NOAO >   Observing Info >   Approved Programs >   2011A-0328

# Proposal Information for 2011A-0328

PI: Jillian Bornak, New Mexico State University (NMSU), jbornak@nmsu.edu
Address: Astronomy Department, P. O. Box 30001, MSC 4500, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003-8001, USA

CoI: Thomas Harrison, New Mexico State University
CoI: Douglas Hoffman, Infrared Processing and Analysis Center
CoI: Karl Gordon, Space Telescope Science Institute

Title: Getting the Windshield DIRTY: Optical/Near-IR Survey of Old Dusty Novae to Study the Assimilation of Dust into the ISM

Abstract: Dust is fundamental to astronomy from the dirty windshield'' of the Milky Way to forming new stars and planets. Our understanding of dust dissemination into the ISM is incomplete, but classical novae (CNe) provide windows to study dust on a convenient timescale. Observations of CNe dust imply masses larger than theoretical models predict. We suggest the error lies in ignoring filling factor and will use DIRTY to model inhomogeneous CNe dust shells. We request 2 nights on the SOAR 4.1m and 4 nights on the SMARTS 1.0m to survey dusty CNe. We require the optical data to calorimeter the central binary that is illuminating the dust, so our models can account for this source. We have extensive time coverage for three CNe outbursts and can apply these detailed models to other recent CNe observed with \it Spitzer. We can then extrapolate to old CNe using \it WISE data, allowing us to study the dust as it encounters the ISM. This project is in conjunction with a survey of Northern hemisphere CNe at Apache Point Observatory.

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 NOAO >   Observing Info >   Approved Programs >   2011A-0328