Near Infrared Studies of Novae

 Cataclysmic variables (CVs) are binary star systems in which one component of the system, a low mass red dwarf, is transferring matter onto the second component, a degenerate white dwarf. The mass transfer results in the formation of an accretion disc around the white dwarf. Instabilities in the accretion disc like sudden transfer of matter to the white dwarf or runaway thermonuclear reactions on the white dwarf surface give rise to the cataclysmic outburst, the sudden brightening, observed in these systems. Classical novae, one of the subclasses of CVs are violent thermonuclear explosions arising on the surface of white dwarfs in close binary systems.
I will present near-infrared spectroscopic and photometric results that emerged from the extensive studies of three novae, viz., V5579 Sagittarii, V496 Scuti and KT Eridani. These three novae cover both classes of classical novae, viz., Fe II class (V5579 Sgr and V496 Sct) and He/N class (KT Eri). The system parameters of these novae, like the distance to the nova, absolute magnitude, expansion
velocity of the ejecta, mass of the ejecta and gas to dust ratio are estimated. The dust formation and the detection of first overtone emission bands of CO in these novae will be discussed.