No Arabic abstract
Several stars detected moving at velocities near to or exceeding the Galactic escape speed likely originated in the Milky Way disc. We quantitatively explore the `binary supernova scenario hypothesis, wherein these `hyper-runaway stars are ejected at large peculiar velocities when their close, massive binary companions undergo a core-collapse supernova and the binary is disrupted. We perform an extensive suite of binary population synthesis simulations evolving massive systems to determine the assumptions and parameters which most impact the ejection rate of fast stars. In a simulation tailored to eject fast stars, we find the most likely hyper-runaway star progenitor binary is composed of a massive ($sim$$30,mathrm{M_{odot}}$) primary and a $sim$$3-4,mathrm{M_{odot}}$ companion on an orbital period that shrinks to $lesssim$1 day prior to the core collapse following a common envelope phase. The black hole remnant formed from the primary must receive a natal kick $gtrsim$1000 $mathrm{km s^{-1}}$ to disrupt the binary and eject the companion at a large velocity. We compare the fast stars produced in these simulations to a contemporary census of early-type Milky Way hyper-runaway star candidates. We find that these rare objects may be produced in sufficient number only when poorly-constrained binary evolution parameters related to the strength of post-core collapse remnant natal kicks and common envelope efficiency are adjusted to values currently unsupported -- but not excluded -- by the literature. We discuss observational implications that may constrain the existence of these putative progenitor systems.
Over the last 15 years, the supernova community has endeavoured to identify progenitor stars of core-collapse supernovae in high resolution archival images of their galaxies.This review compiles results (from 1999 - 2013) in a distance limited sample and discusses the implications. The vast majority of the detections of progenitor stars are of type II-P, II-L or IIb with one type Ib progenitor system detected and many more upper limits for progenitors of Ibc supernovae (14). The data for these 45 supernovae progenitors illustrate a remarkable deficit of high luminosity stars above an apparent limit of Log L ~= 5.1 dex. For a typical Salpeter IMF, one would expect to have found 13 high luminosity and high mass progenitors. There is, possibly, only one object in this time and volume limited sample that is unambiguously high mass (the progenitor of SN2009ip). The possible biases due to the influence of circumstellar dust and sample selection methods are reviewed. It does not appear likely that these can explain the missing high mass progenitor stars. This review concludes that the observed populations of supernovae in the local Universe are not, on the whole, produced by high mass (M > ~18Msun) stars. Theoretical explosions of model stars also predict that black hole formation and failed supernovae tend to occur above M > ~18Msun. The models also suggest there are islands of explodability for stars in the 8-120Msun range. The observational constraints are quite consistent with the bulk of stars above M > ~18Msun collapsing to form black holes with no visible supernovae. (Abridged).
We study the spatial correlations between the H$alpha$ emission and different types of massive stars in two local galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Messier 33. We compare these to correlations derived for core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) in the literature to connect CCSNe of different types with the initial masses of their progenitors and to test the validity of progenitor mass estimates which use the pixel statistics method. We obtain samples of evolved massive stars in both galaxies from catalogues with good spatial coverage and/or completeness, and combine them with coordinates of main-sequence stars in the LMC from the SIMBAD database. We calculate the spatial correlation of stars of different classes and spectral types with H$alpha$ emission. We also investigate the effects of distance, noise and positional errors on the pixel statistics method. A higher correlation with H$alpha$ emission is found to correspond to a shorter stellar lifespan, and we conclude that the method can be used as an indicator of the ages, and therefore initial masses, of SN progenitors. We find that the spatial distributions of type II-P SNe and red supergiants of appropriate initial mass ($gtrsim$9 $M_{odot}$) are consistent with each other. We also find the distributions of type Ic SNe and WN stars with initial masses $gtrsim$20 $M_{odot}$ consistent, while supergiants with initial masses around 15 $M_{odot}$ are a better match for type IIb and II-L SNe. The type Ib distribution corresponds to the same stellar types as type II-P, which suggests an origin in interacting binaries. On the other hand, we find that luminous blue variable stars show a much stronger correlation with H$alpha$ emission than do type IIn SNe.
