Prospects of the Multi-channel Photometric Survey Telescope in the Cosmological Application of Type Ia Supernovae

The Multi-channel Photometric Survey Telescope(Mephisto)is a real-time,three-color photometric system designed to capture the color evolution of stars and transients accurately.This telescope system can be crucial in cosmological distance measurements of low-redshift(low-z,z■0.1)Type Ia supernovae(SNe Ia).To optimize the capabilities of this instrument,we perform a comprehensive simulation study before its official operation is scheduled to start.By considering the impact of atmospheric extinction,weather conditions,and the lunar phase at the observing site involving the instrumental features,we simulate light curves of SNe Ia obtained by Mephisto.The best strategy in the case of SN Ia cosmology is to take the image at an exposure time of 130 s with a cadence of 3 days.In this condition,Mephisto can obtain hundreds of high-quality SNe Ia to achieve a distance measurement better than 4.5%.Given the on-time spectral classification and monitoring of the Lijiang 2.4 m Telescope at the same observatory,Mephisto,in the whole operation,can significantly enrich the well-calibrated sample of supernovae at low-z and improve the calibration accuracy of high-z SNe Ia.

Predicting Gravitational Waves from Jittering-jets-driven Core Collapse Supernovae

I estimate the frequencies of gravitational waves from jittering jets that explode core collapse supernovae(CCSNe)to crudely be 5–30 Hz,and with strains that might allow detection of Galactic CCSNe.The jittering jets explosion mechanism(JJEM)asserts that most CCSNe are exploded by jittering jets that the newly born neutron star(NS)launches within a few seconds.According to the JJEM,instabilities in the accreted gas lead to the formation of intermittent accretion disks that launch the jittering jets.Earlier studies that did not include jets calculated the gravitational frequencies that instabilities around the NS emit to have a peak in the crude frequency range of 100–2000Hz.Based on a recent study,I take the source of the gravitational waves of jittering jets to be the turbulent bubbles(cocoons)that the jets inflate as they interact with the outer layers of the core of the star at thousands of kilometers from the NS.The lower frequencies and larger strains than those of gravitational waves from instabilities in CCSNe allow future,and maybe present,detectors to identify the gravitational wave signals of jittering jets.Detection of gravitational waves from local CCSNe might distinguish between the neutrino-driven explosion mechanism and the JJEM.

The Study of the Physical Properties and Energy Sources of Five Luminous Type Ibc Supernovae

In this paper,we study five luminous supernovae(LSNe)Ibc(SN 2009ca,ASASSN-15mj,SN 2019omd,SN 2002ued,and SN 2021bmf)whose peak absolute magnitudes M_(peakare)≈-19.5 to-21 mag by fitting their multi-band light curves(LCs)with different energy source models.We find that SN 2009ca might be powered by the^(56)Ni model since the required^(56)Ni mass(0.56 M_(⊙))is comparable to those of energetic SNe Ic,while the rest four SNe cannot be accounted for the^(56)Ni model since their derived^(56)Ni masses are(?)1 M_(⊙)or the ratios of the^(56)Ni mass to the ejecta mass are larger than 0.2.This indicates that some LSNe might be powered by^(56)Ni decay,while most of them need additional energy sources.We then use the magnetar plus^(56)Ni model and the fallback plus^(56)Ni model to fit the LCs of the four LSNe that cannot be explained by the^(56)Ni model,finding that the two models can account for the four SNe,and the derived parameters are comparable to those of LSNe or superluminous SNe in the literature,if they were(mainly)powered by magnetars or fallback.We suggest that the magnetar plus^(56)Ni model is more reasonable than the fallback plus^(56)Ni model,since the validity of the fallback plus^(56)Ni model depends on the value of accretion efficiency(η)and favors a largeηvalue,and the magnetar plus^(56)Ni model yields smallerχ^(2)/dof values.It should be pointed out that,however,the fallback plus^(56)Ni model is still a promising model that can account for the four SNe in our sample as well as other LSNe.

