Constraining Models of Classical Nova Outbursts with the Murchison Meteorite

Abstract

Infrared observations of nova light curves reveal that classical novae form grains in the expanding shells, ejected into the interstellar medium as a consequence of a violent outburst. Such grains contain nucleo-synthetic fingerprints of the nova explosion. In this paper, we analyse different isotopic signatures expected to be present in nova grains on the basis of detailed hydrodynamic calculations of CO and ONe novae and compare them with recent determinations of presolar nova grains from the Acfer 094 and Murchison meteorites.