We present the discovery and follow-up observations of two CCSNe that occurred in the luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG), NGC3256. The first, SN2018ec, was discovered using the ESO HAWK-I/GRAAL adaptive optics seeing enhancer, and was classified as a Type Ic with a host galaxy extinction of $A_V=2.1^{+0.3}_{-0.1}$ mag. The second, AT2018cux, was discovered during the course of follow-up observations of SN2018ec, and is consistent with a sub-luminous Type IIP classification with an $A_V=2.1 pm 0.4$ mag of host extinction. A third CCSN, PSNJ10275082-4354034 in NGC3256, has previously been reported in 2014, and we recovered the source in late time archival HST imaging. Based on template light-curve fitting, we favour a Type IIn classification for it with modest host galaxy extinction of $A_V=0.3^{+0.4}_{-0.3}$ mag. We also extend our study with follow-up data of the recent Type IIb SN2019lqo and Type Ib SN2020fkb that occurred in the LIRG system Arp299 with host extinctions of $A_V=2.1^{+0.1}_{-0.3}$ and $A_V=0.4^{+0.1}_{-0.2}$ mag, respectively. Motivated by the above, we inspected, for the first time, a sample of 29 CCSNe located within a projected distance of 2.5 kpc from the host galaxy nuclei in a sample of 16 LIRGs. We find that, if star formation within these galaxies is modelled assuming a global starburst episode and normal IMF, there is evidence of a correlation between the starburst age and the CCSN subtype. We infer that the two subgroups of 14 H-poor (Type IIb/Ib/Ic/Ibn) and 15 H-rich (Type II/IIn) CCSNe have different underlying progenitor age distributions, with the H-poor progenitors being younger at 3$sigma$ significance. However, we do note that the available sample sizes of CCSNe and host LIRGs are so far small, and the statistical comparisons between subgroups do not take into account possible systematic or model errors related to the estimated starburst ages. (abridged)
Knowledge of the progenitors of core-collapse supernovae is a fundamental component in understanding the explosions. The recent progress in finding such stars is reviewed. The minimum initial mass that can produce a supernova has converged to 8 +/- 1 solar masses, from direct detections of red supergiant progenitors of II-P SNe and the most massive white dwarf progenitors, although this value is model dependent. It appears that most type Ibc supernovae arise from moderate mass interacting binaries. The highly energetic, broad-lined Ic supernovae are likely produced by massive, Wolf-Rayet progenitors. There is some evidence to suggest that the majority of massive stars above ~20 solar masses may collapse quietly to black-holes and that the explosions remain undetected. The recent discovery of a class of ultra-bright type II supernovae and the direct detection of some progenitor stars bearing luminous blue variable characteristics suggests some very massive stars do produce highly energetic explosions. The physical mechanism is open to debate and these SNe pose a challenge to stellar evolutionary theory.
The physics of core-collapse (CC) supernovae (SNe) and how the explosions depend on progenitor properties are central questions in astronomy. For only a handful of SNe, the progenitor star has been identified in pre-explosion images. Supernova remnants (SNRs), which are observed long after the original SN event, provide a unique opportunity to increase the number of progenitor measurements. Here, we systematically examine the stellar populations in the vicinities of 23 known SNRs in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) using the star formation history (SFH) maps of Harris & Zaritsky (2004). We combine the results with constraints on the SNR metal abundances and environment from X-ray and optical observations. We find that 22 SNRs in the SMC have local SFHs and properties consistent with a CC explosion, several of which are likely to have been high-mass progenitors. This result supports recent theoretical findings that high-mass progenitors can produce successful explosions. We estimate the mass distribution of the CC progenitors and find that this distribution is similar to a Salpeter IMF (within the uncertainties), while this result is shallower than the mass distribution found in M31 and M33 by Jennings et al. (2014) and D{i}az-Rodr{i}guez et al. (2018) using a similar approach. Additionally, we find that a number of the SMC SNRs exhibit a burst of star formation between 50-200 Myr ago. As these sources are likely CC, this signature may be indicative of massive stars undergoing delayed CC as a consequence of binary interaction, rapid rotation, or low metallicity. In addition, the lack of Type Ia SNRs in the SMC is possibly a result of the short visibility times of these sources as they may fall below the sensitivity limits of current radio observations.