Evidence for Sub-Chandrasekhar Mass Type Ia Supernovae from an Extensive Survey of Radiative Transfer Models
Abstract
There exists two classes of viable progenitors for normal Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia): systems in which a white dwarf explodes at the Chandrasekhar mass ($${M}_{\mathrm{ch}}$$), and systems in which a white dwarf explodes below the Chandrasekhar mass (sub-$${M}_{\mathrm{ch}}$$). It is not clear which of these channels is dominant; observations and light-curve modeling have provided evidence for both. In this work we use an extensive grid of 4500 time-dependent, multiwavelength radiation transport simulations to show that the sub-$${M}_{\mathrm{ch}}$$ model can reproduce the entirety of the width–luminosity relation, while the $${M}_{\mathrm{ch}}$$ model can only produce the brighter events $$(0.8\lt {\rm{\Delta }}{M}_{15}(B)\lt 1.55)$$, implying that fast-declining SNe Ia come from sub-$${M}_{\mathrm{ch}}$$ explosions. We do not assume a particular theoretical paradigm for the progenitor or explosion mechanism, but instead construct parameterized models that vary the mass, kinetic energy, and compositional structure of the ejecta, thereby realizing a broad range of possible outcomes of white dwarf explosions. We provide fitting functions based on our large grid of detailed simulations that map observable properties of SNe Ia, such as peak brightness and light-curve width, to physical parameters such as $${}^{56}\mathrm{Ni}$$ and total ejected mass. These can be used to estimate the physical properties of observedmore »
- Authors:
-
- Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1524170
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231; SC0017616; SC0018297
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal. Letters (Online)
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 852; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-8213
- Publisher:
- Institute of Physics (IOP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
Citation Formats
Goldstein, Daniel A., and Kasen, Daniel. Evidence for Sub-Chandrasekhar Mass Type Ia Supernovae from an Extensive Survey of Radiative Transfer Models. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aaa409.
Goldstein, Daniel A., & Kasen, Daniel. Evidence for Sub-Chandrasekhar Mass Type Ia Supernovae from an Extensive Survey of Radiative Transfer Models. United States. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aaa409
Goldstein, Daniel A., and Kasen, Daniel. 2018.
"Evidence for Sub-Chandrasekhar Mass Type Ia Supernovae from an Extensive Survey of Radiative Transfer Models". United States. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aaa409. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1524170.
@article{osti_1524170,
title = {Evidence for Sub-Chandrasekhar Mass Type Ia Supernovae from an Extensive Survey of Radiative Transfer Models},
author = {Goldstein, Daniel A. and Kasen, Daniel},
abstractNote = {There exists two classes of viable progenitors for normal Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia): systems in which a white dwarf explodes at the Chandrasekhar mass (${M}_{\mathrm{ch}}$), and systems in which a white dwarf explodes below the Chandrasekhar mass (sub-${M}_{\mathrm{ch}}$). It is not clear which of these channels is dominant; observations and light-curve modeling have provided evidence for both. In this work we use an extensive grid of 4500 time-dependent, multiwavelength radiation transport simulations to show that the sub-${M}_{\mathrm{ch}}$ model can reproduce the entirety of the width–luminosity relation, while the ${M}_{\mathrm{ch}}$ model can only produce the brighter events $(0.8\lt {\rm{\Delta }}{M}_{15}(B)\lt 1.55)$, implying that fast-declining SNe Ia come from sub-${M}_{\mathrm{ch}}$ explosions. We do not assume a particular theoretical paradigm for the progenitor or explosion mechanism, but instead construct parameterized models that vary the mass, kinetic energy, and compositional structure of the ejecta, thereby realizing a broad range of possible outcomes of white dwarf explosions. We provide fitting functions based on our large grid of detailed simulations that map observable properties of SNe Ia, such as peak brightness and light-curve width, to physical parameters such as ${}^{56}\mathrm{Ni}$ and total ejected mass. These can be used to estimate the physical properties of observed SNe Ia.},
doi = {10.3847/2041-8213/aaa409},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1524170},
journal = {The Astrophysical Journal. Letters (Online)},
issn = {2041-8213},
number = 2,
volume = 852,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 12 00:00:00 EST 2018},
month = {Fri Jan 12 00:00:00 EST 2018}
}
Web of Science
Figures / Tables:
Works referenced in this record:
Type I supernovae. I - Analytic solutions for the early part of the light curve
journal, February 1982
- Arnett, W. D.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 253
Faint Thermonuclear Supernovae from AM Canum Venaticorum Binaries
journal, June 2007
- Bildsten, Lars; Shen, Ken J.; Weinberg, Nevin N.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 662, Issue 2
Theoretical light curves for deflagration models of type Ia supernova
journal, June 2006
- Blinnikov, S. I.; Röpke, F. K.; Sorokina, E. I.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 453, Issue 1
The detonation of a sub-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf at the origin of the low-luminosity Type Ia supernova 1999by
journal, November 2017
- Blondin, Stéphane; Dessart, Luc; Hillier, D. John
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 474, Issue 3
One-dimensional delayed-detonation models of Type Ia supernovae: confrontation to observations at bolometric maximum
journal, December 2012
- Blondin, Stéphane; Dessart, Luc; Hillier, D. John
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 429, Issue 3
Evidence for sub-Chandrasekhar-mass progenitors of Type Ia supernovae at the faint end of the width–luminosity relation
journal, June 2017
- Blondin, Stéphane; Dessart, Luc; Hillier, D. John
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 470, Issue 1
A COMPACT DEGENERATE PRIMARY-STAR PROGENITOR OF SN 2011fe
journal, December 2011
- Bloom, Joshua S.; Kasen, Daniel; Shen, Ken J.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 744, Issue 2
How Do Type Ia Supernova Nebular Spectra Depend on Explosion Properties? Insights from Systematic Non-LTE Modeling
journal, August 2017
- Botyánszki, János; Kasen, Daniel
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 845, Issue 2
Critical ingredients of Type Ia supernova radiative-transfer modelling
journal, May 2014
- Dessart, Luc; Hillier, D. John; Blondin, Stéphane
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 441, Issue 4
Two classes of fast-declining Type Ia supernovae
journal, June 2017
- Dhawan, Suhail; Leibundgut, B.; Spyromilio, J.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 602
Double-detonation sub-Chandrasekhar supernovae: can minimum helium shell masses detonate the core?
journal, May 2010
- Fink, M.; Röpke, F. K.; Hillebrandt, W.
- Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 514
An upper limit on the contribution of accreting white dwarfs to the type Ia supernova rate
journal, February 2010
- Gilfanov, Marat; Bogdán, Ákos
- Nature, Vol. 463, Issue 7283
Surface Detonations in Double Degenerate Binary Systems Triggered by Accretion Stream Instabilities
journal, January 2010
- Guillochon, James; Dan, Marius; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 709, Issue 1
Spectral Sequences of Type Ia Supernovae. I. Connecting Normal and Subluminous SNe Ia and the Presence of Unburned Carbon
journal, August 2017
- Heringer, E.; Kerkwijk, M. H. van; Sim, S. A.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 846, Issue 1
Type Ia Supernova Explosion Models
journal, September 2000
- Hillebrandt, Wolfgang; Niemeyer, Jens C.
- Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 38, Issue 1
Light and Color Curve Properties of Type Ia Supernovae: Theory Versus Observations
journal, August 2017
- Hoeflich, P.; Hsiao, E. Y.; Ashall, C.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 846, Issue 1
Signature of Electron Capture in Iron‐rich Ejecta of SN 2003du
journal, December 2004
- Hoflich, Peter; Gerardy, Christopher L.; Nomoto, Ken’ichi
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 617, Issue 2
Theoretical light curves of type Ia supernovae
journal, March 2011
- Jack, D.; Hauschildt, P. H.; Baron, E.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 528
Secondary Maximum in the Near‐Infrared Light Curves of Type Ia Supernovae
journal, October 2006
- Kasen, Daniel
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 649, Issue 2
Seeing the Collision of a Supernova with its Companion star
journal, December 2009
- Kasen, Daniel
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 708, Issue 2
Time‐dependent Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer Calculations for Three‐dimensional Supernova Spectra, Light Curves, and Polarization
journal, November 2006
- Kasen, Daniel; Thomas, R. C.; Nugent, P.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 651, Issue 1
Successive detonations in accreting white dwarfs as an alternative mechanism for type I supernovae
journal, May 1990
- Livne, Eli
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 354
An asymmetric explosion as the origin of spectral evolution diversity in type Ia supernovae
journal, July 2010
- Maeda, K.; Benetti, S.; Stritzinger, M.