Past and Future of a Type Ia Supernovae Progenitor Candidate HD 265435

As one of the most useful cosmological distance indicators,type Ia supernovae(SNe Ia)play an important role in the study of cosmology.However,the progenitors of SNe Ia are still uncertain.It has been suggested that carbonoxygen white dwarf(CO WD)+He subgiant systems could produce SNe Ia through the double-degenerate(DD)model,in which the He subgiant transfers He-rich matter to the primary CO WD and finally evolves to another CO WD.Recently,a CO WD+He star system(i.e.,HD 265435)has been discovered to be a new SNe Ia progenitor candidate based on the DD model.The orbital period of the system is about 0.0688 days,and the masses of the CO WD and the He star are 1.01±0.15 M_(⊙) and 0.63_(-0.12)^(+0.13)M_(⊙),respectively.In this work,we evolve a large number of primordial binaries to the formation of CO WD+He star systems and investigate the evolutionary history of HD265435.We find that HD 265435 may originate from a primordial binary that has a 5.18 M_(⊙) primary and a3.66 M_(⊙) secondary with an initial orbital period of 5200 days.The CO WD+He star system would be formed after the primordial binary experiences two common-envelope ejection processes.We also find that HD 265435 would evolve to a double WD system with a total mass of 1.58 M⊙after a stable mass-transfer process,and the double WD system would merge driven by gravitational wave radiation.We estimate that it would take about 76 Myr for HD 265435 to form an SN Ia.In addition,HD 265435 would be a potential target of space-based gravitational wave observatories(e.g.,LISA,Taiji and TianQin).

The Progenitors of Type Ia Supernovae with Asymptotic Giant Branch Donors

TypeⅠa supernovae(SNe Ia)are among the most energetic events in the universe.They are excellent cosmological distance indicators due to the remarkable homogeneity of their light curves.However,the nature of the progenitors of SNeⅠa is still not well understood.In the single-degenerate model,a carbon-oxygen white dwarf(CO WD)could grow its mass by accreting material from an asymptotic giant branch(AGB)star,leading to the formation of SNe Ia when the mass of the WD approaches to the Chandrasekhar-mass limit,known as the AGB donor channel.In this channel,previous studies mainly concentrate on the wind-accretion pathway for the mass-increase of the WDs.In the present work,we employed an integrated mass-transfer prescription for the semidetached WD+AGB systems,and evolved a number of WD+AGB systems for the formation of SNe Ia through the Roche-lobe overflow process or the wind-accretion process.We provided the initial and final parameter spaces of WD+AGB systems for producing SNe Ia.We also obtained the density distribution of circumstellar matter at the moment when the WD mass reaches the Chandrasekhar-mass limit.Moreover,we found that the massive WD+AGB sample AT 2019qyl can be covered by the final parameter space for producing SNe Ia,indicating that AT 2019qyl is a strong progenitor candidate of SNe Ia with AGB donors.

The Evolving Absolute Magnitude of Type 1a Supernovae and Its Critical Impact on the Cosmological Parameters

In this work, a computer optimization model has been developed that allows one to load the initial data of observations of supernovae 1a into a table and, in simple steps, by searching for the best fit between observations and theory, obtain the values of the parameters of cosmological models. The optimization is carried out assuming that the absolute magnitude of supernovae is not constant, but evolves with time. It is assumed that the dependence of the absolute magnitude on the redshift is linear: M = M( z = 0) + εc z, where εc is the evolution coefficient of the absolute magnitude of type 1a supernovae. In the case of a flat universe ( ΩM + ΩΛ = 1 ), the best fit between theory and observation is εc = 0.304. In this case, for the cosmological parameters we obtain ΩΛ = 0.000, ΩM =1.000. Naturally, this result exactly coincides with the simulation result for the model with zero cosmological constant ( εc = 0.304, q0 = 0.500 ). Within the framework of the ΛCDM model, without restriction on space curvature ( ΩM + ΩΛ+ ΩK = 1 ), we obtain the following values: εc = 0.304, ΩΛ = 0.000, ΩM = 1.000, ΩK =0.000. Those, this case also leads to a flat model of the Universe ( ΩK =0.000 ). In this work, the critical influence of the absolute magnitude M of type 1a supernovae on the cosmological parameters is also shown. In particular, it was found that a change in this value by only 0.4m (from -19.11 to -18.71) leads to a change in the parameters from ΩΛ = 0.7 and ΩM = 0.3 to ΩΛ = 0 and ΩM =1.

