Supernova progenitor stars in the initial range of 23 to 33 solar masses and their relation with the SNR Cassiopeia A

Abstract

Context. Multi wavelength observations of Cassiopeia A (Cas A) have provided us with strong evidence of circumstellar material surrounding the progenitor star. It has been suggested that its progenitor was a massive star with strong mass loss. But, despite the large amount of observational data from optical, IR, radio, and x-ray observations, the identity of Cas A progenitor is still elusive. Aims. In this work, we computed stellar and circumstellar numerical models to look for the progenitor of Cas A. The models are compared with the observational constraints that come from chemical observed abundances and dynamical information. Methods. We first computed stellar evolution models to get time-dependent wind parameters and surface abundances using the code STERN. To explore the range of masses proposed by several previous works, we chose a set of probable progenitor stars with initial masses of 23, 28, 29, 30, and 33 M , with initial solar composition (Y = 0.28, Z = 0.02) and mass loss. The derived mass loss rates and wind terminal velocities are used as inner boundary conditions in the explicit, hydrodynamical code ZEUS-3D to simulate the evolution of the circumstellar medium. We simplified the calculations by using one-dimensional grids in the main sequence and red super-giant (RSG) stages, and two-dimensional grids for the post-RSG evolution and supernova (SN) blast wave. Results. Our stellar set gives distinct SN progenitors: RSG, luminous blue super giants (LBSGs), and Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars. We named these type of stars "luminous blue super giant" (LBSGs) to distinguish them from normal blue super giants (BSGs) of much lower initial masses. The 23 M star explodes as an RSG in a ρ ∼ r −2 dense, free-streaming wind surrounded by a thin, compressed, RSG shell. The 28 M star explodes as an LBSG, and the SN blast wave interacts with a low density, free streaming wind surrounded by an unstable and massive "RSG+LBSG" shell. Finally, the 30 and 33 M stars explode as WR stars surrounded by fast WR winds that terminate in a highly fragmented "WR+RSG shell". We compared the surface chemical abundances of our stellar models with the observational abundances in Cas A. The abundance analysis shows that the progenitor was a star with an initial mass of about 30 M , while the hydrodynamical analysis favors progenitors with initial masses around 23.

The dust mass in Cassiopeia A from a spatially resolvedHerschelanalysis

“…Given that the progenitor has been predicted to have had a mass of 23-30 M (Kifonidis et al 2001;Pérez-Rendón et al 2002;Young et al 2006;Pérez-Rendón et al 2009), the total ejecta mass could be larger than 4 M , with the missing gas mass in the form of clumped neutral gas, which might also harbour the detected cold dust in the ejecta. Alternatively, most of the initial stellar mass might have been lost by the progenitor prior to explosion with estimated values of the swept-up mass of ∼ 8 M up to possibly 20 M (Willingale et al 2003).…”

Wide-field Global VLBI and MERLIN combined monitoring of supernova remnants in M82

“…Modelling of the pre‐supernova circumstellar environment for RSGs indicates that there will be a region of RSG wind close to the progenitor with a density profile given by , reaching distances of a few parsec (van Marle, Langer & García‐Segura 2004; Dwarkadas 2005; Perez‐Rendon, Garcia‐Segura & Langer 2009). This will be followed by a lower, roughly constant density region, created by the fast main‐sequence wind driving a shocked shell into the surrounding medium.…”

Asymmetric supernova remnants generated by Galactic, massive runaway stars

“…Models of remnants developing in a pre-existing wind cavity are shown in Tenorio-Tagle et al (1990, and demonstrate that mixing of material happens in the former wind bubble. Multi-dimensional models of the formation of knots by wind-wind collision around Cassiopeia A are shown in Pérez-Rendón et al (2009) and the effects of this fragmented Wolf-Rayet shell on the rebrightening of young remnants is explored in van Veelen et al (2009). Supernova remnants developing through an edge of a dense region, e.g.…”