- Nature, Vol. 466, Issue 7302
Observational Clues to the Progenitors of Type Ia Supernovae
journal, August 2014
- Maoz, Dan; Mannucci, Filippo; Nelemans, Gijs
- Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 52, Issue 1
Accreting white dwarf models for type 1 supernovae. II - Off-center detonation supernovae
journal, June 1982
- Nomoto, K.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 257
Supernova SN 2011fe from an exploding carbon–oxygen white dwarf star
journal, December 2011
- Nugent, Peter E.; Sullivan, Mark; Cenko, S. Bradley
- Nature, Vol. 480, Issue 7377
Spectrophotometric time series of SN 2011fe from the Nearby Supernova Factory
journal, June 2013
- Pereira, R.; Thomas, R. C.; Aldering, G.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 554
The absolute magnitudes of Type IA supernovae
journal, August 1993
- Phillips, M. M.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 413
The Reddening-Free Decline Rate Versus Luminosity Relationship for Type [CLC]Ia[/CLC] Supernovae
journal, October 1999
- Phillips, M. M.; Lira, Paulina; Suntzeff, Nicholas B.
- The Astronomical Journal, Vol. 118, Issue 4
The Physics of Type Ia Supernova Light Curves. I. Analytic Results and Time Dependence
journal, February 2000
- Pinto, Philip A.; Eastman, Ronald G.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 530, Issue 2
The Physics of Type Ia Supernova Light Curves. II. Opacity and Diffusion
journal, February 2000
- Pinto, Philip A.; Eastman, Ronald G.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 530, Issue 2
Monte Carlo Radiation-Hydrodynamics with Implicit Methods
journal, March 2015
- Roth, Nathaniel; Kasen, Daniel
- The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Vol. 217, Issue 1
Type Ia supernova bolometric light curves and ejected mass estimates from the Nearby Supernova Factory
journal, March 2014
- Scalzo, R.; Aldering, G.; Antilogus, P.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 440, Issue 2
NEARBY SUPERNOVA FACTORY OBSERVATIONS OF SN 2007if: FIRST TOTAL MASS MEASUREMENT OF A SUPER-CHANDRASEKHAR-MASS PROGENITOR
journal, March 2010
- Scalzo, R. A.; Aldering, G.; Antilogus, P.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 713, Issue 2
The ejected mass distribution of Type Ia supernovae: a significant rate of non-Chandrasekhar-mass progenitors
journal, October 2014
- Scalzo, R. A.; Ruiter, A. J.; Sim, S. A.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 445, Issue 3
Three-dimensional delayed-detonation models with nucleosynthesis for Type Ia supernovae
journal, December 2012
- Seitenzahl, Ivo R.; Ciaraldi-Schoolmann, Franco; Röpke, Friedrich K.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 429, Issue 2
TYPE Ia SINGLE DEGENERATE SURVIVORS MUST BE OVERLUMINOUS
journal, February 2013
- Shappee, Benjamin J.; Kochanek, C. S.; Stanek, K. Z.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 765, Issue 2
Unstable Helium Shell Burning on Accreting White Dwarfs
journal, June 2009
- Shen, Ken J.; Bildsten, Lars
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 699, Issue 2
TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE STRONGLY INTERACTING WITH THEIR CIRCUMSTELLAR MEDIUM
journal, June 2013
- Silverman, Jeffrey M.; Nugent, Peter E.; Gal-Yam, Avishay
- The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Vol. 207, Issue 1
Detonations in Sub-Chandrasekhar-Mass c+o White Dwarfs
journal, April 2010
- Sim, S. A.; Röpke, F. K.; Hillebrandt, W.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 714, Issue 1
Synthetic light curves and spectra for three-dimensional delayed-detonation models of Type Ia supernovae
journal, September 2013
- Sim, S. A.; Seitenzahl, I. R.; Kromer, M.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 436, Issue 1
Constraints on the progenitor systems of type Ia supernovae
journal, April 2006
- Stritzinger, M.; Leibundgut, B.; Walch, S.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 450, Issue 1