Stepped-up development of accelerator mass spectrometry method for the detection of ^(60)Fe with the HI-13 tandem accelerator

The Moon provides a unique environment for investigating nearby astrophysical events such as supernovae.Lunar samples retain valuable information from these events,via detectable long-lived“fingerprint”radionuclides such as^(60)Fe.In this work,we stepped up the development of an accelerator mass spectrometry(AMS)method for detecting^(60)Fe using the HI-13tandem accelerator at the China Institute of Atomic Energy(CIAE).Since interferences could not be sufficiently removed solely with the existing magnetic systems of the tandem accelerator and the following Q3D magnetic spectrograph,a Wien filter with a maximum voltage of±60 kV and a maximum magnetic field of 0.3 T was installed after the accelerator magnetic systems to lower the detection background for the low abundance nuclide^(60)Fe.A 1μm thick Si_(3)N_(4) foil was installed in front of the Q3D as an energy degrader.For particle detection,a multi-anode gas ionization chamber was mounted at the center of the focal plane of the spectrograph.Finally,an^(60)Fe sample with an abundance of 1.125×10^(-10)was used to test the new AMS system.These results indicate that^(60)Fe can be clearly distinguished from the isobar^(60)Ni.The sensitivity was assessed to be better than 4.3×10^(-14)based on blank sample measurements lasting 5.8 h,and the sensitivity could,in principle,be expected to be approximately 2.5×10^(-15)when the data were accumulated for 100 h,which is feasible for future lunar sample measurements because the main contaminants were sufficiently separated.

Point-symmetry in SNR G1.9+0.3:A Supernova that Destroyed its Planetary Nebula Progenitor

I analyze a new X-ray image of the youngest supernova remnant(SNR)in the Galaxy,which is the type Ia SNR G1.9+0.3,and reveal a very clear point-symmetrical structure.Since explosion models of type Ia supernovae(SNe Ia)do not form such morphologies,the point-symmetrical morphology must come from the circumstellar material(CSM)into which the ejecta expands.The large-scale point-symmetry that I identify and the known substantial deceleration of the ejecta of SNR G1.9+0.3 suggest a relatively massive CSM of■1M⊙.I argue that the most likely explanation is the explosion of this SN Ia into a planetary nebula.The scenario that predicts a large fraction of SN Ia inside PNe(SNIPs)is the core degenerate scenario.Other SN Ia scenarios might lead to only a very small fraction of SNIPs or none at all.

Color excesses of type Ia supernovae from the single-degenerate channel model

The single degenerate model is the most widely accepted progenitor model of type Ia supernovae （SNe Ia）, in which a carbon-oxygen white dwarf （CO WD） accretes hydrogen-rich material from a main sequence or a slightly evolved star （WD＋MS） to increase its mass, and explodes when its mass approaches the Chandrasekhar mass limit. During the mass transfer phase between the two components, an optically thick wind may occur and the material lost as wind may exist as circumstellar material （CSM）. Searching for the CSM around a progenitor star is helpful for discriminating different progenitor models of SNe Ia. In addition, the CSM is a source of color excess. The purpose of this paper is to study the color excess produced from the single-degenerate progenitor model with an optically thick wind, and reproduce the distribution of color excesses of SNe Ia. Meng et al. systemically carded out binary evolution calculations of the WD ＋MS systems for various metallicities and showed the parameters of the systems before Roche lobe overflow and at the moment of supernova explosion in Meng ＆ Yang. With the results of Meng et al., we calculate the color excesses of SNe Ia at maximum light via a simple analytic method. We reproduce the distribution of color excesses of SNe Ia by our binary population synthesis approach if the velocity of the optically thick wind is taken to be an order of magnitude of 10km s^-1. However, if the wind velocity is larger than 100km s^-1, the reproduction is bad.

