A detailed study of the gamma-ray nova V1324 Sco

It has recently been discovered that some, if not all, classical novae emit GeV gamma-rays, but the mechanisms involved in the production of the gamma-rays are still not well understood. We present here a comprehensive, multi-wavelength dataset---from radio to X-rays---for the most gamma-ray luminous classical nova to-date, V1324 Sco. Using this dataset, we show that V1324 Sco is a canonical dusty Fe-II type nova, with a reddening of E(B-V) = 1.16 +\- 0.12, a distance > 6.5 kpc, a bulk ejecta velocity of 1150 +/- 40 km/s and an ejecta mass of 2.0 +\- 0.4 * 10^-5 M_{Solar}. However, despite its seeming normalcy, there is also evidence for complex shock interactions, including the aforementioned gamma-rays and early time high-brightness temperature radio emission. To explain how a nova can be simultaneously ordinary and have the highest gamma-ray luminosity to date, we present a simplified model of the ejecta in which the strength of gamma-ray emission is set by properties of a fast ejecta component that collides with a slower component to produce shocks. We conclude this detailed study of V1324 Sco by showing how it has helped shape our understanding of the role of shocks in novae. Along with the study of V1324 Sco, this work also presents detailed methods for determining the reddening, distance, and filling factor of a classical nova from optical spectroscopy (using V1324 Sco as an example). We also provide detailed derivations for fitting nova radio light curves, to determine ejecta mass and velocity.