Programme by Session
Schedule
Thursday
AM
10:00
Abstract details
M31N 2008-12a - Truly one of a kind, or the tip of an iceberg?
Matt
Darnley
LJMU
Transients in the wide-field sky survey era
Talk
At present, M31N 2008-12a appears to belong to a population of just one. It is a (near) Chandrasekhar mass white dwarf that is accreting at an "infeasibly" high rate - driving thermonuclear nova eruptions on an annual basis.
Conservative estimates indicate that the white dwarf will surpass the Chandrasekhar mass in less than 20,000 years. With the eruptions showing no evidence for the presence of any enhanced neon, this system is a leading, if not the best, pre-explosion type Ia supernova candidate yet discovered.
Systems such as "12a" conspire against detection. Their eruptions are under-luminous in the optical (emitting most of their energy in the far- or even extreme-ultraviolet) and have exceptionally rapid evolution. But if the hydrogen accretor single degenerate pathway to SNe Ia plays any important role, then there must be a large "hidden" population of such "12a-like" systems.
The advent of high cadence, deep, wide-field surveys will prove invaluable in assessing the true size of this population, and hence its contribution to the Ia population. However, we remain at the mercy of dedicated follow-up classification observations.
Conservative estimates indicate that the white dwarf will surpass the Chandrasekhar mass in less than 20,000 years. With the eruptions showing no evidence for the presence of any enhanced neon, this system is a leading, if not the best, pre-explosion type Ia supernova candidate yet discovered.
Systems such as "12a" conspire against detection. Their eruptions are under-luminous in the optical (emitting most of their energy in the far- or even extreme-ultraviolet) and have exceptionally rapid evolution. But if the hydrogen accretor single degenerate pathway to SNe Ia plays any important role, then there must be a large "hidden" population of such "12a-like" systems.
The advent of high cadence, deep, wide-field surveys will prove invaluable in assessing the true size of this population, and hence its contribution to the Ia population. However, we remain at the mercy of dedicated follow-up classification observations.
All attendees are expected to show respect and courtesy to other attendees and staff, and to adhere to the NAM Code of Conduct. To report harassment or violation of the code of conduct please click here.
© 2021 Royal Astronomical Society