The progenitor and early evolution of the Type IIb SN 2016gkg


Abstract in English

We report initial observations and analysis on the Type IIb SN~2016gkg in the nearby galaxy NGC~613. SN~2016gkg exhibited a clear double-peaked light curve during its early evolution, as evidenced by our intensive photometric follow-up campaign. SN~2016gkg shows strong similarities with other Type IIb SNe, in particular with respect to the he~emission features observed in both the optical and near infrared. SN~2016gkg evolved faster than the prototypical Type~IIb SN~1993J, with a decline similar to that of SN~2011dh after the first peak. The analysis of archival {it Hubble Space Telescope} images indicate a pre-explosion source at SN~2016gkgs position, suggesting a progenitor star with a $sim$mid F spectral type and initial mass $15-20$msun, depending on the distance modulus adopted for NGC~613. Modeling the temperature evolution within $5,rm{days}$ of explosion, we obtain a progenitor radius of $sim,48-124$rsun, smaller than that obtained from the analysis of the pre-explosion images ($240-320$rsun).

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