Evidence for a nova super-remnant surrounding the recurrent nova V745 Scorpii using eROSITA

Abstract

Nova super-remnants (NSRs) are vast shell-like structures encompassing recurrent novae (RNe), created through the excavation of large amounts of local interstellar medium by repeated nova eruptions. Simulations predict that such NSRs should surround all novae. Indeed, NSRs have now been discovered around the Galactic RNe KT Eridani, RS Ophiuchi and T Coronae Borealis, and the Large Magellanic Cloud RN LMCN 1971-08a, to place alongside the prototypical NSR in M31, associated with the extreme RN, M31N 2008-12a. Highly energetic novae ejecta impacting the inner boundary of the NSR shell alongside inter-ejecta shocks are predicted to generate high levels of X-ray emission in the form of an extended shell-like structure. A search for X-ray emission from a present NSR surrounding the Galactic RN, V745 Scorpii, using observations from the extended Roentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array (eROSITA) on board Spektrum-Roentgen-Gamma (Spektr-RG, SRG) led to the identification of a shell coincident with the nova. Based on (i) the structure being aligned with the location of the central nova; (ii) its size being consistent with the sizes of other known NSRs; (iii) the similarity between the emission radial profiles of the X-ray structure and the confirmed NSR around M31N 2008-12a; (vi) the presence of a corresponding infrared cavity; (v) the resemblance of the radial profile of the synthetic X-ray ring derived from a modelled NSR structure with the radial profile of the observed ring; and (vi) the lack of other sources capable of creating such a large structure, we propose this X-ray structure to be another Galactic NSR to be uncovered, and the first NSR to be captured through its X-ray emission.