A Search For Pulsations in the Optical Light Curve of the Nova ASASSN-17hx

TL;DR

This study conducted high-speed optical observations of nova ASASSN-17hx to detect pulsations related to convective processes, but found no significant periodic signals within the sensitivity limits.

Contribution

The paper provides the first high-speed optical search for pulsations in this nova, setting upper limits on detectable periodic signals and informing models of nova wind dynamics.

Findings

No periodic signals detected above 3σ significance.

Established upper limits on pulsation amplitudes at specific timescales.

Results constrain models of convective eddy turnover in nova envelopes.

Abstract

We present high-speed optical observations of the nova ASASSN-17hx, taken both immediately after its discovery and close to its first peak in brightness, to search for seconds -- minutes pulsations associated with the convective eddy turnover timescale within the nova envelope. We do not detect any periodic signal with greater than $3\sigma$ significance. Through injection and recovery, we rule out periodic signals of fractional amplitude $>7.08\times10^{-4}$ on timescales of 2 seconds and fractional amplitude $>1.06\times10^{-3}$ on timescales of 10 minutes. Additional observations of novae are planned to further constrain ongoing simulations of the launch and propagation of nova winds.