We previously proposed that Betelgeuse might have been spun up by accreting a companion of about 1 M . Here we explore in more detail the possible systematics of such a merger and a larger range of ...accreted masses. We use the stellar evolutionary code mesa to add angular momentum to a primary star in core helium burning, core carbon burning, or shell carbon burning. Our models provide a reasonable "natural" explanation for why Betelgeuse has a large, but sub-Keplerian equatorial velocity. They eject sufficient mass and angular momentum in rotationally induced mass loss to reproduce the observed ratio of the equatorial velocity to escape velocity of Betelgeuse, 0.23, within a factor of 3 nearly independent of the primary mass, the secondary mass, and the epoch at which merger occurs. Our models suggest that merger of a primary of somewhat less than 15 M with secondaries from 1 to 10 M during core helium burning or core carbon burning could yield the equatorial rotational velocity of ∼15 km s−1 attributed to Betelgeuse. For accreting models, a wave of angular momentum is halted at the composition boundary at the edge of the helium core. The inner core is thus not affected by the accretion of the companion in these simulations. Accretion has relatively little effect on the production of magnetic fields in the inner core. Our results do not prove, but do not negate, that Betelgeuse might have ingested a companion of several M .
We explore simple semi-analytic fits to the bolometric light curve of Gaia17biu/SN 2017egm, the most nearby hydrogen-deficient superluminous supernova (SLSN I) yet discovered. SN 2017egm has a ...quasi-bolometric light curve that is uncharacteristic of other SLSN I by having a nearly linear rise to maximum and decline from peak, with a very sharp transition. Magnetar models have difficulty explaining the sharp peak and may tend to be too bright 20 days after maximum. Light curves powered only by radioactive decay of 56Ni fail on similar grounds and because they demand greater nickel mass than ejecta mass. Simple models based on circumstellar interaction (CSI) do have a sharp peak corresponding to the epoch when the forward shock breaks out of the optically thick circumstellar medium or the reverse shock reaches the inside of the ejecta. We find that models based on CSI with a constant-density shell provide an interesting fit to the bolometric light curve from 15 days before to 15 days after peak light of SN 2017egm and that both magnetar and radioactive decay models fail to fit the sharp peak. Future photometric observations should easily discriminate basic CSI models from basic magnetar models. The implications of a CSI model are briefly discussed.
ABSTRACT
Spectropolarimetry enables us to measure the geometry and chemical structure of the ejecta in supernova explosions, which is fundamental for the understanding of their explosion mechanism(s) ...and progenitor systems. We collected archival data of 35 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), observed with Focal Reducer and Low-Dispersion Spectrograph (FORS) on the Very Large Telescope at 127 epochs in total. We examined the polarization of the Si ii λ6355 Å line ($p_{\rm Si\, \small {II}}$) as a function of time, which is seen to peak at a range of various polarization degrees and epochs relative to maximum brightness. We reproduced the $\Delta m_{15}\!-\!p_{\rm Si\, \small {II}}$ relationship identified in a previous study, and show that subluminous and transitional objects display polarization values below the $\Delta m_{15}\!-\!p_{\rm Si\, \small {II}}$ relationship for normal SNe Ia. We found a statistically significant linear relationship between the polarization of the Si ii λ6355 Å line before maximum brightness and the Si ii line velocity and suggest that this, along with the $\Delta m_{15}\!-\!p_{\rm Si\, \small {II}}$ relationship, may be explained in the context of a delayed-detonation model. In contrast, we compared our observations to numerical predictions in the $\Delta m_{15}\!-\!v_{\rm Si\, \small {II}}$ plane and found a dichotomy in the polarization properties between Chandrasekhar and sub-Chandrasekhar mass explosions, which supports the possibility of two distinct explosion mechanisms. A subsample of SNe displays evolution of loops in the q–u plane that suggests a more complex Si structure with depth. This insight, which could not be gleaned from total flux spectra, presents a new constraint on explosion models. Finally, we compared our statistical sample of the Si ii polarization to quantitative predictions of the polarization levels for the double-detonation, delayed-detonation, and violent-merger models.
