Progenitor Mass Distribution for Core-Collapse Supernova Remnants
Abstract
We infer the progenitor mass distribution for 100 core-collapse supernovae. In particular, we infer the age of stellar populations surrounding 94 supernova remnants (SNRs) in M31 and M33. From these ages, we infer the progenitor mass distribution. Assuming each progenitor evolved as a single star, we find that the minimum mass is Mmin= 7.33(+0.02/-0.16)M⊙, the slope of the progenitor distribution is α=-2.96(+0.45/-0.25), and the maximum mass is greater than Mmax > 38 M⊙. The accuracy on the minimum mass may provide tight constraints on stellar evolution. The steep distribution suggests that the most massive stars are either not exploding with the same frequency as the stars near the minimum mass, or SNR catalogs are biased against the youngest SF regions. If there is a bias on the SNR catalogs, it will most likely only affect the slope. This bias will not affect the minimum mass or the lower limit on the maximum mass. In the future, we will infer the progenitor ages and masses for thousands of SNRs, placing unique and robust constraints on which stars explode as CCSNe.
- Publication:
-
Supernova Remnants: An Odyssey in Space after Stellar Death II
- Pub Date:
- June 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019sros.confE..79D