Excavating the Explosion and Progenitor Properties of Type IIP Supernovae via Modelling of their Optical Lightcurves. (arXiv:1906.07311v1 [astro-ph.HE])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Ricks_W/0/1/0/all/0/1">Wilson Ricks</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Dwarkadas_V/0/1/0/all/0/1">Vikram V. Dwarkadas</a> (Univ of Chicago)

The progenitors of Type IIP supernovae (SNe) are known to be red supergiants,
but their properties are not well determined. We employ hydrodynamical
modelling to investigate the explosion characteristics of eight Type IIP
supernovae, and the properties of their progenitor stars. We create
evolutionary models using the {sc MESA} stellar evolution code, explode these
models, and simulate the optical lightcurves using the {sc STELLA} code. We
fit the optical lightcurves, Fe II 5169AA velocity, and photospheric
velocity, to the observational data. Recent research has suggested that the
progenitors of Type IIP SNe have a zero age main sequence (ZAMS) mass not
exceeding $sim18$ M$_{odot}$. Our fits give a progenitor ZAMS mass $leq18$
M$_{odot}$ for seven of the supernovae. Where previous progenitor mass
estimates exist, from various sources such as hydrodynamical modelling,
multi-wavelength observations, or semi-analytic calculations, our modelling
generally tends towards the lower mass values. This result is in contrast to
results from previous hydrodynamical modelling, but is consistent with those
obtained using general-relativistic radiation-hydrodynamical codes. We do find
that one event, SN 2015ba, has a progenitor whose mass is closer to 24
M$_{odot}$ , although we are unable to fit it well. We also derive the amount
of $^{56}$Ni required to reproduce the tail of the lightcurve, and find values
generally larger than previous estimates. Overall, we find that it is difficult
to characterize the explosion by a single parameter, and that a range of
parameters is needed.

The progenitors of Type IIP supernovae (SNe) are known to be red supergiants,
but their properties are not well determined. We employ hydrodynamical
modelling to investigate the explosion characteristics of eight Type IIP
supernovae, and the properties of their progenitor stars. We create
evolutionary models using the {sc MESA} stellar evolution code, explode these
models, and simulate the optical lightcurves using the {sc STELLA} code. We
fit the optical lightcurves, Fe II 5169AA velocity, and photospheric
velocity, to the observational data. Recent research has suggested that the
progenitors of Type IIP SNe have a zero age main sequence (ZAMS) mass not
exceeding $sim18$ M$_{odot}$. Our fits give a progenitor ZAMS mass $leq18$
M$_{odot}$ for seven of the supernovae. Where previous progenitor mass
estimates exist, from various sources such as hydrodynamical modelling,
multi-wavelength observations, or semi-analytic calculations, our modelling
generally tends towards the lower mass values. This result is in contrast to
results from previous hydrodynamical modelling, but is consistent with those
obtained using general-relativistic radiation-hydrodynamical codes. We do find
that one event, SN 2015ba, has a progenitor whose mass is closer to 24
M$_{odot}$ , although we are unable to fit it well. We also derive the amount
of $^{56}$Ni required to reproduce the tail of the lightcurve, and find values
generally larger than previous estimates. Overall, we find that it is difficult
to characterize the explosion by a single parameter, and that a range of
parameters is needed.

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