The Progenitor Mass of SN 2011dh from Stellar Populations Analysis

Abstract

Using Hubble Space Telescope (HST) photometry, we characterize the age of the stellar association in the vicinity of supernova (SN) 2011dh and use it to infer the zero-age main sequence mass (M_{ZAMS}) of the progenitor star. We find two distinct and significant star formation events with ages of <6 and 17^{+3}_{-4} Myrs, and the corresponding M_{ZAMS} are >29 and 13^{+2}_{-1} M_{Sun}, respectively. These two bursts represent 18^{+4}_{-9}% (young) and 64^{+10}_{-14}% (old) of the total star formation in the last 50 Myrs. Adopting these fractions as probabilities suggests that the most probable M_{ZAMS} is 13^{+2}_{-1} M_{Sun}. These results are most sensitive to the luminosity function along the well-understood main sequence and are less sensitive to uncertain late-stage stellar evolution. Therefore, they stand even if the progenitor suffered disruptive post-main-sequence evolution (e.g. eruptive mass loss or binary Roche-lobe overflow). Progenitor identification will help to further constrain the appropriate population. Even though pre-explosion images show a yellow supergiant (YSG) at the site of the SN, panchromatic SN light curves suggest a more compact star as the progenitor. In spite of this, our results suggest an association between the YSG and the SN. Not only was the star located at the SN site, but reinforcing an association, the star's bolometric luminosity is consistent with the final evolutionary stage of the 17 Myr old star burst. If the YSG disappears, then M_{ZAMS}=13^{+2}_{-1} M_{Sun}, but if it persists, then our results allow the possibility that the progenitor was an unseen star of >29 M_{Sun}.

5 pages in emulateapj, 2 figures, accepted by ApJL. Comments are welcome

References in corpus (11)

• The death of massive stars - I. Observational constraints on the progenitors of type II-P supernovae
• The ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey Treasury
• The ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey Treasury IX. Constraining asymptotic giant branch evolution with old metal-poor galaxies
• Luminous Blue Variable eruptions and related transients: Diversity of progenitors and outburst properties
• The Yellow Supergiant Progenitor of the Type II Supernova 2011dh in M51
• Core-collapse explosions of Wolf-Rayet stars and the connection to type IIb/Ib/Ic supernovae
• The type IIb SN 2008ax: the nature of the progenitor
• A Massive Progenitor of the Luminous Type IIn Supernova 2010jl
• Binary progenitor models of type IIb supernovae
• The Stellar Ancestry of Supernovae in the Magellanic Clouds - I. the Most Recent Supernovae in the Large Magellanic Cloud
• The NGC 300 Transient: An Alternative Method For Measuring Progenitor Masses

Cited by in corpus (43)

• The death of massive stars - II. Observational constraints on the progenitors of type Ibc supernovae
• The Type IIb Supernova 2011dh from a Supergiant Progenitor
• Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey (LEGUS) with The Hubble Space Telescope. I. Survey Description
• Delay-time distribution of core-collapse supernovae with late events resulting from binary interaction
• Optical and near-infrared observations of SN 2011dh - The first 100 days
• The Type IIb Supernova 2013df and Its Cool Supergiant Progenitor
• Sgr A* and General Relativity
• Testing the No-Hair Theorem with Observations of Black Holes in the Electromagnetic Spectrum
• A Blue Point Source at the Location of Supernova 2011dh
• On the Estimation of Random Uncertainties of Star Formation Histories
• Multi-Wavelength Observations of Supernova 2011ei: Time-Dependent Classification of Type IIb and Ib Supernovae and Implications for their Progenitors
• The Progenitor of Supernova 2011dh Has Vanished
• The diverse lives of progenitors of hydrogen-rich core-collapse supernovae: the role of binary interaction
• Statistical studies of supernova environments
• Predicting the Presence of Companions for Stripped-Envelope Supernovae: The Case of the Broad-Lined Type Ic SN 2002ap
• The Supernova Progenitor Mass Distributions of M31 and M33: Further Evidence for an Upper Mass Limit
• EVLA Observations of the Radio Evolution of SN 2011dh
• Effect of binary evolution on the inferred initial and final core masses of hydrogen-rich, Type~II supernova progenitors
• The very young resolved stellar populations around stripped-envelope supernovae
• The resolved stellar populations around 12 Type IIP supernovae
• Constraints for the Progenitor Masses of Historic Core-Collapse Supernovae
• Constraints for the Progenitor Masses of 17 Historic Core-Collapse Supernovae
• Supernova Remnant Progenitor Masses in M31
• Type IIb Supernova SN 2011dh: Spectra and Photometry from the Ultraviolet to the Near-Infrared
• One year of monitoring of the Type IIb supernova SN 2011dh
• Nebular spectroscopy of the nearby type IIb supernova 2011dh
• Progenitor Mass Distribution for Core-Collapse Supernova Remnants in M31 and M33
• Luminosity distribution of Type II supernova progenitors
• Probing the low-redshift star formation rate as a function of metallicity through the local environments of type II supernovae
• A high mass progenitor for the Type Ic Supernova 2007gr inferred from its environment
• Discovery of Variability of the Progenitor of SN 2011dh in M51 Using the Large Binocular Telescope
• The Progenitor Age and Mass of the Black-Hole-Formation Candidate N6946-BH1
• The Masses of Supernova Remnant Progenitors in M83
• Progenitor Mass Distribution for 22 Historic Core-Collapse Supernovae
• Constraining Type Iax Supernova Progenitor Systems with Stellar Population Aging
• The 50-100pc scale parent stellar populations of type II supernovae and limitations of single star evolution models
• Toward a better understanding of supernova environments: a study of SNe 2004dg and 2012P in NGC 5806 with HST and MUSE
• The Masses of Supernova Remnant Progenitors in NGC 6946
• Dust Formation and the Binary Companions of Supernovae
• Low frequency radio observations of SN 2011dh and the evolution of its post-shock plasma properties
• The Masses of Supernova Remnant Progenitors in M33
• Core-collapse Supernovae and Gamma-ray Bursts in TMT Era
• The Progenitor of the S147 Supernova Remnant