Abstract
We present the discovery of the Type II supernova SN 2023ixf in M101 and follow-up photometric and spectroscopic observations, respectively, in the first month and week of its evolution. Our ...discovery was made within a day of estimated first light, and the following light curve is characterized by a rapid rise (≈5 days) to a luminous peak (
M
V
≈ − 18.2 mag) and plateau (
M
V
≈ − 17.6 mag) extending to 30 days with a fast decline rate of ≈0.03 mag day
−1
. During the rising phase,
U
−
V
color shows blueward evolution, followed by redward evolution in the plateau phase. Prominent flash features of hydrogen, helium, carbon, and nitrogen dominate the spectra up to ≈5 days after first light, with a transition to a higher ionization state in the first ≈2 days. Both the
U
−
V
color and flash ionization states suggest a rise in the temperature, indicative of a delayed shock breakout inside dense circumstellar material (CSM). From the timescales of CSM interaction, we estimate its compact radial extent of ∼(3–7) × 10
14
cm. We then construct numerical light-curve models based on both continuous and eruptive mass-loss scenarios shortly before explosion. For the continuous mass-loss scenario, we infer a range of mass-loss history with 0.1–1.0
M
⊙
yr
−1
in the final 2−1 yr before explosion, with a potentially decreasing mass loss of 0.01–0.1
M
⊙
yr
−1
in ∼0.7–0.4 yr toward the explosion. For the eruptive mass-loss scenario, we favor eruptions releasing 0.3–1
M
⊙
of the envelope at about a year before explosion, which result in CSM with mass and extent similar to the continuous scenario. We discuss the implications of the available multiwavelength constraints obtained thus far on the progenitor candidate and SN 2023ixf to our variable CSM models.
Abstract
The nondetection of companion stars in SN Ia progenitor systems lends support to the notion of double-degenerate systems and explosions triggered by the merging of two white dwarfs. This ...very asymmetric process should lead to a conspicuous polarimetric signature. By contrast, observations consistently find very low continuum polarization as the signatures from the explosion process largely dominate over the pre-explosion configuration within several days. Critical information about the interaction of the ejecta with a companion and any circumstellar matter is encoded in the early polarization spectra. In this study, we obtain spectropolarimetry of SN 2018gv with the ESO Very Large Telescope at −13.6 days relative to the
B
-band maximum light, or ∼5 days after the estimated explosion—the earliest spectropolarimetric observations to date of any SN Ia. These early observations still show a low continuum polarization (≲0.2%) and moderate line polarization (0.30% ± 0.04% for the prominent Si
ii
λ
6355 feature and 0.85% ± 0.04% for the high-velocity Ca component). The high degree of spherical symmetry implied by the low-line and continuum polarization at this early epoch is consistent with explosion models of delayed detonations and is inconsistent with the merger-induced explosion scenario. The dense UV and optical photometry and optical spectroscopy within the first ∼100 days after the maximum light indicate that SN 2018gv is a normal SN Ia with similar spectrophotometric behavior to SN 2011fe.
Abstract
SN 2014C was originally classified as a Type Ib supernova, but at phase
ϕ
= 127 days, post-explosion strong H
α
emission was observed. SN 2014C has since been observed in radio, infrared, ...optical and X-ray bands. Here we present new optical spectroscopic and photometric data spanning
ϕ
= 947–2494 days post-explosion. We address the evolution of the broadened H
α
emission line, as well as broad O
iii
emission and other lines. We also conduct a parallel analysis of all publicly available multiwavelength data. From our spectra, we find a nearly constant H
α
FWHM velocity width of ∼2000 km s
−1
that is significantly lower than that of other broadened atomic transitions (∼3000–7000 km s
−1
) present in our spectra (O
i
λ
6300; O
iii
λ
λ
4959, 5007; He
i
λ
7065; Ca
ii
λ
λ
7291, 7324). The late radio data demand a fast forward shock (∼10,000 km s
−1
at
ϕ
= 1700 days) in rarified matter that contrasts with the modest velocity of the H
α
. We propose that the infrared flux originates from a toroidal-like structure of hydrogen surrounding the progenitor system, while later emission at other wavelengths (radio, X-ray) likely originates predominantly from the reverse shock in the ejecta and the forward shock in the quasi-spherical progenitor He-wind. We propose that the H
α
emission arises in the boundary layer between the ejecta and torus. We also consider the possible roles of a pulsar and a binary companion.
