arXiv subjects

Xiangcun Meng

Publications and source records attributed to Xiangcun Meng.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2024

The Red Supergiant Progenitor of the Type II Supernova 2024abfl

Linkage between core-collapse supernovae (SNe) and their progenitors is not fully understood and ongoing effort of searching and identifying the progenitors is needed. $\mathrm{SN\,2024abfl}$ is a recent Type II supernova exploded in the nearby star-bursting galaxy $\mathrm{NGC\,2146}$, which is also the host galaxy of $\mathrm{SN\,2018zd}$. From archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data, we have found a red source ($\mathrm{m_{F814W} \sim 25}$) near the location (angular distance $\leq 0.2"$) of $\mathrm{SN\,2024abfl}$ before its explosion. With F814W and F606W photometry, we found that the properties of this source matched a typical red supergiant (RSG) moderately reddened by interstellar dust at the distance of the host galaxy. We conclude that the $\mathrm{SN\,2024abfl}$ had an RSG progenitor with initial mass of $\mathrm{10M_{\odot}}$--$\mathrm{16\,M_{\odot}}$.

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arXiv2024

Irradiation-driven mass transfer for massive companion stars in supersoft X-rays sources

Supersoft X-ray sources (SSSs) have been proposed as one of the progenitors for Type Ia supernovae. However, the exact origin of the quasi-periodic variability in the optical light curve remains a mystery.In this work, our goal is to investigate the effect of the feedback of an evolved main-sequence companion star on X-ray irradiation and find whether periodic X-ray irradiation of the companion star could reproduce periodic mass transfer.Using the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) code, we modeled the evolutionary track of the companion star under the influence of supersoft X-ray irradiation, and we calculated the resulting mass transfer rate. We find that the supersoft X-ray heating of the companion star can result in the expansion of the companion, causing it to greatly overflow its Roche lobe and thereby increasing the mass transfer rate. The periodic X-ray irradiation on the companion stars leads to periodic changes in the mass transfer rate. For a given companion star, higher irradiation efficiencies result in a higher mass transfer rate. Additionally, the mass transfer rate increases as the mass of the companion star decreases for a given irradiation efficiency. The companion star undergoing thermal timescale mass transfer is periodically irradiated by the X-rays from the WD, which can lead to periodic enhancement of the mass transfer rate. The mechanism could be the origin of the quasi-periodic optical light curve in supersoft X-ray sources.

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arXiv2024

Irradiation effect and binary radio pulsars with giant companions

Pulsars are neutron stars that rotate rapidly. Most of the pulsars in binary systems tend to spin faster than those in isolation. According to binary evolution theory, radio pulsars in binary systems can have various types of companion stars. However, binary radio pulsars with giant stars, helium stars, and black holes as companions are lacking so far. We aim to investigate the possible parameter space of binary radio pulsars with giant companions. We used the MESA stellar evolution code to consider the effect of irradiation in binary evolution and evolved a series of binary models. We present the potential physical properties of binary radio pulsars with giant star companions in the framework of the classical recycling scenario and the irradiation model. We found that the parameter space of binary radio pulsars with giant companions can be greatly expanded by the effect of irradiation. Moreover, when irradiation is strong enough, submillisecond pulsars might be accompanied by giant companion stars. We also demonstrate a correlation between the timescale of the binary system as a low-mass X-ray binary and the irradiation efficiency. The birthrate problem between millisecond pulsars and low-mass X-ray binaries might not be resolved by the irradiation effect. A more detailed binary population synthesis is necessary. Our findings may offer guidance for observers that wish to locate binary radio pulsars with giant companions or submillisecond pulsars.

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arXiv2023

Effect of irradiation on the spin of millisecond pulsars

A millisecond pulsar (MSP) is an old neutron star (NS) that has accreted material from its companion star, causing it to spin up, which is known as the recycling scenario. During the mass transfer phase, the system manifests itself as an X-ray binary. PSR J1402+13 is an MSP with a spin period of $5.89~{\rm ms}$ and a spin period derivative of $\log\dot{P}_{\rm spin}=-16.32$. These properties make it a notable object within the pulsar population, as MSPs typically exhibit low spin period derivatives. In this paper, we aim to explain how an MSP can posses high spin period derivative by binary evolution. By utilizing the stellar evolution code \textsc{MESA}, we examine the effects of irradiation on the companion star and the propeller effect on the NS during binary evolution. We demonstrate that irradiation can modify the spin period and mass of an MSP, resulting in a higher spin period derivative. These results suggest that the irradiation effect may serve as a key factor in explaining MSPs with high spin period derivatives.

