncertainty flag on mag
51- 55 F5.3 mag e_mag ? Uncertainty in mag
57- 58 A2 --- Filt Filter used in the observation (BVRIg'r'i'z')
60- 61 I2 --- Ref [1/38] Observer reference code (see refs.dat file)
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Byte-by-byte Description of file: table4.dat
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Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
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1- 4 A4 --- --- [M31N]
6- 13 A8 --- M31N Nova identification (YYYY-MMa)
15- 20 F6.2 arcmin oRA Offset in right ascension
(Δαcosδ)
22- 27 F6.2 arcmin oDE Offset in declination
29- 34 F6.2 arcmin amaj [0.37/109.45] Semimajor axis
36- 39 F4.1 mag mag [14.7/19.4] Discovery magnitude in n_mag (see
Cat. J/A+A/465/375)
41 A1 --- n_mag [BHRVgrw] Filter (w = white light; H = Ha)
43- 48 A6 --- Type Nova type according to its spectrum: FeII,
He/N, He/Nn or Hy=hybrid)
49 A1 --- f_Type [b] Flag for M31N 2005-09b (1)
51- 58 A8 --- Ref [40-90,] Reference(s) (see refs.dat file)
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Note (1):
b = The line with of 4400km/s reported by D. C. Leonard referred to an
estimate of the full width at zero intensity, not the FWHM. Analysis of
the original spectrum reveals the object to be a classic FeII nova.
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Byte-by-byte Description of file: refs.dat
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Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 2 I2 --- Ref Reference code
4- 22 A19 --- BibCode Bibcode
24- 60 A37 --- Name Observer or first author name
62- 88 A27 --- Comm Instrument or other comment
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History:
From electronic version of the journal
(End) Greg Schwarz [AAS], Emmanuelle Perret [CDS] 19-Nov-2012