Type Ib and IIb Supernova Progenitors in Interacting Binary Systems

The stability of mass transfer is important in the formation of contact binaries from detached binaries when the primaries of the initially detached binaries fill their Roche lobes. Using Eggleton's stellar evolution code, we investigate the formation and the short-period limit of contact binaries by considering the effect of the instability of mass transfer. It is found that with decreasing initial primary mass from 0.89M$_{\rm \odot}$ to 0.63M$_{\rm \odot}$, the range of the initial mass ratio decreases for detached binaries that experience stable mass transfer and evolve into contact. If the initial primary mass is less than 0.63M$_{\rm \odot}$, detached binaries would experience dynamically unstable mass transfer when the primaries of detached binaries fill their Roche lobes. These systems would evolve into a common envelope situation and probably then to a complete merger of two components on a quite short timescale. This results in a low mass limit at about 0.63M$_{\rm \odot}$ for the primary mass of contact binaries, which might be a main reason why the period distribution of contact binaries has a short limit of about 0.22 days. By comparing the theoretical period distribution of contact binaries with the observational data, it is found that the observed contact binaries are above the low mass limit for the primary mass of contact binaries and no observed contact binaries are below this limit. This suggests that the short-period limit of contact binaries can be explained by the instability of the mass transfer that occurs when the primaries of the initially detached binaries fill their Roche lobes.

There is observational evidence that supports the existence of Very Massive\nStars in the local universe. First, very massive stars (Mini<=320 M) have been\nobserved in the Large Magellanic Cloud . Second, there are observed SNe that\nbear the characteristics of Pair Creation Supernovae which have very massive\nstars as progenitors. The most promising candidate to date is SN2007bi. In\norder to investigate the evolution and fate of nearby very massive stars, we\ncalculated a new grid of models for such objects, for solar, LMC and SMC\nmetallicities, which covers the initial mass range from 120 to 500M. Both\nrotating and non-rotating models were calculated using the Geneva stellar\nevolution code and evolved until at least the end of helium burning and for\nmost models until oxygen burning. Since very massive stars have very large\nconvective cores during the Main-Sequence phase, their evolution is not so much\naffected by rotational mixing, but more by mass loss through stellar winds.\nTheir evolution is never far from a homogeneous evolution even without\nrotational mixing. All the VMS, at all the metallicities studied here, end\ntheir life as WC(WO) type stars. At solar metallicity, none of our models is\nexpected to explode as a PCSN. At the metallicity of the LMC, only stars more\nmassive than 300 M are expected to explode as PCSNe. At the SMC metallicity,\nthe mass range for the PCSN progenitors is much larger and comprises stars with\ninitial masses between about 100 and 290 M . All VMS stars in the metallicity\nrange studied here produce either a type Ib or a type Ic SN. We estimate that\nthe progenitor of SN2007bi, assuming a SMC metallicity, had an initial mass\nbetween 160 and 175 M . None of models presented in this grid produce GRBs or\nmagnetars. They lose too much angular momentum by mass loss or avoid the\nformation of a BH by producing a completely disruptive PCSN.\n

The masses of the white dwarfs in a binary carry information about previous mass-transfer phases. The core mass -- radius relation of low-mass giants gives the size of the progenitor of a helium white dwarf at the moment it last filled its Roche lobe. Previously, we used this information for a few observed systems to propose a new mass-transfer type based on an angular momentum balance. Our aim is to investigate if stable mass transfer instead of the angular-momentum prescription is consistent with the observed double-helium white-dwarf masses. We reconstructed the progenitor evolution of observed double-helium white dwarfs using the core mass -- radius relation and evaluated if the periods at the start of the second phases of mass transfer are consistent with the outcome of stable mass transfer. More generally, we calculated the mass distribution of double-helium white dwarfs for three different progenitor scenarios: double common envelope (with parameter α łambda), angular-momentum prescription (with parameter γ), and stable mass transfer. We find that the observed systems are generally not consistent with stable mass transfer. Stable mass transfer leads to a tight correlation between the two white dwarf masses in a binary that is not consistent with the observed mass distribution. Double-common-envelope evolution is a particularly poor fit to the observations. The angular-momentum prescription can populate the observed mass distribution, but not perfectly. We conclude that the first phase of mass transfer initiated on the red giant branch in low-mass systems does not generally proceed as stable mass transfer nor as a common envelope, and thus it is poorly understood. This may be related to the fact that for many observed binaries that have finished the first phase of mass transfer the orbit is eccentric, which is an unexpected outcome of mass transfer.