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arXiv2022

Hydrodynamical simulations for the common-envelope wind model for Type Ia supernovae

The single-degenerate (SD) model is one of the leading models for the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). Recently, a new version of the SD model, the common-envelope wind (CEW) model, has been proposed, which, in principle, has the potential to resolve most of the difficulties encountered by previous SD models. This model is still being developed and a number of open issues remain, such as the details of the mass-loss mechanism from the surface of the common envelope (CE), the main observational properties, and the spiral-in timescale of the binary inside the envelope. In this article, we aim to address these issues by considering hydrodynamical effects on the CE. Using the stellar evolution code MESA, we carried out a series of 1D hydrodynamical simulations of an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star undergoing a common-envelope phase with different envelope masses (0.0007-0.06 solar mass). We found that the envelopes are always dynamically unstable, leading to regular mass ejection events if the envelope is more massive than the critical value of ~ 0.003 solar mass. The kappa mechanism can naturally explain this phenomenon. We also found that, due to the low mass of the CE, the estimated frictional luminosity caused by the spiral-in of the immersed binary is much less than the nuclear luminosity, and therefore will not affect the structure of the CE significantly. Our results imply that the CE in the CEW model cannot be very massive. We also present a rough estimate for the spiral-in timescale based on a simplified model. We found that, for reasonable assumptions, the timescale may be longer than a few 100,000 yr; therefore, the white dwarf may have enough time to increase its mass toward the Chandrasekhar mass, avoiding a merger with the companion.

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arXiv2022

A robust model for the origin of optical quasi-periodic variability in supersoft X-ray sources

Supersoft X-ray sources (SSSs) are known as possible progenitors of Type Ia supernovae. The quasi-periodic variability has been detected in the optical light curves of SSSs. However, the exact origin of such quasi-periodic observable features remains a mystery. In this paper, we aim to reproduce the observed optical quasi-periodic variability of SSSs by proposing a white dwarf (WD) accretion model with a periodic mass transfer caused by the irradiation of supersoft X-ray onto the companion star. Methods. Assuming that a periodic mass transfer from the companion star to the WD can be caused while the supersoft X-ray irradiates the companion star, we used MESA to simulate the WD accretion process and the subsequent WD evolution by adopting a periodic jagged accretion rate. Comparing our results to the optical light curves of a well-observed SSS RX J0513.9-6951, we find that our models can reproduce the quasi-periodic transition between the optical high and low states of RX J0513.9-6951 because the periodic accretion rate can lead to the WD photosphere expands and contracts periodically in our models. In addition, we find that the transitional periods of the SSSs in our models strongly depend on the mass of the accreting WDs. The more massive the WD mass is, the shorter the transitional period. Based on our results, we suggest that the periodic mass transfer caused by the irradiation of supersoft X-ray onto the companion star may be the origin of the observed optical quasi-periodic variability in SSSs. In addition, our results indicate that the observed optical transition period of a SSS may be useful for the rough estimate of the mass of an accreting WD.

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arXiv2022

On the rotation properties of a post-explosion helium-star companion in Type Iax supernovae

Recent studies have suggested that type Iax supernovae (SNe Iax) are likely to result from a weak deflagration explosion of a Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf in a binary system with a helium (He)-star companion. Assuming that most SNe Iax are produced from this scenario, in this work we extend our previous work on the three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulation of ejecta-companion interaction by taking the orbital and spin velocities of the progenitor system into account. We then follow the post-impact evolution of a surviving He-star companion by using the one-dimensional stellar evolution code \textsc{MESA}. We aim to investigate the post-explosion rotation properties of a He-star companion in SNe Iax. We find that the He-star companion spins down after the impact due to the angular-momentum loss and expansion caused by the mass-stripping and shock heating during the interaction. This leads to the situation where the surface rotational speed of the surviving companion can drop to one-third of its pre-explosion value when it expands to a maximum radius a few years after the impact. Subsequently, the star shrinks and spins up again once the deposited energy is released. This spin-switching feature of the surviving He-star companions of SNe Iax may be useful for the identification of such objects in future observations.

