Rapidly Recurring Novae

In recent years, a new class of thermonuclear novae has been uncovered; systems that recur on timescales < 10 years. These phenomena are powered by high mass and growing white dwarfs accreting at a high rate from a donor, and have become the leading single-degenerate supernova type Ia progenitor candidate. This project will continue the ground-breaking working being undertaken on the prototype rapid recurrent nova which resides within the Andromeda Galaxy. Initially the project will investigate the evolution and geometry of the ejecta using newly obtained deep and late-time spectra from 8+m-class telescopes. The project will also develop our existing hydrodynamic modelling code to explore the super remnant being built up around the prototype by many 1000s of past eruptions. This simulations will be used as predictive tools in the search for similar super remnants around other recurrent novae, particularly the Galactic examples. Finally, the project will exploit any newly erupting candidate systems, carrying out follow-up observations using facilities such as the Liverpool Telescope, LCO, and the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.