Do Near-Solar-System Supernovae Enhance Volcanic Activities on Earth and Neighbouring Planets on Their Paths through the Spiral Arms of the Milky Way, and What Might Be the Consequences for Estimations of Earth’s History and Predictions for Its Future?

Recent observations of young volcanism on the near-Earth terrestrial planets require a new understanding. Magmatic/volcanic episodes on Venus, Mars and Mercury, as well as on Earth’s Moon, are apparently contemporaneous thermal events that accompanied increased magmatic/volcanic activity on Earth, following a 300-Myr cycle. A collateral galactic thermal source in the Milky Way appears to be needed that would predominantly affect the interior of the planets and, perhaps indirectly, Earth’s biosphere, compared to other galactic sources, such as intense cosmic rays or large, rocky bolides. The search for such a source leads to near-Earth supernovae, with their neutrino output, and to the question of whether those neutrinos could act as energy transmitters to heat up the body of Earth, and also enhance its short-term magmatic processes;for example, Cenozoic anorogenic volcanism. This observation challenges present assumptions and paradigms about Earth’s history, and requires the following reconsiderations: 1) the real origin of the end-Cretaceous mass extinction;2) the general radioactive age determinations of rocks;and 3) geodynamic modelling using additional, external heat sources.

A Check on the Cardassian Expansion Model with Type-la Supernovae Data

We use the magnitude-redshift relation for the type Ia supernova datacompiled by Riess et al. to analyze the Cardassian expansion scenario. This scenario assumes theuniverse to be flat, matter dominated, and accelerating, but contains no vacuum contribution. Thebest fitting model parameters are H_0 = 65.3 km s^(-1) Mpc^(-1), n = 0.35 and Ω_m = 0.05. When thehighest redshift supernova, SN 1997ck, is excluded, H_0 remains the same, but n becomes 0.20 andΩ_m, 0.15, and the matter density remains unreasonably low. Our result shows that this particularscenario is strongly disfavoured by the SNeIa data.

Distribution of ^(56)Ni Yields of Type Ia Supernovae and its Implication for Progenitors

The amount of 56↑Ni produced in Type Ia supernova （SN Ia） explosion is probably the most important physical parameter underlying the observed correlation of SN Ia luminosities with their light curves. Based on an empirical relation between the 56↑Ni mass and the light curve parameter △m15, we obtained rough estimates of the 56↑Ni mass for a large sample of nearby SNe Ia with the aim of exploring the diversity in SN Ia. We found that the derived 56↑Ni masses for different SNe Ia could vary by a factor of ten （e.g., MNi = 0.1 - 1.3 M⊙）, which cannot be explained in terms of the standard Chandrasekhar-mass model （with a 56↑Ni mass production of 0.4 - 0.8 M⊙）. Different explosion and/or progenitor models are clearly required for various SNe Ia, in particular, for those extremely nickel-poor and nickel-rich producers. The nickel-rich （with MNi 〉 0.8 M⊙） SNe Ia are very luminous and may have massive progenitors exceeding the Chandrasekhar-mass limit since extra progenitor fuel is required to produce more 56↑Ni to power the light curve. This is also consistent with the finding that the intrinsically bright SNe Ia prefer to occur in stellar environments of young and massive stars. For example, 75% SNe Ia in spirals have △ml5 〈 1.2 while this ratio is only 18% in E/S0 galaxies. The nickel-poor SNe Ia （with MNi 〈 0.2 M⊙） may invoke the sub- Chandrasekhar model, as most of them were found in early-type E/S0 galaxies dominated by the older and low-mass stellar populations. This indicates that SNe Ia in spiral and E/S0 galaxies have progenitors of different properties.

