The RAINY3D code : the treatment of condensations in nova remnants during nebular phase

• Grant number: 11/12744-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants - Publications - Scientific article
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: February 29, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Stellar Astrophysics
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Perez Diaz
• Grantee: Marcos Perez Diaz
• Host Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Classical novae remnants are important scenarios for improving the photoionization modeling. This work describes the pseudo 3D code RAINY3D which drives the photoionization code CLOUDY as subroutine. Photoionization simulations of old nova remnants are also present and discussed. In these simulations we analyse the effect of condensations in the remnant spectra. The condensed mass fraction affects the Balmer lines by a factor greater than 4 when compared to homogeneous models and this directly impacts the shell mass determination. The He II 4686/ Hbeta ratio decreases by a factor of 10 in clumpy shells. These lines are also affected by the clump size and density distributions. The behavior of the strongest nebular line observed in novae remnants is also analysed for heterogeneous shells. The gas diagnostic in novae ejecta is thought to be more accurate during the nebular phase, but we have obtained that at this phase the matter distribution can strongly affect the derived shell physical properties and chemical abundances. (AU)