I modelled the 14 Å–37 \mu m SED of the recurrent symbiotic nova RS Oph during its supersoft source ( SSS ) phase and the following quiescent phase .
During the SSS phase , the model SEDs revealed the presence of a strong stellar and nebular component of radiation in the spectrum .
The former was emitted by the burning WD at highly super-Eddington rate , while the latter represented a fraction of its radiation reprocessed by the thermal nebula .
During the transition phase , both the components were decreasing and during quiescence the SED satisfied radiation produced by a large , optically thick disk ( R _ { disk } > 10 R _ { \odot } ) .
The super-Eddington luminosity of the burning WD during the SSS phase was independently justified by the high quantity of the nebular emission .
The emitting material surrounded the burning WD , and its mass was ( 1.6 \pm 0.5 ) \times 10 ^ { -4 } ( d / 1.6 { kpc } ) ^ { 5 / 2 } M _ { \odot } .
The helium ash , deposited on the WD surface during the whole burning period , was around of 8 \times 10 ^ { -6 } ( d / 1.6 { kpc } ) ^ { 2 } M _ { \odot } , which yields an average growing rate of the WD mass , \dot { M } _ { WD } \sim 4 \times 10 ^ { -7 } ( d / 1.6 { kpc } ) ^ { 2 } M _ { \odot } { yr } ^ { -1 } .
The mass accreted by the WD between outbursts , m _ { acc } \sim 1.26 \times 10 ^ { -5 } M _ { \odot } , constrains the average accretion rate , \dot { M } _ { acc } \sim 6.3 \times 10 ^ { -7 } M _ { \odot } { yr } ^ { -1 } .
During quiescence , the accretion rate from the model SED of \sim 2.3 \times 10 ^ { -7 } M _ { \odot } { yr } ^ { -1 } requires a super-Eddington accretion from the disk at \sim 3.6 \times 10 ^ { -5 } M _ { \odot } { yr } ^ { -1 } during the outburst .
Such a high accretion can be responsible for the super-Eddington luminosity during the whole burning phase .
Simultaneous presence of jets supports this scenario .
If the wind from the giant is not sufficient to feed the WD at the required rate , the accretion can be realized from the disk-like reservoir of material around the WD .
In this case the time between outbursts will extend , with the next explosion beyond 2027 .
In the opposite case , the wind from the giant has to be focused to the orbital plane to sustain the high accretion rate at a few \times 10 ^ { -7 } M _ { \odot } { yr } ^ { -1 } .
Then the next explosion can occur even prior to 2027 .