Fermi establishes classical novae as a distinct class of gamma-ray sources: The Fermi-LAT collaboration

M. Ermann, M. Ajello, A. Albert, L. Baldini, J. Ballet, G. Barbiellini, D. Bastieri, R. Bellazzini, E. Bissaldi, R. D. Blandford, E. D. Bloom, E. Bottacini, T. J. Brandt, J. Bregeon, P. Bruel, R. Buehler, S. Buson, G. A. Caliandro, R. A. Cameron, M. CaragiuloP. A. Caraveo, E. Cavazzuti, E. Charles, A. Chekhtman, C. C. Cheung, J. Chiang, G. Chiaro, S. Ciprini, R. Claus, J. Cohen-Tanugi, J. Conrad, S. Corbel, F. D'Ammando, A. De Angelis, P. R. Den Hartog, F. De Palma, C. D. Dermer, R. Desiante, S. W. Digel, L. Di Venere, E. Do Couto E Silva, D. Donato, P. S. Drell, A. Drlica-Wagner, C. Favuzzi, E. C. Ferrara, W. B. Focke, A. Franckowiak, L. Fuhrmann, Y. Fukazawa, P. Fusco, F. Gargano, D. Gasparrini, S. Germani, N. Giglietto, F. Giordano, M. Giroletti, T. Glanzman, G. Godfrey, I. A. Grenier, J. E. Grove, S. Guiriec, D. Hadasch, A. K. Harding, M. Hayashida, E. Hays, J. W. Hewitt, A. B. Hill, X. Hou, P. Jean, T. Jogler, G. Jóhannesson, A. S. Johnson, W. N. Johnson, M. Kerr, J. Knödlseder, M. Kuss, S. Larsson, L. Latronico, M. Lemoine-Goumard, F. Longo, F. Loparco, B. Lott, M. N. Lovellette, P. Lubrano, A. Manfreda, P. Martin, F. Massaro, M. Mayer, M. N. Mazziotta, J. E. McEnery, P. F. Michelson, W. Mitthumsiri, T. Mizuno, M. E. Monzani, A. Morselli, I. V. Moskalenko, S. Murgia, R. Nemmen, E. Nuss, T. Ohsugi, N. Omodei, M. Orienti, E. Orlando, J. F. Ormes, D. Paneque, J. H. Panetta, J. S. Perkins, M. Pesce-Rollins, F. Piron, G. Pivato, T. A. Porter, S. Rainò, R. Rando, M. Razzano, S. Razzaque, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, T. Reposeur, P. M. Saz Parkinson, M. Schaal, A. Schulz, C. Sgrò, E. J. Siskind, G. Spandre, P. Spinelli, Stawarz, D. J. Suson, H. Takahashi, T. Tanaka, J. G. Thayer, J. B. Thayer, D. J. Thompson, L. Tibaldo, M. Tinivella, D. F. Torres, G. Tosti, E. Troja, Y. Uchiyama, G. Vianello, B. L. Winer, M. T. Wolff, D. L. Wood, K. S. Wood, M. Wood, S. Charbonnel, R. H.D. Corbet, I. De Gennaro Aquino, J. P. Edlin, E. Mason, G. J. Schwarz, S. N. Shore, S. Starrfield, F. Teyssier

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

162 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A classical nova results from runaway thermonuclear explosions on the surface of a white dwarf that accretes matter from a low-mass main-sequence stellar companion. In 2012 and 2013, three novae were detected in γ rays and stood in contrast to the first γ-ray-detected nova V407 Cygni 2010, which belongs to a rare class of symbiotic binary systems. Despite likely differences in the compositions and masses of their white dwarf progenitors, the three classical novae are similarly characterized as soft-spectrum transient γ-ray sources detected over 2- to 3-week durations. The γ-ray detections point to unexpected high-energy particle acceleration processes linked to the mass ejection from thermonuclear explosions in an unanticipated class of Galactic γ-ray sources.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)554-558
Number of pages5
JournalScience
Volume345
Issue number6196
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2014

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Multidisciplinary

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