Progenitor, environment, and modelling of the interacting transient AT 2016jbu (Gaia16cfr). Issue 4 (6th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brennan, S J; Fraser, M; Johansson, J; Pastorello, A; Kotak, R; Stevance, H F; Chen, T -W; Eldridge, J J; Bose, S; Brown, P J; Callis, E; Cartier, R; Dennefeld, M; Dong, Subo; Duffy, P; Elias-Rosa, N; Hosseinzadeh, G; Hsiao, E; Kuncarayakti, H; Martin-Carrillo, A; Monard, B; Pignata, G; Sand, D; Shappee, B J; Smartt, S J; Tucker, B E; Wyrzykowski, L; Abbot, H; Benetti, S; Bento, J; Blondin, S; Chen, Ping; Delgado, A; Galbany, L; Gromadzki, M; Gutiérrez, C P; Hanlon, L; Harrison, D L; Hiramatsu, D; Hodgkin, S T; Holoien, T W -S; Howell, D A; Inserra, C; Kankare, E; Kozłowski, S; Müller-Bravo, T E; Maguire, K; McCully, C; Meintjes, P; Morrell, N; Nicholl, M; O'Neill, D; Pietrukowicz, P; Poleski, R; Prieto, J L; Rau, A; Reichart, D E; Schweyer, T; Shahbandeh, M; Skowron, J; Sollerman, J; Soszyński, I; Stritzinger, M D; Szymański, M; Tartaglia, L; Udalski, A; Ulaczyk, K; Young, D R; van Leeuwen, M; van Soelen, B;
• Is Part Of: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Volume 513:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 5666
• Page End: 5685
• Publication Date: 2022-05-06
• Subjects: stars: massive -- supernovae: general -- supernovae: individual: AT 2016jbu; Astronomy -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stac1228
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0035-8711

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We present the bolometric light curve, identification and analysis of the progenitor candidate, and preliminary modelling of AT 2016jbu (Gaia16cfr). We find a progenitor consistent with a ∼ 22–25 M⊙ yellow hypergiant surrounded by a dusty circumstellar shell, in agreement with what has been previously reported. We see evidence for significant photometric variability in the progenitor, as well as strong H α emission consistent with pre-existing circumstellar material. The age of the environment, as well as the resolved stellar population surrounding AT 2016jbu, supports a progenitor age of >10 Myr, consistent with a progenitor mass of ∼22 M⊙ . A joint analysis of the velocity evolution of AT 2016jbu and the photospheric radius inferred from the bolometric light curve shows the transient is consistent with two successive outbursts/explosions. The first outburst ejected material with velocity ∼650 km s −1, while the second, more energetic event ejected material at ∼4500 km s −1 . Whether the latter is the core collapse of the progenitor remains uncertain. We place a limit on the ejected 56 Ni mass of <0.016 M⊙ . Using the Binary Population And Spectral Synthesis (BPASS) code, we explore a wide range of possible progenitor systems and find that the majority of these are in binaries, some of which are undergoing mass transfer or common-envelope evolution immediately prior to explosion. Finally, we use the SuperNova Explosion Code (SNEC) to demonstrate that the low-energy explosions within some of these binary systems, together with sufficient circumstellar material, can reproduce the overall morphology of the light curve of AT 2016jbu.