Simulating a Stellar Binary Merger. II. Obtaining a Light Curve
Luminous red novae are enigmatic transient events distinguished by a rapid rise in luminosity, a plateau in luminosity, and spectra, which become redder with time. The best-observed system before, during, and after the outburst is V1309 Sco. We model a candidate V1309 Sco progenitor binary configura...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada6b8 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850219936142589952 |
|---|---|
| author | Roger W. M. Hatfull Natalia Ivanova |
| author_facet | Roger W. M. Hatfull Natalia Ivanova |
| author_sort | Roger W. M. Hatfull |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Luminous red novae are enigmatic transient events distinguished by a rapid rise in luminosity, a plateau in luminosity, and spectra, which become redder with time. The best-observed system before, during, and after the outburst is V1309 Sco. We model a candidate V1309 Sco progenitor binary configuration (1.52 + 0.16 M _⊙ ) using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code StarSmasher with a modified energy equation that implements flux-limited emission-diffusion radiative transport in a Lagrangian case. We developed an imaging technique allowing us to capture the flux an observer would measure. In this novel method, the outgoing radiative flux of each SPH particle in the observer's direction is attenuated by other particles along the path to the observer. We investigated how the light curve is affected in various models: with and without dust formation; constant, Planck, or Rosseland mean opacities; different donor star sizes; different companion star masses and types; radiative heating included in our modified energy equation; and different SPH simulation resolutions. The resulting evolution in bolometric luminosity and spectrum peak temperature is in good agreement with V1309 Sco observations. Our simulations rule out V1309 Sco models that do not assume dust formation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1d6281ed955942efaa3d39c1d52b13a4 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-1d6281ed955942efaa3d39c1d52b13a42025-08-20T02:07:13ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198228310.3847/1538-4357/ada6b8Simulating a Stellar Binary Merger. II. Obtaining a Light CurveRoger W. M. Hatfull0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0226-546XNatalia Ivanova1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6251-5315Department of Physics, University of Alberta , Edmonton, T6G 2E7, Alberta, Canada ; nata.ivanova@ualberta.caDepartment of Physics, University of Alberta , Edmonton, T6G 2E7, Alberta, Canada ; nata.ivanova@ualberta.caLuminous red novae are enigmatic transient events distinguished by a rapid rise in luminosity, a plateau in luminosity, and spectra, which become redder with time. The best-observed system before, during, and after the outburst is V1309 Sco. We model a candidate V1309 Sco progenitor binary configuration (1.52 + 0.16 M _⊙ ) using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code StarSmasher with a modified energy equation that implements flux-limited emission-diffusion radiative transport in a Lagrangian case. We developed an imaging technique allowing us to capture the flux an observer would measure. In this novel method, the outgoing radiative flux of each SPH particle in the observer's direction is attenuated by other particles along the path to the observer. We investigated how the light curve is affected in various models: with and without dust formation; constant, Planck, or Rosseland mean opacities; different donor star sizes; different companion star masses and types; radiative heating included in our modified energy equation; and different SPH simulation resolutions. The resulting evolution in bolometric luminosity and spectrum peak temperature is in good agreement with V1309 Sco observations. Our simulations rule out V1309 Sco models that do not assume dust formation.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada6b8Close binary starsCommon envelope binary starsInteracting binary starsHydrodynamical simulationsRadiative transfer simulationsTransient sources |
| spellingShingle | Roger W. M. Hatfull Natalia Ivanova Simulating a Stellar Binary Merger. II. Obtaining a Light Curve The Astrophysical Journal Close binary stars Common envelope binary stars Interacting binary stars Hydrodynamical simulations Radiative transfer simulations Transient sources |
| title | Simulating a Stellar Binary Merger. II. Obtaining a Light Curve |
| title_full | Simulating a Stellar Binary Merger. II. Obtaining a Light Curve |
| title_fullStr | Simulating a Stellar Binary Merger. II. Obtaining a Light Curve |
| title_full_unstemmed | Simulating a Stellar Binary Merger. II. Obtaining a Light Curve |
| title_short | Simulating a Stellar Binary Merger. II. Obtaining a Light Curve |
| title_sort | simulating a stellar binary merger ii obtaining a light curve |
| topic | Close binary stars Common envelope binary stars Interacting binary stars Hydrodynamical simulations Radiative transfer simulations Transient sources |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada6b8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rogerwmhatfull simulatingastellarbinarymergeriiobtainingalightcurve AT nataliaivanova simulatingastellarbinarymergeriiobtainingalightcurve |