The underluminous Type Ia supernova 2005bl and the class of objects similar to SN 1991bg★: SN 2005bl
journal, February 2008
- Taubenberger, S.; Hachinger, S.; Pignata, G.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 385, Issue 1
Progenitors of type Ia supernovae
journal, June 2012
- Wang, Bo; Han, Zhanwen
- New Astronomy Reviews, Vol. 56, Issue 4
Spectropolarimetry of Supernovae
journal, September 2008
- Wang, Lifan; Wheeler, J. Craig
- Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 46, Issue 1
Binaries and Supernovae of Type I
journal, December 1973
- Whelan, John; Iben, Icko, Jr.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 186
Sub-Chandrasekhar mass Models for Supernovae
journal, May 2011
- Woosley, S. E.; Kasen, Daniel
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 734, Issue 1
Type Ia Supernova Light Curves
journal, June 2007
- Woosley, S. E.; Kasen, D.; Blinnikov, S.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 662, Issue 1
Sub-Chandrasekhar mass models for Type IA supernovae
journal, March 1994
- Woosley, S. E.; Weaver, Thomas A.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 423
On the evolution of rapidly rotating massive white dwarfs towards supernovae or collapses
journal, May 2005
- Yoon, S. -C.; Langer, N.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 435, Issue 3
Unstable Helium Shell Burning on Accreting White Dwarfs
text, January 2009
- Shen, Ken J.; Bildsten, Lars
- arXiv
Surface Detonations in Double Degenerate Binary Systems Triggered by Accretion Stream Instabilities
text, January 2009
- Guillochon, James; Dan, Marius; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico
- arXiv
Double-detonation sub-Chandrasekhar supernovae: can minimum helium shell masses detonate the core?
text, January 2010
- Fink, M.; Roepke, F. K.; Hillebrandt, W.
- arXiv
An upper limit on the contribution of accreting white dwarfs to the type Ia supernova rate
text, January 2010
- Gilfanov, Marat; Bogdan, Akos
- arXiv
Nearby Supernova Factory Observations of SN 2007if: First Total Mass Measurement of a Super-Chandrasekhar-Mass Progenitor
text, January 2010
- Scalzo, R. A.; Aldering, G.; Antilogus, P.
- arXiv
An asymmetric explosion as the origin of spectral evolution diversity in type Ia supernovae
text, January 2010
- Maeda, K.; Benetti, S.; Stritzinger, M.
- arXiv
A Compact Degenerate Primary-Star Progenitor of SN 2011fe
text, January 2011
- Bloom, Joshua S.; Kasen, Daniel; Shen, Ken J.
- arXiv
Type Ia Single Degenerate Survivors Must Be Overluminous
text, January 2012
- Shappee, Benjamin J.; Kochanek, C. S.; Stanek, K. Z.
- arXiv
Synthetic light curves and spectra for three-dimensional delayed-detonation models of Type Ia supernovae
text, January 2013
- Sim, S. A.; Seitenzahl, I. R.; Kromer, M.
- arXiv
Observational clues to the progenitors of Type-Ia supernovae
text, January 2013
- Maoz, Dan; Mannucci, Filippo; Nelemans, Gijs
- arXiv
Monte Carlo Radiation Hydrodynamics with Implicit Methods
text, January 2014
- Roth, Nathaniel; Kasen, Daniel
- arXiv
Two classes of fast-declining type Ia supernovae
text, January 2017
- Dhawan, S.; Leibundgut, B.; Spyromilio, J.
- arXiv
How do Type Ia Supernova Nebular Spectra Depend on Explosion Properties? Insights from Systematic non-LTE Modeling
text, January 2017
- Botyánszki, János; Kasen, Daniel
- arXiv
Signature of Electron Capture in Iron-Rich Ejecta of SN 2003du
text, January 2004
- Hoeflich, Peter; Gerardy, Christopher L.; Nomoto, Kenichi
- arXiv
On the evolution of rapidly rotating massive white dwarfs towards supernovae or collapses
text, January 2005
- Yoon, Sung-Chul; Langer, Norbert
- arXiv
Theoretical light curves for deflagration models of Type Ia supernova
text, January 2006
- Blinnikov, S. I.; Roepke, F. K.; Sorokina, E. I.
- arXiv
Type Ia Supernova Light Curves
text, January 2006
- Woosley, S. E.; Kasen, Daniel; Blinnikov, S.
