Infrared study of the first identified helium nova V445 Puppis

Abstract

The eruptive variable V445 Puppis has been proposed by us as the first observed Helium nova. The absence of hydrogen lines in the early optical spectra showed the peculiar nature of this object. We have observed V445 Pup for three months following its discovery at near infrared wavelengths. Our observations confirm the absence of hydrogen lines in V445 Pup and exhibit several prominent emission features. Based on the identification of several CI lines in J and H bands we suggested that V445 Pup is a prospective candidate for theoretically hypothesized Helium nova. Subsequently Kato and Hachisu (2003) have done modeling of its low amplitude light curve in the context of helium nova outburst and show that the observed low amplitude light curve of V445 Pup is reproduced by thermonuclear runaway in helium rich material on a massive white dwarf in a close binary system