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arXiv2021

Hot subdwarfs from the surviving companions of the white dwarf + main-sequence channel of Type Ia supernovae

Some surviving companions of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the white-dwarf + main-sequence (WD + MS) channel may evolve to hot subdwarfs. In this paper, we preformed stellar evolution calculations for surviving companions of close WD + MS systems in the spin-up/spin-down model and the canonical non-rotating model to map out the initial parameter spaces in the orbital period - secondary mass plane in which the surviving companions can evolve to hot subdwarfs. Based on these results, we carried out a series of binary population synthesis calculation to obtain the Galactic birth rate of the hot subdwarfs from the WD + MS channel, which is $2.3-6\times10^{\rm -4}\,{\rm yr}^{\rm -1}$ for the spin-up/spin-down model and $0.7-3\times10^{\rm -4}\,{\rm yr}^{\rm -1}$ for the canonical non-rotating model. We also show the distributions of some integral properties of the hot subdwarfs, e.g. the mass and the space velocity, for different models. In addition, comparing our results with the observations of the intermediate helium-rich (iHe-rich) hot subdwarfs, the hot subdwarfs from the WD + MS channel may explain some observational features of the iHe-rich hot subdwarfs, especially for those from the spin-up/spin-down model. Although we expect that the SN Ia channel can only contribute a small fraction of the iHe-rich hot subdwarf population, some of these may help to explain cases with unusual kinematics.

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arXiv2019

High-velocity feature as the indicator of the stellar population of Type Ia supernovae

Although type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are very useful in many astrophysical fields, their exact nature is still unclear, e.g. the progenitor and explosion models. The high-velocity features (HVFs) in optical spectra of SNe Ia could provide some meaningful information to constrain the nature of SNe Ia. Here, I show strong evidence that the SNe Ia with strong CaII infrared triple (CaII IR3) HVF around maximum brightness associate with relatively younger population than those with weak CaII IR3 HVF, e.g. the SNe Ia with strong CaII IR3 HVF tend to occur in late-type galaxy, or early-type galaxy with significant star formation. In addition, using pixel statistics I find that the SNe Ia with strong maximum-light CaII IR3 HVF show a higher degree of association with star formation index, e.g. ${\rm H}α$ or near-UV emission, than those with weak CaII IR3 HVF. Moreover, I find that the strength of the CaII IR3 HVF is linearly dependent on the difference of the absorption-weighted velocities between CaII IR3 and SiII 635.5 nm absorption lines, which then is a good index to diagnose whether or not there is a high-velocity component in the CaII IR3 absorption feature in the spectra of SNe Ia. I finally discussed the origin of the HVFs and the constraints from our discoveries on the progenitor model of SNe Ia.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2018

Subdwarf B stars as possible surviving companions in Type Ia supernova remnants

Although type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are so important in many astrophysical fields, a debate on their progenitor model is still endless. Searching the surviving companion in a supernova remnant (SNR) may distinguish different progenitor models, since a companion still exists in the remnant for the single-degenerate (SD) model, but does not for the double degenerate (DD) model. However, some recent surveys do not discover the surviving companions in the remnant of SN 1006 and Kepler's supernova, which seems to disfavor the SD model. Such a result could be derived from an incorrect survey target. Here, based on the common-envelope wind SD model for SNe Ia, in which the initial binary system consists of a white dwarf (WD) and a main-sequence (MS) star, we found that the companion at the moment of supernova explosion may be a MS, red-giant (RG) or subdwarf B (sdB) star if a spin-down timescale of less than $10^{\rm 7}$ yr is assumed. We show the properties of the companions at the moment of supernova explosion, which are key clues to search the surviving companions in SNRs. Here, we suggest that the sdB star may be the surviving companion in some SNRs, even if the progenitor systems are the WD + MS systems. The SNe Ia with the sdB companions may contribute to all SNe Ia as much as 22\%.

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arXiv2018

Why Are Peculiar Type Ia Supernovae More Likely to Show the Signature of a Single-degenerate Model?