Context. Numerous studies have established that in main-sequence binary systems, mass transfer generally proceeds from the initially more massive star to its less massive companion, thereby inducing rejuvenation in the latter. However, in certain massive close binary systems with orbital periods on the order of a few days, a reversed mass transfer scenario emerges: mass flows from the initially less massive component to the more massive one, during which the two stars simultaneously overflow their Roche lobes. This configuration potentially facilitates stellar rejuvenation in both members of the binary system. Aims. The phenomenon of reverse mass transfer in binary systems is closely linked to the efficiency of stellar rejuvenation in the mass accretor. However, the physical mechanism driving the rejuvenation of the accretor remains poorly understood. In this work, we employ the Schwarzschild criterion to define the boundaries of convective regions at the solar metallicity, as opposed to the Ledoux criterion typically used for convective conditions at low metallicities. Our study aims to investigate how mass transfer significantly influences the rejuvenation process of the mass-accreting star. Furthermore, we aim to systematically investigate how initial binary parameters (particularly the mass ratio and orbital period) regulate the initiation of reverse mass transfer from the secondary to the primary component. Methods. We constructed a new set of detailed, grid-based binary evolution models, systematically varying initial orbital periods and mass ratios, q, within a parameter space. Results. Our results show that for systems with initial primary masses of 16 M⊙ and initial mass ratios of qini= M2M1 ≥ 0.4, those with shorter initial orbital periods, Porb < 1.8 days, are statistically more prone to evolving into contact binaries that exhibit reverse mass transfer. The results further demonstrate that stellar rejuvenation significantly influences the overall evolution of binary systems, notably extending the main-sequence lifetime of the mass-gaining star. Specifically, rejuvenation can induce increases in both the radius and luminosity of the accretor, potentially triggering reverse mass transfer. The transfer causes the mass of accretor’s convective core to increase, facilitating the mixing of fresh fuel from outer layers into the central nuclear-burning region. Following mass transfer, the evolutionary state of the accretor is closer to the zero age main sequence. Due to the high efficiency of rejuvenation, the mass-gaining star can even outpace the mass-losing star in terms of evolution. Meanwhile, the initially more massive star can also undergo rejuvenation via reverse mass transfer, as it must rapidly adapt to its newly increased mass.

Context. HR6819 is the first system with a puffed-up low-mass stripped star + a classical Be star whose nature has been confirmed by optical interferometry. The system exhibits the most extreme mass ratio (15.7 ± 1.1), the lowest stripped star mass (0.270 ± 0.056 M ⊙ ), and one of the shortest orbital periods (40.3266 ± 0.0016 days) compared to similar observed binaries. As a post mass transfer candidate, HR6819 offers a unique opportunity to test the physics of binary interaction, especially the fraction of mass accreted by the Be progenitor (the efficiency of the mass transfer) required to produce the system’s extreme mass ratio. Aims. This work aims to reconstruct the possible evolutionary history of HR6819 in the context of stable mass transfer via Roche lobe overflow. We want to explore how the tight constraints on the system’s total mass, mass ratio and orbital period are limiting the range of possible progenitors of the system. Methods. Based on analytical expectations for the orbital evolution, we build grids of MESA simulations designed to match the present-day orbital period and mass ratio of the system, with different mass transfer efficiencies from fully conservative to 50% efficient. Results. We show that evolution via stable mass transfer cannot explain the combined extreme current mass ratio and tight orbital period of the system. There is a limit on how extreme the post-mass transfer mass ratio of the progenitor binary can be at a fixed detachment period, and this limit is dependent on the efficiency of the mass transfer episode: the less efficient the mass transfer episode, the less extreme the mass ratio at detachment. Even in the case of fully conservative mass transfer, the most extreme mass ratio we can produce with binary evolution simulations is q ∼ 11.5 at P ∼ 40 days, which is significantly below the observed value. We also show that the reported luminosities for each component significantly exceed the value expected from their mass. In particular, based on simple stripped star models, we find that the luminosity of the bloated stripped star requires a star with a mass of ∼0.7 M ⊙ , which is over twice the measured value. Conclusions. Our work shows that the post-interaction properties of HR6819, especially its extreme mass ratio and orbital period, cannot be produced by stable mass transfer under standard assumptions.

A binary in which a slightly evolved star starts mass transfer to a neutron star can evolve towards ultra-short orbital periods under the influence of magnetic braking. This is called magnetic capture. We investigate in detail for which initial orbital periods and initial donor masses binaries evolve to periods less than 30–40 min within the Hubble time. We show that only small ranges of initial periods and masses lead to ultra-short periods, and that for those only a small time interval is spent at ultra-short periods. Consequently, only a very small fraction of any population of X-ray binaries is expected to be observed at ultra-short period at any time. If 2 to 6 of the 13 bright X-ray sources in globular clusters have an ultra-short period, as suggested by recent observations, their formation cannot be explained by the magnetic capture model.

