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Periodic Outbursts in the Old Nova V446 Herculis

1995/06/01 by R. K. Honeycutt, J. W. Robertson, G. W. Turner
Physics and Astronomy · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Astro and Planetary Science #Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics

paper · doi:10.1086/175841

Abstract

We present data showing that over the last 4 yr V446 Her (= Nova Her 1960) has had outbursts or flares at a mean interval of 23 days with an amplitude of ∼1.5 mag. These events vary in width from 5 to 11 days. During at least some periods of time, the recurrence interval is stable to within the observational error (typically ±3 days). The spectrum of V446 Her in quiescence is shown to have an excitation level intermediate to that of dwarf novae- and nova-like cataclysmic variables. This fact, along with other evidence, leads us to suggest that these outbursts may be due to mass transfer events rather than dwarf nova-like accretion disk instabilities.

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