X-ray detection of a nova in the fireball phase

Ole König (), Jörn Wilms (), Riccardo Arcodia, Thomas Dauser, Konrad Dennerl, Victor Doroshenko, Frank Haberl, Steven Hämmerich, Christian Kirsch, Ingo Kreykenbohm, Maximilian Lorenz, Adam Malyali, Andrea Merloni, Arne Rau, Thomas Rauch, Gloria Sala, Axel Schwope, Valery Suleimanov, Philipp Weber and Klaus Werner
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Ole König: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Jörn Wilms: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Riccardo Arcodia: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Thomas Dauser: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Konrad Dennerl: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Victor Doroshenko: Eberhard Karls Universität
Frank Haberl: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Steven Hämmerich: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Christian Kirsch: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Ingo Kreykenbohm: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Maximilian Lorenz: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Adam Malyali: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Andrea Merloni: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Arne Rau: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Thomas Rauch: Eberhard Karls Universität
Gloria Sala: Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Axel Schwope: Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam
Valery Suleimanov: Eberhard Karls Universität
Philipp Weber: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Klaus Werner: Eberhard Karls Universität

Nature, 2022, vol. 605, issue 7909, 248-250

Abstract: Abstract Novae are caused by runaway thermonuclear burning in the hydrogen-rich envelopes of accreting white dwarfs, which leads to a rapid expansion of the envelope and the ejection of most of its mass1,2. Theory has predicted the existence of a ‘fireball’ phase following directly on from the runaway fusion, which should be observable as a short, bright and soft X-ray flash before the nova becomes visible in the optical3–5. Here we report observations of a bright and soft X-ray flash associated with the classical Galactic nova YZ Reticuli 11 h before its 9 mag optical brightening. No X-ray source was detected 4 h before and after the event, constraining the duration of the flash to shorter than 8 h. In agreement with theoretical predictions4,6–8, the source’s spectral shape is consistent with a black-body of 3.27+0.11−0.33 × 105 K (28.2+0.9−2.8 eV), or a white dwarf atmosphere, radiating at the Eddington luminosity, with a photosphere that is only slightly larger than a typical white dwarf.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04635-y

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