Although type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are very useful in many astrophysical fields, their exact progenitor nature is still unclear. A basic method to distinguish the different progenitor models is to search the signal from the single degenerate (SD) model, e.g. the signal for the existence of a non-degenerate companion before or after supernova explosion. Observationally, some SNe Ia show such signal, while the others do not. Here, we propose a universal model to explain these observations based on the spin-up/spin-down model, in which a white dwarf (WD) will experience a spin-down phase before supernova explosion, and the spin-down timescale is determined by its initial mass, i.e. the more massive the initial WD, the shorter the spin-down timescale and then the more likely the SN Ia to show the SD signature. Therefore, our model predicts that the SNe Ia from hybrid carbon-oxygen-neon WDs are more likely to show the SD signature observationally, as some peculiar SNe Ia showed.

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arXiv2017

A Polarization Sequence for Type Ia Supernovae?

Early polarization observations on Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) may reveal the geometry of supernova ejecta, and then put constraints on their explosion mechanism and their progenitor model. We performed a literature search of SNe Ia with polarization measurements and determined the polarization and relative equivalent width (REW) of Si II 635.5-nm absorption feature at -5 days after the maximum light. We found that either the distribution of observed polarization degree is bimodal, i.e. the broad line SNe Ia have systematically higher polarization than all other SNe Ia, or all kind of SNe Ia share the same polarization sequence, i.e. the polarization of Si II 635.5-nm absorption feature increases with the REW. We also discussed the potential meaning of the discovery on the explosion mechanism and progenitor model of SNe Ia.

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arXiv2016

The X-ray/radio and UV luminosity expected from symbiotic systems as the progenitor of SNe Ia

We carried out a series of binary stellar evolution calculations, in which the effect of tidally enhanced wind on the evolution of WD + RG systems is incorporated. The WDs increase their mass to the Chandrasekhar mass limit, and then explode as SNe Ia. Based on the binary evolution results, we estimated the X-ray/radio (the excess UV) luminosity from the interactions between supernova ejecta and the CSM (the secondary) via some published standard models. We found that the X-ray flux may be high enough to be detected for a nearby SN Ia from a symbiotic system, while the radio flux is more likely to de detected when the companion is an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star, and for a first giant branch (FGB) companion, the radio flux is generally lower than the detection limit. For two well observed SNe Ia, 2011fe and 2014J, almost all symbiotic systems are excluded by X-ray observations, but WD + FGB systems may not be ruled out by radio observations. The excess UV luminosity resulting from the collision of supernova ejecta with the RG secondary may be high enough to be detected if the secondary fills its Roche lobe at the moment of supernova explosion. The X-ray/radio emissions are more prevalent in SNe Ia from WD + AGB systems, although SNe Ia from such systems are rare. The UV luminosity from the collision of supernova ejecta to RG secondary is high enough, but only 1 in every few hundred SNe Ia manifests the signal from the collision.

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arXiv2016

A Luminous Peculiar Type Ia Supernova SN 2011hr: More Like SN 1991T or SN 2007if?

Photometric and spectroscopic observations of a slowly declining, luminous Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) SN 2011hr in the starburst galaxy NGC 2691 are presented. SN 2011hr is found to peak at $M_{B}=-19.84 \pm 0.40\,\rm{mag}$, with a post-maximum decline rate $Δ$m$_{15}$(B) = 0.92 $\pm$ 0.03\,$\rm{mag}$. From the maximum-light bolometric luminosity, $L=(2.30 \pm 0.90) \times 10^{43}\,\rm{erg\,s^{-1}}$, we estimate the mass of synthesized \Nifs\ in SN 2011hr to be $M(\rm{^{56}Ni})=1.11 \pm 0.43\,M_{\sun}$. SN 2011hr appears more luminous than SN 1991T at around maximum light, and the absorption features from its intermediate-mass elements (IMEs) are noticeably weaker than the latter at similar phases. Spectral modeling suggests that SN 2011hr has the IMEs of $\sim$\,0.07 M$_{\sun}$ in the outer ejecta, which is much lower than the typical value of normal SNe Ia (i.e., 0.3 -- 0.4 M$_{\sun}$) and is also lower than the value of SN 1991T (i.e., $\sim$\,0.18 M$_{\sun}$). These results indicate that SN 2011hr may arise from a Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf progenitor that experienced a more efficient burning process in the explosion. Nevertheless, it is still possible that SN 2011hr may serve as a transitional object connecting the SN 1991T-like SNe Ia with the superluminous subclass like SN 2007if given that the latter also shows very weak IMEs at all phases.

