Valerio A.R.M. Ribeiro: Circumstellar Environments of Recurrent Novae

Datum objave: 29. 9. 2009

Astrodebata

v petek, 2. 10. 2009 od 13:15 do 14:00 v F4, FMF, UL, Jadranska 19, Ljubljana

Valerio A.R.M. Ribeiro,

Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University

I report recent studies of two novae, RS Ophiuchi (a well known Recurrent Nova) and V2491 Cygni (which is suspected to be Recurrent). RS Oph has been widely studied, and suggested by some astronomers as a SN Type Ia progenitor candidate. I will discuss in particular our HST imaging and optical spectroscopy, combined with modelling, of the expanding nebular remnant of its latest outburst in 2006. Nova V2491 Cyg is a strong RN candidate and I will discuss our initial work on optical spectra taken during its 2008 outburst with the Liverpool Telescope which may provide us with clues to its true nature. Overall, these results emphasise the need for simultaneous ground- and space-based multi-frequency observations if we are to truly understand these systems and their wider implications to other astronomical objects.