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Abstract Nova outbursts are the results of thermonuclear runaways, which occur when sufficient material accretes on the surfaces of white dwarfs (WDs). Using the MESA code, we construct a detailed grid for carbon-oxygen and oxygen-neon-magnesium novae. By employing population synthesis methods, we conduct a statistical analysis of the distribution of novae in the Milky Way. In our models, on average, a typical nova system may undergo about 8000 eruptions and the Galactic nova rate is ∼130 yr −1 . The C, N, and O elements in nova ejecta are strongly affected by the mixing degree between WD core and accreted material. Our results show that the average value of 12 C/ 13 C in nova ejecta is about an order of magnitude lower than that on the surface of a red giant, that for 16 O/ 17 O is about 5 times lower, and that for 14 N/ 15 N is about 1.5 times lower. The annual yields of 13 C , 15 N, and 17 O from nova ejection are larger than those from AGB stars. This indicates that compared to a red giant, nova eruptions are a more important source of the odd-numbered nuclear elements of 13 C , 15 N, and 17 O in the Galactic interstellar medium.
He et al. (Mon,) studied this question.