General Properties of Quiescent Novae

Abstract

The observed properties of novae before and after eruption are discussed. The distribution of orbital periods of novae shows a concentration near 3.2 h, which resembles that of magnetic cataclysmic variables, and there is some evidence that many of the novae themselves are magnetic near that orbital period. Desynchronisation of polars by nova eruptions can lead to an estimate (~2 x 10^3 y) for the time between eruptions for the strongly magnetic systems; this is much shorter than that found from other methods. The similarity of pre- and post-nova luminosities, at high rates of mass transfer, is ascribed to irradiation of the secondary producing a self-sustained high Mdot state. This slows cooling of the white dwarf after eruption, delays the onset of full scale dwarf nova outbursts in most systems, and delays any descent into a hibernation state of low rate of mass transfer.