Modelling and Analysis of the Hubble Diagram of 280 Type SNIa Supernovae and Gamma Ray Bursts Redshifts with Analytical and Empirical Redshift/Magnitude Functions

Based on an analysis of 280 Type SNIa supernovae and gamma-ray bursts redshifts in the range of z = 0.0104 - 8.1 the Hubble diagram is shown to follow a strictly exponential slope predicting an exponentially expanding or static universe. At redshifts > 2 - 3 ΛCDM models show a poor agreement with the observed data. Based on the results presented in this paper, the Hubble diagram test does not necessarily support the idea of expansion according to the big-bang concordance model.

The cooling time of white dwarfs produced from type Iasupernovae

Type Ia supernovae （SNe Ia） play a key role in measuring cosmological parameters, in which the Phillips relation is adopted. However, the origin of the relation is still unclear. Several parameters are suggested, e.g. the relative content of carbon to oxygen （C/O） and the central density of the white dwarf （WD） at ignition. These parameters are mainly determined by the WD＇s initial mass and its cooling time, respectively. Using the progenitor model developed by Meng ＆ Yang, we present the distributions of the initial WD mass and the cooling time. We do not find any correlation between these parameters. However, we notice that as the range of the WD＇s mass decreases, its average value increases with the cooling time. These results could provide a constraint when simulating the SN Ia explosion, i.e. the WDs with a high C/O ratio usually have a lower central density at ignition, while those having the highest central density at ignition generally have a lower C/O ratio. The cooling time is mainly determined by the evolutionary age of secondaries, and the scatter of the cooling time decreases with the evolutionary age. Our results may indicate that WDs with a long cooling time have more uniform properties than those with a short cooling time, which may be helpful to explain why SNe Ia in elliptical galaxies have a more uniform maximum luminosity than those in spiral galaxies.

The Role of Jets in Exploding Supernovae and in Shaping their Remnants

I review studies of core collapse supernovae(CCSNe) and similar transient events that attribute major roles to jets in powering most CCSNe and in shaping their ejecta. I start with reviewing the jittering jets explosion mechanism that I take to power most CCSN explosions. Neutrino heating does play a role in boosting the jets. I compare the morphologies of some CCSN remnants to planetary nebulae to conclude that jets and instabilities are behind the shaping of their ejecta. I then discuss CCSNe that are descendants of rapidly rotating collapsing cores that result in fixed-axis jets(with small jittering) that shape bipolar ejecta. A large fraction of the bipolar CCSNe are superluminous supernovae(SLSNe). I conclude that modeling of SLSN light curves and bumps in the light curves must include jets, even when considering energetic magnetars and/or ejecta interaction with the circumstellar matter(CSM). I connect the properties of bipolar CCSNe to common envelope jets supernovae(CEJSNe) where an old neutron star or a black hole spirals-in inside the envelope and then inside the core of a red supergiant. I discuss how jets can shape the pre-explosion CSM, as in Supernova 1987A, and can power pre-explosion outbursts(precursors)in binary system progenitors of CCSNe and CEJSNe. Binary interaction also facilitates the launching of postexplosion jets.

Common Envelope to Explosion Delay time Distribution(CEEDTD)of Type Ia Supernovae

I use recent observations of circumstellar matter(CSM)around type Ia supernovae(SNe Ia)to estimate the fraction of SNe Ia that explode into a planetary nebula(PN)and to suggest a new delay time distribution from the common envelope evolution(CEE)to the SN Ia explosion for SNe Ia that occur shortly after the CEE.Under the assumption that the CSM results from a CEE,I crudely estimate that about 50%of all SNe Ia are SNe Ia inside PNe(SNIPs),and that the explosions of most SNIPs occur within a CEE to explosion delay(CEED)time of less than about ten thousand years.I also estimate that the explosion rate of SNIPs,i.e.,the CEED time distribution,is roughly constant within this timescale of ten thousand years.The short CEED time suggests that a fraction of SNIPs come from the core-degenerate(CD)scenario where the merger of the core with the white dwarf takes place at the end of the CEE.I present my view that the majority of SNIPs come from the CD scenario.I list some further observations that might support or reject my claims,and describe the challenge to theoretical studies to find a process to explain a merger to explosion delay(MED)time of up to ten thousand years or so.A long MED will apply also to the double degenerate scenario.

