The Imprint of Nova Nucleosynthesis in Presolar Grains

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal 2004-09, Vol.612 (1), p.414-428
• Main Authors: José, Jordi, Hernanz, Margarita, Amari, Sachiko, Lodders, Katharina, Zinner, Ernst
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astronomy; Dust processes (condensation, evaporation, sputtering, mantle growth, etc.); Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental aspects of astrophysics; Fundamental astronomy and astrophysics. Instrumentation, techniques, and astronomical observations; General, solar nebula, and cosmogony; Novae, dwarf novae, recurrent novae, and other cataclysmic (eruptive) variables; Solar system; Stars; Variable and peculiar stars (including novae)
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.1086/422569

Infrared and ultraviolet observations of nova light curves have confirmed grain formation in their expanding shells that are ejected into the interstellar medium by a thermonuclear runaway. In this paper we present isotopic ratios of intermediate-mass elements up to silicon for the ejecta of CO and ONe novae, based on 20 hydrodynamic models of nova explosions. These theoretical estimates will help to properly identify nova grains in primitive meteorites. In addition, equilibrium condensation calculations are used to predict the types of grains that can be expected in the nova ejecta, providing some hints on the puzzling formation of C-rich dust in O > C environments. These results show that SiC grains can condense in ONe novae, in concert with an inferred (ONe) nova origin for several presolar SiC grains.