Nucleosynthesis in Classical Novae: CO versus ONe White Dwarfs

Detailed nucleosynthesis in the ejecta of classical novae has been determined for a grid of hydrodynamic nova models. The reported 14 evolutionary sequences, followed from the onset of accretion up to the explosion and ejection stages, span a range of CO and ONe white dwarf masses (0.8-1.35 M ☉ ) and mixing levels between the accreted envelope and the underlying white dwarf core (25%-75%). The synthesis of each isotope from 1 H to 40 Ca is discussed, along with its sensitivity to model parameters. Special emphasis is placed on isotopes such as 13 C, 15 N, and 17 O, whose synthesis may account for a significant fraction of their Galactic content. Production of the radioactive isotopes 7 Be, 22 Na, and 26 Al is also analyzed, since they may provide a direct test of the thermonuclear runaway model through their γ-ray emission. The resulting elemental yields reproduce the spectroscopic abundance determinations of several well-studied classical novae fairly well.