A pre-explosion optical transient event from a white dwarf merger with a giant supernova progenitor

Abstract

We examine rare evolutionary routes of binary systems where the initially more massive primary star of ~5.5-8.5Mo, forms a white dwarf (WD), while the secondary star of 4Mo < M_2,0 < M_1,0 accretes mass from the evolved primary and later terminates as a core collapse supernova (CCSN). In such a WD-NS reverse evolution a neutron star (NS) or a potential NS-progenitor massive core is formed after the WD. These SN explosions are likely to be preceded by strong interaction of the WD with the giant secondary's core, leading to an Intermediate-Luminosity Optical Transient (ILOT; Red Transient; Red Nova) event, weeks to years before the explosion. The common envelope phase of the WD and the giant ends with a merger that forms an ILOT, or an envelope ejection that leads, after a CCSN of the giant's core, to a NS-NS or WD-NS surviving binary. The WD could suffer a thermonuclear explosion, that might be observed as a Type Ia SN. Most of these CCSN and thermonuclear explosions will be peculiar. We calculate the stellar evolution of representative cases using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). The occurrence rate of these systems is ~3-5 percent of that of CCSNe.

Final version, accepted by MNRAS

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• The CO White Dwarf + Intermediate Mass/Massive Star Binary Evolution: Possible Merger Origins for Peculiar Type Ia and II Supernovae
• SN 2016hil-- a Type II supernova in the remote outskirts of an elliptical host and its origin
• A promising formation channel for symbiotic X-ray binaries: cases of IGR J17329-2731 and 4U 1700+24
• Binary Systems of core collapse supernova polluting a giant companion
• On rare core collapse supernovae inside planetary nebulae
• Rare events of a peculiar thermonuclear supernova that precedes a core collapse supernova
• Accretion induced merger leading to core collapse supernovae in old stellar populations