Metallicity and effective temperature of the secondary of RS Ophiuchi

Abstract

Context. The recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi undergoes nova eruptions every ~10-20 years as a result of thermonuclear runaway on the surface of a white dwarf close to the Chandrasekhar limit. Both the progress of the eruption and its aftermath depend on the (poorly known) composition of the red giant in the RS Oph system.