Classical novae from the POINT-AGAPE microlensing survey of M31 - II. Rate and statistical characteristics of the nova population

The POINT-AGAPE (Pixel-lensing Observations with the Isaac Newton Telescope- Andromeda Galaxy Amplified Pixels Experiment) survey is an optical search for gravitational microlensing events towards the Andromeda galaxy (M31). As well as microlensing, the survey is sensitive to many different classes of variable stars and transients. In our first paper of this series, we reported the detection of 20 classical novae (CNe) observed in Sloan rand i � passbands. An analysis of the maximum magnitude versus rate of decline (MMRD) relationship in M31 is performed using the resulting POINT-AGAPE CN catalogue. Within the limits of the uncertainties of extinction internal to M31, good fits are produced to the MMRD in two filters. The MMRD calibration is the first to be performed for Sloan rand ifilters. However, we are unable to verify that novae have the same absolute magnitude 15 d after peak (the t15 relationship), nor any similar relationship for either Sloan filter. The subsequent analysis of the automated pipeline has provided us with the most thorough knowledge of the completeness of a CN survey to date. In addition, the large field of view of the survey has permitted us to probe the outburst rate well into the galactic disc, unlike previous CCD imaging surveys. Using this analysis, we are able to probe the CN distribution of M31 and evaluate the global nova rate. Using models of the galactic surface brightness of M31, we show that the observed CN distribution consists of a separate bulge and disc population. We also show that the M31 bulge CN eruption rate per unit rflux is more than five times greater

[1]  Annette Ferguson,et al.  A Minor-Axis Surface Brightness Profile for M31 , 2005, astro-ph/0505077.

[2]  P. Baillon,et al.  Automated Detection of Classical Novae with Neural Networks , 2005, astro-ph/0504236.

[3]  N. Tanvir,et al.  On the Accretion Origin of a Vast Extended Stellar Disk around the Andromeda Galaxy , 2005, astro-ph/0504164.

[4]  B. Holwerda,et al.  The Opacity of Spiral Galaxy Disks. IV. Radial Extinction Profiles from Counts of Distant Galaxies Seen through Foreground Disks , 2004, astro-ph/0411663.

[5]  Zurich,et al.  Classical novae from the POINT–AGAPE microlensing survey of M31 – I. The nova catalogue , 2004, astro-ph/0403447.

[6]  S. Paulin-Henriksson,et al.  The Anomaly in the Candidate Microlensing Event PA-99-N2 , 2003, astro-ph/0310457.

[7]  P. Côté,et al.  Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Novae in M49 , 2003, astro-ph/0310006.

[8]  F. A. Ringwald,et al.  Early post-maximum spectral evolution of the fast novae V4742 Sagittarii and V4743 Sagittarii , 2003 .

[9]  M. Hernanz.  Classical nova explosions , 2004, astro-ph/0412333.

[10]  A. Shafter,et al.  On the Spatial Distribution, Stellar Population, and Rate of Novae in M31 , 2001 .

[11]  L. Girardi,et al.  Population effects on the red giant clump absolute magnitude, and distance determinations to nearby galaxies , 2001 .

[12]  P. Hewett,et al.  Theory of pixel lensing towards M31 - I. The density contribution and mass of MACHOs , 2000, astro-ph/0002256.

[13]  H. Duerbeck,et al.  Optical Imaging of Nova Shells and the Maximum Magnitude-Rate of Decline Relationship , 2000, astro-ph/0006458.

[14]  T. O’brien,et al.  Hubble Space Telescope imaging and ground-based spectroscopy of old nova shells – I. FH Ser, V533 Her, BT Mon, DK Lac and V476 Cyg , 2000, astro-ph/0001092.

[15]  M. Livio,et al.  The Spectroscopic Differences between Disk and Thick-Disk/Bulge Novae , 1998 .

[16]  D. Schlegel,et al.  Maps of Dust Infrared Emission for Use in Estimation of Reddening and Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation Foregrounds , 1998 .

[17]  A. Tornambe',et al.  Hydrogen-accreting Carbon-Oxygen White Dwarfs , 1998 .

[18]  D. Schlegel,et al.  Maps of Dust IR Emission for Use in Estimation of Reddening and CMBR Foregrounds , 1997, astro-ph/9710327.

[19]  A. Shafter,et al.  On the Nova Rate in the Galaxy , 1997 .

[20]  D. Branch,et al.  New Insight into the Spatial Distribution of Novae in M31 , 1997, astro-ph/9704073.

[21]  B. Warner.  The Cataclysmic Variable Stars , 1996 .

[22]  B. Warner.  Cataclysmic Variable Stars by Brian Warner , 1995 .

[23]  D. Prialnik,et al.  An extended grid of multicycle nova evolution models , 1995 .

[24]  S. Bergh,et al.  Faint Surface Photometry of the Halo of M31 , 1994 .

[25]  R. Davies,et al.  A CRITICAL REVIEW OF SELECTED TECHNIQUES FOR MEASURING EXTRAGALACTIC DISTANCES , 1992 .

[26]  ROBERT E. Williams,et al.  The Formation of Novae Spectra , 1992 .

[27]  M. Livio.  Classical novae and the extragalactic distance scale , 1992 .

[28]  P. Crane,et al.  Detection of an unresolved nuclear radio source in M31 , 1992 .

[29]  J. Neill,et al.  The H-alpha light curves of novae in M31 , 1990 .

[30]  Massimo Capaccioli,et al.  Properties of the Nova Population in M31 , 1989 .

[31]  J. Neill,et al.  The spatial distribution and population of novae in M31 , 1987 .

[32]  B. Madore,et al.  The distance to M31 from infrared photometry of its cepheids , 1986 .

[33]  Judith G. Cohen,et al.  Nova shells. II: Calibration of the distance scale using novae , 1985 .

[34]  M. Livio,et al.  On the role of the accretion rate in nova outbursts , 1982 .

[35]  M. Shara.  A theoretical explanation of the absolute magnitude-decline time /M[SUB]B-t[/SUB] sub 3/ relationship for classical novae , 1981 .

[36]  M. Shara.  On the constancy of the absolute magnitude M[SUB]B[/SUB] /15/ of a classical nova 15 days after maximum light , 1981 .

[37]  M. Shara,et al.  What determines the speed class of novae , 1980 .

[38]  G. Vaucouleurs.  The extragalactic distance scale. I. A review of distance indicators: zero points and errors of primary indicators. , 1978 .

[39]  K. Freeman.  On the disks of spiral and SO Galaxies , 1970 .

[40]  G. Vaucouleurs.  Photoelectric photometry of the Andromeda Nebula in the UBV system. , 1958 .

[41]  H. Arp.  Novae in the Andromeda nebula. , 1956 .

[42]  R. P. Kraft,et al.  An Intrepretation of AE Aquarii. , 1956 .

[43]  G. Vaucouleurs,et al.  Novae in the Magellanic Clouds and in the Galaxy , 1955 .

[44]  G. Vaucouleurs.  On the Distribution of Mass and Luminosity in Elliptical Galaxies , 1953 .

[45]  D. B. Mclaughlin.  THE RELATION BETWEEN LIGHT-CURVES AND LUMINOSITIES OF NOVAE , 1945 .

[46]  E. Hubble,et al.  No. 376. A spiral nebula as a stellar system. Messier 31. , 1929 .

[47]  K. Schwarzschild,et al.  The Observatory , 1886 .

[48]  John K. Tomfohr,et al.  Lecture Notes on Physics , 1879, Nature.