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arXiv2015

SNe Ia as a cosmological probe

Type Ia supernovae luminosities can be corrected to render them useful as standard candles able to probe the expansion history of the universe. This technique was successful applied to discover the present acceleration of the universe. As the number of SNe Ia observed at high redshift increases and analysis techniques are perfected, people aim to use this technique to probe the equation of state of the dark energy. Nevertheless, the nature of SNe Ia progenitors remains controversial and concerns persist about possible evolution effects that may be larger and harder to characterize than the more obvious statistical uncertainties.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2015

Binary population synthesis for the core-degenerate scenario of type Ia supernova progenitors

The core-degenerate (CD) scenario has been suggested to be a possible progenitor model of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), in which a carbon-oxygen white dwarf (CO WD) merges with the hot CO core of a massive asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star during their common-envelope phase. However, the SN Ia birthrates for this scenario are still uncertain. We conducted a detailed investigation into the CD scenario and then gave the birthrates for this scenario using a detailed Monte Carlo binary population synthesis approach. We found that the delay times of SNe Ia from this scenario are ~70Myrs-1400Myrs, which means that the CD scenario contributes to young SN Ia populations. The Galactic SN Ia birthrates for this scenario are in the range of ~7.4*10^{-5} yr^{-1}-3.7*10^{-4}yr^{-1}, which roughly accounts for ~2-10% of all SNe Ia. This indicates that, under the assumptions made here, the CD scenario only contributes a small portion of all SNe Ia, which is not consistent with the results of Ilkov & Soker (2013).

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arXiv2014

A pair of CO + He white dwarfs as the progenitor of 2005E-like supernovae?

Ca-rich transients (CRTs, 2005E-like supernovae) exhibit unusually strong Ca features during their nebular phase, and their distribution in their host galaxies indicates that they belong to a metal-poor old population. We carried out a series of binary population synthesis and presented four different channels of forming CO WD + He WD pairs. We selected the systems fulfilling the constraints of the old population and the birth rate from all the CO WD + He WD pairs by constraining the component mass of the WD pairs. For the four channels, the stable Roche lobe overflow (RLOF) could have a significant influence on the formation of the WD + WD pairs. Based on their position on the $M_{\rm CO}$-$M_{\rm He}$ plane, the mass-transfer between the components for most of the CO WD + He WD pairs is neither always unstable nor always stable. We found that it is necessary that the CO WDs are less massive than 0.6 $M_{\odot}$ and the He WDs are less massive than 0.25 $M_{\odot}$ if CO WD + He WD pairs fulfill the constraints from both the old population and the birth rate of CRTs. However, the He WD mass is lower than, while the total mass of the low-mass WD pairs is larger than{\bf ,} the ejecta mass of the CRTs derived from observations. Our results imply that the CO WDs participate in CRT explosions and at the same time, a bound remnant could be left after the CRT explosion if the low-mass WD pairs are the progenitors of CRTs. Therefore, whether or not the helium detonation on a low-mass CO WD may lead to the second detonation in the center of the CO WDs, and whether or not the binding remnant is left after the thermonuclear explosion should be examined carefully in the future.

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arXiv2014

The hybrid CONe WD + He star scenario for the progenitors of type Ia supernovae

The hybrid CONe white dwarfs (WDs) have been suggested to be possible progenitors of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). In this article, we systematically studied the hybrid CONe WD + He star scenario for the progenitors of SNe Ia, in which a hybrid CONe WD increases its mass to the Chandrasekhar mass limit by accreting He-rich material from a non-degenerate He star. According to a series of detailed binary population synthesis simulations, we obtained the SN Ia birthrates and delay times for this scenario. The SN Ia birthrates for this scenario are ~0.033-0.539*10^(-3)yr^(-1), which roughly accounts for 1-18% of all SNe Ia. The estimated delay times are ~28Myr-178Myr, which are the youngest SNe Ia predicted by any progenitor model so far. We suggest that SNe Ia from this scenario may provide an alternative explanation of type Iax SNe. We also presented some properties of the donors at the point when the WDs reach the Chandrasekhar mass. These properties may be a good starting point for investigating the surviving companions of SNe Ia, and for constraining the progenitor scenario studied in this work.

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