Which information can we derive from historical Far Eastern guest stars for modern research on novae and cataclysmic variables?. (arXiv:1910.05508v1 [astro-ph.SR])

Which information can we derive from historical Far Eastern guest stars for modern research on novae and cataclysmic variables?. (arXiv:1910.05508v1 [astro-ph.SR])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Hoffmann_S/0/1/0/all/0/1">Susanne M Hoffmann</a>

Recently, there have been several studies on the evolution of binary systems
using historical data treated as facts in the chain of arguments. In this paper
we discuss six case studies of modern dwarf novae with suggested historical
counterpart from the historical point of view as well as the derived
consequences for the physics of close binary systems (the dwarf novae Z Cam and
AT Cnc, the nebula in M22, and the possible Nova 101, Nova 483, and Nova 1437).
We consider the historical Far Eastern reports and after a careful re-reading
of the text we map the given information on the sky. In some cases, the
positions given in modern lists of classical nova-guest star-pairs turn out to
be wrong, or they have to be considered highly approximate: The historical
position, in most cases, should be transformed into areas at the celestial
sphere and not into point coordinates. Based on the correct information we
consider the consequences concerning the evolution of close binary systems.
However, the result is that none of the cases of cataclysmic variables
suggested to have a historical counterpart can be (fully) supported. As the
identification of the historical record of observation with the CVs known today
turns out to be always uncertain, a potential historical observation alone may
not be relied on to draw conclusions on the evolution of binaries. The
evolution scenarios should be derived from astrophysical observation and
modelling only.

Recently, there have been several studies on the evolution of binary systems
using historical data treated as facts in the chain of arguments. In this paper
we discuss six case studies of modern dwarf novae with suggested historical
counterpart from the historical point of view as well as the derived
consequences for the physics of close binary systems (the dwarf novae Z Cam and
AT Cnc, the nebula in M22, and the possible Nova 101, Nova 483, and Nova 1437).
We consider the historical Far Eastern reports and after a careful re-reading
of the text we map the given information on the sky. In some cases, the
positions given in modern lists of classical nova-guest star-pairs turn out to
be wrong, or they have to be considered highly approximate: The historical
position, in most cases, should be transformed into areas at the celestial
sphere and not into point coordinates. Based on the correct information we
consider the consequences concerning the evolution of close binary systems.
However, the result is that none of the cases of cataclysmic variables
suggested to have a historical counterpart can be (fully) supported. As the
identification of the historical record of observation with the CVs known today
turns out to be always uncertain, a potential historical observation alone may
not be relied on to draw conclusions on the evolution of binaries. The
evolution scenarios should be derived from astrophysical observation and
modelling only.

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