Evidence for sub-Chandrasekhar Type Ia supernovae from the last major merger

Journal Article · 13 July 2021 · Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab1951 · OSTI ID:1811729

Sanders, Jason L.  ^[1]; Belokurov, Vasily  ^[2]; Man, Kai T. F. ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
2. Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Rise, Cambridge CB3 0HA, UK

ABSTRACT We investigate the contribution of sub-Chandrasekhar mass Type Ia supernovae to the chemical enrichment of the Gaia Sausage galaxy, the progenitor of a significant merger event in the early life of the Milky Way. Using a combination of data from Nissen & Schuster, the GALactic Archaeology with HERMES (GALAH) Data Release 3 [with 1D non-local thermal equilibrium (NLTE) abundance corrections], and the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) Data Release 16, we fit analytic chemical evolution models to a nine-dimensional chemical abundance space (Fe, Mg, Si, Ca, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, and Zn) in particular focusing on the iron-peak elements, Mn and Ni. We find that low [Mn/Fe] $$\sim -0.15\, \mathrm{dex}$$ and low [Ni/Fe] $$\sim -0.3\, \mathrm{dex}$$ Type Ia yields are required to explain the observed trends beyond the [α/Fe] knee of the Gaia Sausage (approximately at [Fe/H] $$=-1.4\, \mathrm{dex}$$). Comparison to theoretical yield calculations indicates a significant contribution from sub-Chandrasekhar mass Type Ia supernovae in this system (from $${\sim} 60\, \mathrm{per\, cent}$$ to $$100\, \mathrm{per\, cent}$$ depending on the theoretical model with an additional $${\pm} 10\, \mathrm{per\, cent}$$ systematic from NLTE corrections). We compare to results from other Local Group environments including dwarf spheroidal galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds, and the Milky Way’s bulge, finding the Type Ia [Mn/Fe] yield must be metallicity dependent. Our results suggest that sub-Chandrasekhar mass channels are a significant, perhaps even dominant, contribution to Type Ia supernovae in metal-poor systems, whilst more metal-rich systems could be explained by metallicity-dependent sub-Chandrasekhar mass yields, possibly with additional progenitor mass variation related to star formation history, or an increased contribution from Chandrasekhar mass channels at higher metallicity.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 1811729
• Journal Information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Journal Name: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 506; ISSN 0035-8711
• Publisher: Oxford University PressCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English