We present six epochs of spectropolarimetric observations and one epoch of spectroscopy of the Type Ib SN iPTF 13bvn. The epochs of these observations correspond to −10 to +61 d with respect to the ...r-band light-curve maximum. The continuum is intrinsically polarized to the 0.2–0.4 per cent level throughout the observations, implying asphericities of ∼10 per cent in the shape of the photosphere. We observe significant line polarization associated with the spectral features of Ca ii ir3, He i/Na i d, He i λλ6678, 7065, Fe ii λ4924 and O i λ7774. We propose that an absorption feature at ∼6200 Å, usually identified as Si ii λ6355, is most likely to be high-velocity H α at −16 400 km s−1. Two distinctly polarized components, separated in velocity, are detected for both He i/Na i d and Ca ii ir3 , indicating the presence of two discrete line-forming regions in the ejecta in both radial velocity space and in the plane of the sky. We use the polarization of He i λ5876 as a tracer of sources of non-thermal excitation in the ejecta; finding that the bulk of the radioactive nickel was constrained to lie interior to ∼50–65 per cent of the ejecta radius. The observed polarization is also discussed in the context of the possible progenitor system of iPTF 13bvn, with our observations favouring the explosion of a star with an extended, distorted envelope rather than a compact Wolf–Rayet star.
ABSTRACT
Some highly reddened Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) display low total-to-selective extinction ratios (RV ≲ 2) in comparison to that of typical Milky Way dust (RV ≈ 3.3), and polarization curves ...that rise steeply to blue wavelengths, with peak polarization values at short wavelengths ($\lambda _{\rm max} \lt 0.4\, \mu$m) in comparison to the typical Galactic values ($\lambda _{\rm max} \approx 0.55\, \mu$ m). Understanding the source of these properties could provide insight into the progenitor systems of SNe Ia. We aim to determine whether they are the result of the host galaxy’s interstellar dust or circumstellar dust. This is accomplished by analysing the continuum polarization of 66 SNe Ia in dust-rich spiral galaxies and 13 SNe Ia in dust-poor elliptical galaxies as a function of normalized galactocentric distance. We find that there is a general trend of SNe Ia in spiral galaxies displaying increased polarization values when located closer to the host galaxies’ centre, while SNe Ia in elliptical host galaxies display low polarization. Furthermore, all highly polarized SNe Ia in spiral host galaxies display polarization curves rising toward blue wavelengths, while no evidence of such polarization properties is shown in elliptical host galaxies. This indicates that the source of the peculiar polarization curves is likely the result of interstellar material as opposed to circumstellar material. The peculiar polarization and extinction properties observed toward some SNe Ia may be explained by the radiative torque disruption mechanism induced by the SN or the interstellar radiation field.
Abstract
High-velocity features (HVF) of Ca prior to B-band maximum light are a ubiquitous property of Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia), but the origin of this high-velocity material is unknown. It may ...result from ejection of material during the explosion, detonation of material on the surface prior to the supernova or interaction with a companion or material in the nearby environment. Here, we introduce the methods we use to simulate the interaction of SN Ia ejecta with a shell of material surrounding the progenitor at a distance of less than 1 R⊙. Assuming free expansion, constant ion state and excitation temperature, we generate synthetic spectra from the data showing the effect of equation of state, explosion model, and the width, initial density profile and mass of the shell on the appearance and temporal evolution of the Ca ii near-infrared triplet (CaNIR). The Ca abundance of the shell is taken to be a free parameter. We compare the evolution of the pseudo-equivalent width (pEW) of the CaNIR feature resulting from these models to observational results from Silverman et al. We find that the mass of the shell must be less than 0.012 ± 0.004 M⊙. We discuss potential ambiguities in observational methods of determining the pEW of the HVF.
The very nearby Type Ia supernova 2014J in M82 offers a rare opportunity to study the physics of thermonuclear supernovae at extremely late phases ( 800 days). Using the Hubble Space Telescope, we ...obtained 6 epochs of high-precision photometry for SN 2014J from 277 days to 1181 days past the B-band maximum light. The reprocessing of electrons and X-rays emitted by the radioactive decay chain is needed to explain the significant flattening of both the F606W-band and the pseudo-bolometric light curves. The flattening confirms previous predictions that the late-time evolution of type Ia supernova luminosities requires additional energy input from the decay of 57Co. By assuming the F606W-band luminosity scales with the bolometric luminosity at ∼500 days after the B-band maximum light, a mass ratio is required. This mass ratio is roughly ∼3 times the solar ratio and favors a progenitor white dwarf with a mass near the Chandrasekhar limit. A similar fit using the constructed pseudo-bolometric luminosity gives a mass ratio . Astrometric tests based on the multi-epoch HST ACS/WFC images reveal no significant circumstellar light echoes in between 0.3 and 100 pc from the supernova.
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