Fireballs, flares, and flickering: A semianalytic, LTE, explosive model from accretion disks to supernovae

Pearson, K.J., Horne, K. and Skidmore, W. (2005) Fireballs, flares, and flickering: A semianalytic, LTE, explosive model from accretion disks to supernovae. The Astrophysical Journal, 619 (2). pp. 999-1013. ISSN 0004-637X doi: 10.1086/426582

Abstract/Summary

We derive simple analytic expressions for the continuum light curves and spectra of flaring and flickering events that occur over a wide range of astrophysical systems. We compare these results to data taken from the cataclysmic variable SS Cygni and also from SN 1987A, deriving physical parameters for the material involved. Fits to the data indicate a nearly time-independent photospheric temperature arising from the strong temperature dependence of opacity when hydrogen is partially ionized.