A progenitor binary and an ejected mass donor remnant of faint type Ia supernovae

Geier S, Marsh TR, Wang B, Dunlap B, Barlow BN, Schaffenroth V, Chen X, Irrgang A, Maxted PFL, Ziegerer E, Kupfer T, Miszalski B, Heber U, Han Z, Shporer A, Telting JH, Gaensicke BT, Ostensen RH, O'Toole SJ, Napiwotzki R (2013)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2013

Journal

Book Volume: 554

Article Number: A54

DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201321395

Abstract

Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) are the most important standard candles for measuring the expansion history of the universe. The thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf can explain their observed properties, but neither the progenitor systems nor any stellar remnants have been conclusively identified. Underluminous SN Ia have been proposed to originate from a so-called double-detonation of a white dwarf. After a critical amount of helium is deposited on the surface through accretion from a close companion, the helium is ignited causing a detonation wave that triggers the explosion of the white dwarf itself. We have discovered both shallow transits and eclipses in the tight binary system CD-30° 11223 composed of a carbon/oxygen white dwarf and a hot helium star, allowing us to determine its component masses and fundamental parameters. In the future the system will transfer mass from the helium star to the white dwarf. Modelling this process we find that the detonation in the accreted helium layer is sufficiently strong to trigger the explosion of the core. The helium star will then be ejected at such high velocity that it will escape the Galaxy. The predicted properties of this remnant are an excellent match to the so-called hypervelocity star US 708, a hot, helium-rich star moving at more than 750 km s^-1, sufficient for it to leave the Galaxy. The identification of both progenitor and remnant provides a consistent picture of the formation and evolution of underluminous SNIa. © 2013 ESO.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

European Southern Observatory (ESO) Germany (DE) University of Warwick United Kingdom (GB) Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) / 中国科学院 China (CN) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill United States (USA) (US) Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) United States (USA) (US) University of Keele United Kingdom (GB) Radboud University Nijmegen Netherlands (NL) South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) South Africa (ZA) Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT) United States (USA) (US) Roque de los Muchachos Observatory / Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (ORM) Spain (ES) Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) / Catholic University of Leuven Belgium (BE) Australian Astronomical Observatory Australia (AU) University of Hertfordshire United Kingdom (GB)

How to cite

APA:

Geier, S., Marsh, T.R., Wang, B., Dunlap, B., Barlow, B.N., Schaffenroth, V.,... Napiwotzki, R. (2013). A progenitor binary and an ejected mass donor remnant of faint type Ia supernovae. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 554. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201321395

MLA:

Geier, S., et al. "A progenitor binary and an ejected mass donor remnant of faint type Ia supernovae." Astronomy & Astrophysics 554 (2013).

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