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Published January 10, 2015 | Submitted + Published
Journal Article Open

On the Progenitor System of the Type Iax Supernova 2014dt in M61

Abstract

We present pre-explosion and post-explosion Hubble Space Telescope images of the Type Iax supernova (SN Iax) 2014dt in M61. After astrometrically aligning these images, we do not detect any stellar sources at the position of the SN in the pre-explosion images to relatively deep limits (3σ limits of M_F438W > –5.0 mag and M_F814W > –5.9 mag). These limits are similar to the luminosity of SN 2012Z's progenitor system (M F435W = –5.43 ± 0.15 and M_F814W = –5.24 ± 0.16 mag), the only probable detected progenitor system in pre-explosion images of a SN Iax, and indeed, of any white-dwarf supernova. SN 2014dt is consistent with having a C/O white-dwarf primary/helium-star companion progenitor system, as was suggested for SN 2012Z, although perhaps with a slightly smaller or hotter donor. The data are also consistent with SN 2014dt having a low-mass red giant or main-sequence star companion. The data rule out main-sequence stars with M_init ≳ 16 M_☉ and most evolved stars with M_init ≳ 8 M_☉ as being the progenitor of SN 2014dt. Hot Wolf-Rayet stars are also allowed, but the lack of nearby bright sources makes this scenario unlikely. Because of its proximity (D = 12 Mpc), SN 2014dt is ideal for long-term monitoring, where images in ~2 yr may detect the companion star or the luminous bound remnant of the progenitor white dwarf.

Additional Information

© 2015 The American Astronomical Society. Received 1 December 2014; accepted for publication 16 December 2014; published 31 December 2014. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5–26555. These observations are associated with and funded through program GO-13683. Data were obtained through the Hubble Legacy Archive, which is a collaboration between STScI/NASA, the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility (ST-ECF/ESA), and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC/NRC/CSA). SN Iax research at the University of Illinois is supported in part through NASA/HST grant GO–12999.01. This research at Rutgers University was supported through NASA/HST grant GO–12913.01 and National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award AST–0847157 to S.W.J. A.A.M. acknowledges support for this work by NASA from Hubble Fellowship grant HST–HF–51325.01, awarded by STScI. A.V.F.'s group at U.C. Berkeley is supported by the Christopher R. Redlich Fund, the TABASGO Foundation, and NSF grant AST–1211916. Facility: HST (WFPC2, WFC3) - Hubble Space Telescope satellite, Shane (Kast) - Lick Observatory's 3m Shane Telescope

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Published - 2041-8205_798_2_L37.pdf

Submitted - 1412.1088v1.pdf

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Created:
August 22, 2023
Modified:
October 20, 2023