Open AccessNew binary parameters for the symbiotic recurrent nova T Coronae Borealis
Author(s) -
Krzysztof Belczyński,
Joanna Mikołajewska
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01301.x
Subject(s) - physics , nova (rocket) , astrophysics , mass ratio , binary number , component (thermodynamics) , thermonuclear fusion , amplitude , white dwarf , stellar evolution , binary system , astronomy , stars , plasma , thermodynamics , nuclear physics , arithmetic , mathematics , aeronautics , quantum mechanics , engineering
The amplitude of the ellipsoidal variability, the mass function and the evolutionary limits on the component masses have been used to constrain the binary system parameters of T Coronae Borealis. Contrary to all previous studies, our analysis shows that the mass ratio of T CrB is q ≡ M g / M h ≈0.6, which implies a low‐mass binary system, with the stellar masses M g ∼0.7 M⊙ for the red giant and M h ∼1.2 M⊙ for the hot companion. This result strongly supports the thermonuclear runaway model for this recurrent nova, and solves all controversies about the nature of the hot component and the physical causes of its eruptions.