# Astro2020 Science White Paper: A Shocking Shift in Paradigm for Classical Novae

## TL;DR

The paper discusses a paradigm shift in understanding classical novae, emphasizing the role of shocks and gamma-ray emissions in their energetics, dust formation, and optical variability, supported by multi-wavelength observational strategies.

## Contribution

It introduces a new shock-based model for classical novae, highlighting their significance in high-energy phenomena and proposing future observational tests.

## Key findings

- Shocks can dominate nova luminosity.
- Gamma-ray detection confirms energetic importance.
- Shocks explain dust and optical flares.

## Abstract

The discovery of GeV gamma-rays from classical novae has led to a reassessment of these garden-variety explosions, and highlighted their importance for understanding radiative shocks, particle acceleration, and dust formation in more exotic, distant transients. Recent collaboration between observers and theorists has revealed that shocks in novae are energetically important, and can even dominate their bolometric luminosity. Shocks may also explain long-standing mysteries in novae such as dust production, super-Eddington luminosities, and `flares' in optical light curves. Here, we highlight the multi-wavelength facilities of the next decade that will further test our nova shock model and fulfill the promise of novae as powerful astrophysical laboratories.