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ABSTRACT We present a detailed modelling study of CD-30°11223 (CD-30), a hot subdwarf (sdB)-white dwarf (WD) binary identified as a double detonation supernova progenitor, using the open-source stellar evolution software MESA. We focus on implementing binary evolution models carefully tuned to match the observed characteristics of the system including log g and Teff. For the first time, we account for the structure of the hydrogen envelope throughout the modelling, and find that the inclusion of element diffusion is important for matching the observed radius and temperature. We investigate the two sdB mass solutions (0.47 and 0.54 M⊙) previously proposed for this system, strongly favouring the 0.47 M⊙ solution. The WD cooling age is compared against the sdB age using our models, which suggest an sdB likely older than the WD, contrary to the standard assumption for compact sdB-WD binaries. Subsequently, we propose a possible alternate formation channel for CD-30. We also perform binary evolution modelling of the system to study various aspects such as mass transfer, orbital period evolution, and luminosity evolution. Our models confirm CD-30 as a double detonation supernova progenitor, expected to explode ≈55 Myr from now. The WD accretes an ≈0.17 M⊙ thick helium shell that causes a detonation, leaving a 0.30 M⊙ sdB ejected at ≈750 km s−1. The final 15 Myr of the system are characterized by helium accretion which dominates the system luminosity, possibly resembling an AM CVn-type system.
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Discovery of a Double-detonation Thermonuclear Supernova Progenitor
Abstract We present the discovery of a new double-detonation progenitor system consisting of a hot subdwarf B (sdB) binary with a white dwarf companion with a P orb = 76.34179(2) minutes orbital period. Spectroscopic observations are consistent with an sdB star during helium core burning residing on the extreme horizontal branch. Chimera light curves are dominated by ellipsoidal deformation of the sdB star and a weak eclipse of the companion white dwarf. Combining spectroscopic and light curve fits, we find a low-mass sdB star, M sdB = 0.383 ± 0.028 M ⊙ with a massive white dwarf companion, M WD = 0.725 ± 0.026 M ⊙ . From the eclipses we find a blackbody temperature for the white dwarf of 26,800 K resulting in a cooling age of ≈25 Myr whereas our MESA model predicts an sdB age of ≈170 Myr. We conclude that the sdB formed first through stable mass transfer followed by a common envelope which led to the formation of the white dwarf companion ≈25 Myr ago. Using the MESA stellar evolutionary code we find that the sdB star will start mass transfer in ≈6 Myr and in ≈60 Myr the white dwarf will reach a total mass of 0.92 M ⊙ with a thick helium layer of 0.17 M ⊙ . This will lead to a detonation that will likely destroy the white dwarf in a peculiar thermonuclear supernova. PTF1 J2238+7430 is only the second confirmed candidate for a double-detonation thermonuclear supernova. Using both systems we estimate that at least ≈1% of white dwarf thermonuclear supernovae originate from sdB+WD binaries with thick helium layers, consistent with the small number of observed peculiar thermonuclear explosions.
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- PAR ID:
- 10321887
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters
- Volume:
- 925
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 2041-8205
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ac48f1