Mass-accreting white dwarfs and type Ia supernovae

Type Ia supernovae（SNe Ia） play a prominent role in understanding the evolution of the Universe. They are thought to be thermonuclear explosions of mass-accreting carbon-oxygen white dwarfs（CO WDs） in binaries, although the mass donors of the accreting WDs are still not well determined. In this article, I review recent studies on mass-accreting WDs, including H-and He-accreting WDs. I also review currently most studied progenitor models of SNe Ia, i.e., the single-degenerate model（including the WD＋MS channel, the WD＋RG channel and the WD＋He star channel）, the doubledegenerate model（including the violent merger scenario） and the sub-Chandrasekhar mass model.Recent progress on these progenitor models is discussed, including the initial parameter space for producing SNe Ia, the binary evolutionary paths to SNe Ia, the progenitor candidates for SNe Ia, the possible surviving companion stars of SNe Ia, some observational constraints, etc. Some other potential progenitor models of SNe Ia are also summarized, including the hybrid CONe WD model, the core-degenerate model, the double WD collision model, the spin-up/spin-down model and the model of WDs near black holes. To date, it seems that two or more progenitor models are needed to explain the observed diversity among SNe Ia.

Boosting Jittering Jets by Neutrino Heating in Core Collapse Supernovae

I estimate the energy that neutrino heating adds to the outflow that jets induce in the collapsing core material in core collapse supernovae(CCSNe), and find that this energy crudely doubles the energy that the jets deposit into the outer core. I consider the jittering jets explosion mechanism where there are several stochastic jet-launching episodes, each lasting for about 0.01–0.1 s. The collapsing core material passes through the stalled shock at about100 km and then slowly flows onto the proto-neutron star(NS). I assume that the proto-NS launches jittering jets,and that the jets break out from the stalled shock. I examine the boosting process by which the high-pressure gas inside the stalled shock, the gain region material, expands alongside the jets and does work on the material that the jets shock, the cocoon. This work is crudely equal to the energy that the original jets carry. I argue that the coupling between instabilities, stochastic rotation, magnetic fields, and jittering jets leads to most CCSN explosions. In other cases, the pre-collapse core is rapidly rotating and therefore ordered rotation replaces stochastic rotation and fixed jets replace jittering jets.

Model-Synthesized Rate of Type Ia Supernovae and its Influence on the Chemical Enrichment of the ISM

Using Hurley＇s rapid binary stellar evolution code, we have studied the model-synthesized rate of Type Ia Supernovae （SNe Ia） and its influence on the chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium ejected by stellar populations. We adopt two popular scenarios, i.e., single degenerate scenario （SD） and double degenerate scenario （DD）, for the progenitors of SNe Ia to calculate the rates of SNe Ia. Rates calculated in this work agree with that of Hachisu et al. and Han ＆ Podsiadlowski, but are different from that usually adopted in chemical evolution models of galaxies. We apply the rates of SNe Ia to the chemical enrichment （especially Fe enrichment）, then compare the results with previous studies. As known SNe Ia slightly affect the enrichment of C, N, O and Mg elements, while significantly affect the enrichment of Fe. We find that the occurrence and the value of the Fe enrichment in our models are earlier and smaller than that commonly adopted in chemical evolution models. We also study the evolution of [Mg/Fe] ratios, which are almost reciprocals of the Fe enrichment. The study may provide constraints on the free parameters of chemical evolution models of galaxies and evolutionary population synthesis.

Phases of Dense Matter in Supernovae and Neutron Stars

We study the properties of dense matter at finite temperature with various proton fractions for use in supernova simulations. The relativistic mean-field theory is used to describe homogeneous nuclear matter, while the Thomas-Fermi approximation is adopted to describe inhomogeneous matter. We also discuss the equation of state of neutron star matter at zero temperature in a wide density range. The equation of state at high densities can be significantly softened by the inclusion of hyperons.