3D photoionization models of nova V723 Cas

TL;DR

This paper develops 3D photoionization models of nova V723 Cas using spatially resolved IR data, revealing detailed ejecta properties, revised abundances, and emphasizing the importance of realistic modeling over simpler 1D approaches.

Contribution

The study introduces comprehensive 3D photoionization models incorporating observed shell geometry and anisotropic radiation, providing more accurate nova ejecta analysis than previous 1D models.

Findings

Revised elemental abundances in the shell.

Estimated ejected mass of 1.1×10^{-5} solar masses.

Central source temperature of 280,000 K and luminosity of 10^{38} erg/s.

Abstract

We present modeling and analysis of the ejecta of nova V723 Cas based on spatially resolved IR spectroscopic data from Keck-OSIRIS, with LGSAO (adaptive optics module). The 3D photoionization models include the shell geometry taken from the observations and an anisotropic radiation field, composed by a spherical central source and an accretion disk. Our simulations indicate revised abundances $log(N_{Al}/N_{H})=-5.4$, $log(N_{Ca}/N_{H})=-6.4$ and $log(N_{Si}/N_{H})=-4.7$ in the shell. The total ejected mass was found as $M_{shell}=1.1\times 10^{-5}$ $M_{\odot}$ and the central source temperature and luminosity are $T=280,000$ $K$ and $L=10^{38}$ $erg/s$. The 3D models are compared to basic 1D simulations to demonstrate the importance of using more realistic treatments, stressing the differences in the shell mass, abundances and characterization of the central source. The possibility of V723 Cas being a neon nova and the puzzling central source features found are discussed.