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A Comprehensive Hα Nova Survey of M81

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2018

James D. Neill
Affiliation:
Columbia University, 538 W 120th St, MC C5247, New York, NY 10027USA (neill@astro.columbia.edu) American Museum of Natural History
Michael M. Shara
Affiliation:
American Museum of Natural History
Elaine Halbedel
Affiliation:
Columbia University, 538 W 120th St, MC C5247, New York, NY 10027USA (neill@astro.columbia.edu)
Viktor Malnushenko
Affiliation:
Columbia University, 538 W 120th St, MC C5247, New York, NY 10027USA (neill@astro.columbia.edu)

Extract

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A spatially complete Hα survey of M81 for novae was conducted continuously over a 5 month interval using the Calypso Telescope at Kitt Peak, AZ. A raw nova rate for M81 gives 23 yr–1 which is a lower limit. Monte Carlo simulations using nova light curves and survey frame limits yield a nova rate of . Using this value and the K-band photometry for M81 from the 2MASS Large Galaxy Atlas of Jarret et al. (2003) gives a luminosity specific nova rate of .The spatial distribution of the novae follows the bulge light much better than the disk or total light according to KS tests of their radial distribution. The asymmetric nova distribution across the major axis line of M81 implies a bulge-to-disk nova ratio of > 9 and supports the idea that novae originate primarily in older stellar populations.

Type
The Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Instituto de astronomia/revista mexicana de astronomίa y astrofίsica 2004

References

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