The UV spectrum of the old nova HR Del at differentorbital phases.

Abstract

Observations of the old nova HR Del with IUE are used to obtain a dereddened continuum energy distribution, which is close to that of a classical accretion disk of Lynden-Bell. A very high accretion rate of 0.000001 solar mass/yr is derived from this distribution. The variations of line and continuum fluxes with orbital phase are examined. They can most easily be understood as due to occultation of central parts of the disk by a splash where the accreted gas meets the disk