SN 2009ip: CONSTRAINTS ON THE PROGENITOR MASS-LOSS RATE

Some supernovae (SNe) show evidence for mass-loss events taking place prior to their explosions. Measuring their pre-outburst mass-loss rates provides essential information regarding the mechanisms that are responsible for these events. Here we present XMM-Newton and Swift X-ray observations taken a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal 2013-05, Vol.768 (1), p.1-8
Main Authors: Ofek, E O, Lin, L, Kouveliotou, C, Younes, G, GOGUS, E, Kasliwal, M M, Cao, Y
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ABSORPTION
ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
DENSITY
EFFECTIVE MASS
Estimates
EXPLOSIONS
LOSSES
LUMINOSITY
MASS TRANSFER
MATTER
Outbursts
Progenitors (astrophysics)
SPECTRA
STELLAR WINDS
SUPERNOVAE
Supernovas
VELOCITY
X RADIATION
X-rays
XMM (spacecraft)
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Summary:Some supernovae (SNe) show evidence for mass-loss events taking place prior to their explosions. Measuring their pre-outburst mass-loss rates provides essential information regarding the mechanisms that are responsible for these events. Here we present XMM-Newton and Swift X-ray observations taken after the latest, and presumably the final, outburst of SN 2009ip. We use these observations as well as new near-infrared and visible-light spectra and published radio and visible-light observations to put six independent order-of-magnitude constraints on the mass-loss rate of the SN progenitor prior to the explosion. Our methods utilize the X-ray luminosity, the bound-free absorption, the H alpha luminosity, the SN rise time, free-free absorption, and the bolometric luminosity of the outburst detected prior to the explosion. Assuming spherical mass loss with a wind-density profile, we estimate that the effective mass-loss rate from the progenitor was between 10 super(-3) and 10 super(-2) M sub([middot in circle]) yr super(-1), over a few years prior to the explosion, with a velocity of ~10 super(3) km s super(-1). This mass-loss rate corresponds to a total circumstellar matter (CSM) mass of ~0.04 M sub([middot in circle]), within 6 x 10 super(15) cm of the SN. We note that the mass-loss rate estimate based on the H alpha luminosity is higher by an order of magnitude. This can be explained if the narrow-line H alpha component is generated at radii larger than the shock radius, or if the CSM has an aspherical geometry. We discuss simple geometries which are consistent with our results.
ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1088/0004-637X/768/1/47