arXiv subjects

X. Meng

Publications and source records attributed to X. Meng.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

The single-degenerate channel for the progenitor of type Ia supernovae with different metallicities

The single-degenerate channel for the progenitors of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are currently accepted, in which a carbon-oxygen white dwarf (CO WD) accretes hydrogen-rich material from its companion, increases its mass to the Chandrasekhar mass limit, and then explodes as a SN Ia. Incorporating the prescription of \citet{HAC99a} for the accretion efficiency into Eggleton's stellar evolution code and assuming that the prescription is valid for \emph{all} metallicities, we performed binary stellar evolution calculations for more than 25,000 close WD binaries with metallicities $Z=0.06, 0.05, 0.04, 0.03, 0.02, 0.01, 0.004, 0.001, 0.0003$ and 0.0001. For our calculations, the companions are assumed to be unevolved or slightly evolved stars (WD + MS). As a result, the initial parameter spaces for SNe Ia at various $Z$ are presented in orbital period-secondary mass ($\log P_{\rm i}, M_{\rm 2}^{\rm i}$) planes. Our study shows that both the initial mass of the secondary and the initial orbital period increase with metallicity. Thus, the minimum mass of the CO WD for SNe Ia decreases with metallicity $Z$. The difference of the minimum mass may be as large as 0.24 $M_{\odot}$ for different Z. Adopting the results above, we studied the birth rate of SNe Ia for various $Z$ via a binary population synthesis approach. If a single starburst is assumed, SNe Ia occur systemically earlier and the peak value of the birth rate is larger for a high $Z$. The Galactic birth rate from the WD + MS channel is lower than (but comparable to) that inferred from observations. Our study indicates that supernovae like SN2002ic would not occur in extremely low-metallicity environments, if the delayed dynamical-instability model in \citet{HAN06} is appropriate.

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arXiv2009

Helium star donor channel for the progenitors of type Ia supernovae

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play an important role in astrophysics, especially in the study of cosmic evolution. There are several progenitor models for SNe Ia proposed in the past years. In this paper, we have carried out a detailed study of the He star donor channel, in which a carbon-oxygen white dwarf (CO WD) accretes material from a He main sequence star or a He subgiant to increase its mass to the Chandrasekhar mass. Employing Eggleton's stellar evolution code with an optically thick wind assumption, and adopting the prescription of Kato & Hachisu (2004) for the mass accumulation efficiency of the He-shell flashes onto the WDs, we performed binary evolution calculations for about 2600 close WD binary systems. According to these calculations, we mapped out the initial parameters for SNe Ia in the orbital period--secondary mass ($\log P^{\rm i}-M^{\rm i}_2$) plane for various WD masses from this channel. The study shows that the He star donor channel is noteworthy for producing SNe Ia (i.e. $\sim 1.2\times10^{-3} {\rm yr}^{-1}$ in the Galaxy), and that the progenitors from this channel may appear as supersoft X-ray sources. Importantly, this channel can explain SNe Ia with short delay times ($\la 10^{8}$ yr), which is consistent with recent observational implications of young populations of SN Ia progenitors.

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arXiv2008

Initial-Final Mass Relationship for Stars of Different Metallicities

Following Paczyński & Ziólkowski (1968) and Han et al. (1994), we assume that the envelope of an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) or a first giant branch (FGB) star is lost when the binding energy of the envelope is equal to zero ($ΔW=0$) and the core mass of the AGB star or the FGB star at the point ($ΔW=0$) is taken as the final mass. Using this assumption, we calculate the IFMRs for stars of different metallicities.We find that the IFMRs depends strongly on the metallicity, i.e. $Z=0.0001, 0.0003, 0.001, 0.004, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.08$ and 0.1. From $Z=0.04$, the final mass of the stars with a given initial mass increases with increasing or decreasing metallicity. The difference of the final mass due to the metallicity may be up to 0.4 $M_{\odot}$. A linear fit of the initial-final mass relationship in NGC 2099 (M37) shows a potential evidence of the effect of metallicity on the IFMR. The IFMR for stars of $Z=0.02$ obtained in the paper matches well with those inferred observationally in the Galaxy. For $Z\geq 0.02$, helium WDs are obtained from the stars of $M_{\rm i}\leq 1.0 M_{\odot}$ and this result is upheld by the discovery of numerous low-mass WDs in NGC 6791 which is a metal-rich old open cluster. Using the IFMR for stars of $Z=0.02$ obtained in the paper, we have reproduced the mass distribution of DA WDs in Sloan DR4 except for some ultra-massive white dwarfs. The trend that the mean mass of WDs decreases with effective temperature may originate from the increase of the initial metallicities of stars. We predict that metal-rich low-mass stars may become under-massive white dwarfs.

