Single-Degenerate or Double-Degenerate? The Case for a Third Epoch Observation of the Confirmed Ia Supernova Remnant 0509-67.5
Abstract
Observations of Ia supernovae have been invaluable in measuring distances on cosmological scales and led to the discovery of the accelerating universe. Even though it is accepted that these supernovae are the result of thermonuclear explosions of accreting white dwarf stars, little is known on the progenitor systems. One important tool in constraining these systems is the observations of supernova remnants. The remnant 0509-67.5 is of particular interest in this endeavor due to its remarkably circular structure and being situated in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Being located in the LMC, we know the distance to this remnant to greater accuracy than any of the galactic remnants. This enables us to translate the proper motion measurements of the forward shock into physical units of velocity, which we have done in Hovey et al. (2015). Using these measurements we are able to assess a dynamical offset of the explosion site from the geometric center of the remnant in the east-west plane. Unfortunately we are unable to make this measurement in the north-south plane due to our second epoch observation being imaged with the WFPC2 camera after the ACS camera failed. We are requesting a third observation of 0509-67.5 with the ACS camera so we can fully constrain the search radius for a possible surviving companion star. With a third epoch observation, we will be able to measure the proper motions around the entire rim to with much higher precision than those in Hovey et al. (2015) and place the best constraint on possible progenitor companion. This measurement is not technically challenging, but will deepen our knowledge of the progenitor systems of Ia supernovae.
- Publication:
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HST Proposal
- Pub Date:
- June 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016hst..prop14733H