Physics of nova outbursts: Theoretical models of classical nova outbursts with optically thick winds on 1.2 M⊙ and 1.3 M⊙ white dwarfs.

We present time-dependent nova outburst models with optically thick winds for 1.2 and 1.35 |$\, M_{\odot }$| white dwarfs (WDs) with a mass-accretion rate of |$5 \times 10^{-9}\, M_{\odot }$|  yr−1 and for a 1.3 |$\, M_{\odot }$| WD with |$2 \times 10^{-9}\, M_{\odot }$|  yr−1. The X-ray flash occurs 11 d before the optical peak of the 1.2 |$\, M_{\odot }$| WD and 2.5 d before the peak of the 1.3 |$\, M_{\odot }$| WD. The wind mass-loss rate of the 1.2 |$\, M_{\odot }$| WD (1.3 |$\, M_{\odot }$| WD) reaches a peak of |$6.4 \times 10^{-5}\, M_{\odot }$| yr−1 (⁠|$7.4 \times 10^{-5}\, M_{\odot }$| yr−1) at the epoch of the maximum photospheric expansion with the lowest photospheric temperature of log  T ph (K) = 4.33 (4.35). The nuclear energy generated during the outburst is lost in the form of radiation (61% for the 1.2 |$\, M_{\odot }$| WD; 47% for the 1.3 |$\, M_{\odot }$| WD), gravitational energy of ejecta (39%; 52%), and kinetic energy of the wind (0.28%; 0.29%). We found an empirical relation for fast novae between the time to optical maximum from the outburst t peak and the expansion timescale τexp. With this relation, we are able to predict the time to optical maximum t peak from the ignition model (at t = 0) without following a time-consuming nova wind evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]