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arXiv2007

The Impact of Type Ia Supernova Explosions on their Companions in Binary System

Using a simple analytic method, we calculate the impact effect between the ejecta of a SN Ia and its companion to survey the influence of initial parameters of the progenitor's system, which is useful for searching the companion in a explosion remnant. The companion models are obtained from Eggleton's evolution code.The results are divided into two groups based on mass transfer stage. For a given condition, more hydrogen-rich material is stripped from the envelope of a Hertzsprung-gap companion than that of a main-sequence companion, while a larger kick velocity and a larger luminosity are gained for a main-sequence companion. The kick velocity is too low to significantly affect the final spatial velocity of the companion, which is mainly affected by the initial parameters of the progenitor systems. The spatial velocity of the stripped material has an upper limit within the range of 8000 - 9500 km/s, which only depends on the total kinetic energy of the explosion.The stripped mass, the ratio of the stripped mass to the companion mass and the kick velocity of the companion all significantly depend on the initial companion mass and orbital period. Our model may naturally explain the spatial velocity of the star G in the remnant of Tycho's supernova, while an energy-loss mechanism is needed to interpret its luminosity.

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arXiv2007

A giant outburst two years before the core-collapse of a massive star

The death of massive stars produces a variety of supernovae, which are linked to the structure of the exploding stars. The detection of several precursor stars of Type II supernovae have been reported, however we do not yet have direct information on the progenitors of the hydrogen deficient Type Ib and Ic supernovae. Here we report that the peculiar Type Ib supernova SN2006jc is spatially coincident with a bright optical transient that occurred in 2004. Spectroscopic and photometric monitoring of the supernova leads us to suggest that the progenitor was a carbon-oxygen Wolf-Rayet star embedded within a helium-rich circumstellar medium. There are different possible explanations for this pre-explosion transient. It appears similar to the giant outbursts of Luminous Blue Variables (LBV) of 60-100 solar mass stars, however the progenitor of SN2006jc was helium and hydrogen deficient. An LBV-like outburst of a Wolf-Rayet star could be invoked, but this would be the first observational evidence of such a phenomenon. Alternatively a massive binary system composed of an LBV which erupted in 2004, and a Wolf-Rayet star exploding as SN2006jc, could explain the observations.

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arXiv2007

Upper limits on the solar-neutron flux at the Yangbajing neutron monitor from BATSE-detected solar flares

The purpose of this work is to search the Yangbajing neutron monitor data obtained between 1998 October and 2000 June for solar neutrons associated with solar flares. Using the onset times of 166 BATSE-detected flares with the GOES peak flux (1 -- 8 Å) higher than $1.0 \times 10^{-5}$ $\mathrm{Wm^{-2}}$, we prepare for each flare a light curve of the Yangbajing neutron monitor, spanning $\pm$ 1.5 hours from the BATSE onset time. Based on the light curves, a systematic search for solar neutrons in energies above 100 MeV from the 166 flares was performed. No statistically significant signals due to solar neutrons were found in the present work. Therefore, we put upper limits on the $>$ 100 MeV solar-neutron flux for 18 events consisting of 2 X and 16 M class flares. The calculation assumed a power-law shaped neutron energy spectrum and three types of neutron emission profiles at the Sun. Compared with the other positive neutron detections associated with X-class flares, typical 95% confidence level upper limits for the two X-class flares are found to be comparable to the lowest and second lowest neutron fluxes at the top of the atmosphere.In addition, the upper limits for M-class flares scatter in the range of $10^{-2}$ to 1 neutrons $\mathrm{cm^{-2}s^{-1}}$. This provides the first upper limits on the solar-neutron flux from M-class solar flares, using space observatories as well as ground-based neutron monitors.

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