X-ray monitoring of M31 novae

Classical novae (CNe) represent the major class of supersoft X-ray sources (SSSs) in the central region of the galaxy M31. We performed a dedicated monitoring of the M31 central region with XMM-Newton and Chandra between Nov 2007 and Feb 2008 and between Nov 2008 and Feb 2009, respectively, to find SSS counterparts of CNe, determine the duration of their SSS phase, and derive physical outburst parameters.

We systematically searched our data for X-ray counterparts of CNe, determined their X-ray light curves and characterised their spectra using blackbody fits and white dwarf (WD) atmosphere models. Additionally, we determined luminosity upper limits for all previously known X-ray emitting novae that are not detected any more and for all CNe in our field of view with optical outbursts between one year before the start of the X-ray monitoring (Oct 2006) and its end (Feb 2009).