- arXiv
Works referencing / citing this record:
Nucleosynthesis in Supernovae
journal, March 2018
- Thielemann, Friedrich-Karl; Isern, Jordi; Perego, Albino
- Space Science Reviews, Vol. 214, Issue 3
Mass-accreting white dwarfs and type Ia supernovae
journal, May 2018
- Wang, Bo
- Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 18, Issue 5
iPTF16abc and the population of Type Ia supernovae: comparing the photospheric, transitional, and nebular phases
journal, July 2018
- Dhawan, S.; Bulla, M.; Goobar, A.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 480, Issue 2
Probing type Ia supernova properties using bolometric light curves from the Carnegie Supernova Project and the CfA Supernova Group
journal, November 2018
- Scalzo, R. A.; Parent, E.; Burns, C.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 483, Issue 1
Constraining Type Ia supernova asymmetry with the gamma-ray escape time-scale
journal, May 2019
- Levanon, Naveh; Soker, Noam
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 486, Issue 4
ASASSN-18tb: a most unusual Type Ia supernova observed by TESS and SALT
journal, May 2019
- Vallely, P. J.; Fausnaugh, M.; Jha, S. W.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 487, Issue 2
Linear spectropolarimetry of 35 Type Ia supernovae with VLT/FORS: an analysis of the Si ii line polarization
journal, August 2019
- Cikota, Aleksandar; Patat, Ferdinando; Wang, Lifan
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 490, Issue 1
Common envelope to explosion delay time of Type Ia supernovae
journal, October 2019
- Soker, Noam
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 490, Issue 2
The radial distribution of supernovae compared to star formation tracers
journal, November 2019
- Audcent-Ross, Fiona M.; Meurer, Gerhardt R.; Audcent, James R.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 492, Issue 1
Characterizing the secondary maximum in the r -band for Type Ia supernovae: diagnostic for the ejecta mass
journal, March 2019
- Papadogiannakis, Seméli; Dhawan, Suhail; Morosin, Roberta
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 485, Issue 2
A unified mechanism for unconfined deflagration-to-detonation transition in terrestrial chemical systems and type Ia supernovae
journal, October 2019
- Poludnenko, Alexei Y.; Chambers, Jessica; Ahmed, Kareem
- Science, Vol. 366, Issue 6465
Chandrasekhar and Sub-Chandrasekhar Models for the X-Ray Emission of Type Ia Supernova Remnants. I. Bulk Properties
journal, October 2018
- Martínez-Rodríguez, Héctor; Badenes, Carles; Lee, Shiu-Hang
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 865, Issue 2
Observational Predictions for Sub-Chandrasekhar Mass Explosions: Further Evidence for Multiple Progenitor Systems for Type Ia Supernovae
journal, March 2019
- Polin, Abigail; Nugent, Peter; Kasen, Daniel
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 873, Issue 1
Evidence for Sub-Chandrasekhar Type Ia Supernovae from Stellar Abundances in Dwarf Galaxies
journal, August 2019
- Kirby, Evan N.; Xie, Justin L.; Guo, Rachel
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 881, Issue 1
iPTF16abc and the population of Type Ia supernovae: Comparing the photospheric, transitional and nebular phases
text, January 2018
- Dhawan, S.; Bulla, M.; Goobar, A.
- arXiv
Probing type Ia supernova properties using bolometric light curves from the Carnegie Supernova Project and the CfA Supernova Group
text, January 2018
- Scalzo, Richard A.; Parent, Emilie; Burns, Christopher
- arXiv
Constraining Type Ia Supernova Asymmetry with the Gamma-Ray Escape Timescale
text, January 2019
- Levanon, Naveh; Soker, Noam
- arXiv
ASASSN-18tb: A Most Unusual Type Ia Supernova Observed by TESS and SALT
text, January 2019
- Vallely, P. J.; Fausnaugh, M.; Jha, S. W.
- arXiv
Linear spectropolarimetry of 35 Type Ia Supernovae with VLT/FORS: An analysis of the Si II line polarization
text, January 2019
- Cikota, Aleksandar; Patat, Ferdinando; Wang, Lifan
- arXiv
The radial distribution of supernovae compared to star formation tracers
text, January 2019
- Audcent-Ross, Fiona M.; Meurer, Gerhardt R.; Audcent, James R.
- arXiv
Figures / Tables found in this record: