The mid-infrared environment of the stellar merger remnant V838 Monocerotis

Abstract

Context. In 2002, V838 Monocerotis (V838 Mon) erupted in a red nova event that has been interpreted as being a stellar merger. Soon after reaching peak luminosity, it began to cool and its spectrum evolved to later spectral types. Dust was also formed in the post-merger remnant, making it bright in the mid-infrared. Interferometric studies at these wavelengths have suggested the presence of a flattened elongated structure. Aims. We investigate, for the first time, the structure and orientation of the dusty envelope surrounding V838 Mon in the L band (2.8-4.2 μm) using recent observations with the MATISSE instrument at the VLTI. Methods. We perform simple geometrical modeling of the interferometric observables using basic models (disks, Gaussians, and point sources, along with their combinations). We also reconstructed an image and analyzed the corresponding L-band spectrum. Results. This study indicates the presence of an elongated, disk-like structure near 3.5 μm, similar to what has been observed in other wavelength regimes. In particular, the orientation at a position angle of -40° agrees with prior measurements in other bands. Conclusions. The dusty elongated structure surrounding V838 Mon appears to be a stable and long-lived feature that has been present in the system for over a decade. Its substructure and origin remain unclear but may be related to mass loss phenomena that took place in the orbital plane of the merged binary.