There are a growing number of nearby SNe for which the progenitor star is detected in archival pre-explosion imaging. From these images it is possible to measure the progenitor's brightness a few years before explosion, and ultimately estimate its initial mass. Previous work has shown that II-P and II-L supernovae (SNe) have Red Supergiant (RSG) progenitors, and that the range of initial masses for these progenitors seems to be limited to $<$17M$_\\odot$. This is in contrast with the cutoff of 25-30M$_\\odot$ predicted by evolutionary models, a result which is termed the 'Red Supergiant Problem'. Here we investigate one particular source of systematic error present in converting pre-explosion photometry into an initial mass, that of the bolometric correction (BC) used to convert a single-band flux into a bolometric luminosity. We show, using star clusters, that RSGs evolve to later spectral types as they approach SN, which in turn causes the BC to become larger. Failure to account for this results in a systematic underestimate of a star's luminosity, and hence its initial mass. Using our empirically motivated BCs we reappraise the II-P and II-L SNe that have their progenitors detected in pre-explosion imaging. Fitting an initial mass function to these updated masses results in an increased upper mass cutoff of $M_{\\rm hi}$=$19.0^{+2.5}_{-1.3}$M$_\\odot$, with a 95% upper confidence limit of $<$27M$_\\odot$. Accounting for finite sample size effects and systematic uncertainties in the mass-luminosity relationship raises the cutoff to $M_{\\rm hi}$=25M$_\\odot$ ($<$33M$_\\odot$, 95% confidence). We therefore conclude that there is currently no strong evidence for `missing' high mass progenitors to core-collapse SNe.

Most close double helium white dwarfs will merge within a Hubble time due to orbital decay by gravitational wave radiation. However, a significant fraction with low mass ratios will survive for a long time as a consequence of stable mass transfer. Such stable mass transfer between two helium white dwarfs (HeWDs) provides one channel for the production of AM CVn binary stars. In previous calculations of double HeWD progenitors, the accreting HeWD was treated as a point mass. We have computed the evolution of 16 double HeWD models in order to investigate the consequences of treating the evolution of both components in detail. We find that the boundary between binaries having stable and unstable mass transfer is slightly modified by this approach. By comparing with observed periods and mass ratios, we redetermine masses of eight known AM CVn stars by our double HeWDs channel, i.e. HM Cnc, AM CVn, V406 Hya, J0926, J1240, GP Com, Gaia14aae and V396 Hya.We propose that central spikes in the triple-peaked emission spectra of J1240, GP Com and V396 Hya and the surface abundance ratios of N/C/O in GP Com can be explained by the stable double HeWD channel. The mass estimates derived from our calculations are used to discuss the predicted gravitational wave signal in the context of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) project.

There have been many research works involving mass transfer in stellar binaries, all of which are limited to certain systems with specific binary parameters. In this work, we use three-dimensional smoothed particle (3D-SPH) simulations to explore the impact of binary mass ratio and wind speed on the fraction of mass transferred to the accreting companion and the structure of accretion discs. We examine all possible cases of binary mass ratios as well as different conditions of wind speed in the vicinity of the accretor. We adhere to thermally driven winds, with sound speed being the main parameter, in which transonic stellar winds expand in the binary medium. We find that mass accretion fraction is close to unity for slow winds. However, fast winds lead to mass accretion fraction of thousandths which agree very well with the Bondi–Hoyle estimates. Mass accretion fraction is found to be the largest when the mass ratio is unity. Our results show that an increase in either sound speed or binary mass ratio leads to decrease in accretion disc size. In most cases, the disc shifts from being circular. These results would allow us to estimate the rate of mass accretion and the structure of accretion discs in any type of stellar binaries.

view Abstract Citations (132) References (23) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS The evolution of massive stars. II. The influence of initial composition and mass loss. Brunish, W. M. ; Truran, J. W. Abstract The evolution of 15, 30, and 40 solar-mass stars with compositions Y = 0.28 and Z = 0.01, 0.001, and 0.0002, and of 50 solar-mass stars with Y = 0.28 and Z = 0.0002 was investigated. These models were evolved from the zero-age main sequence through core helium burning and up to the point of carbon ignition. All models were evolved with and without inclusion of mass loss. It is shown that all massive stars ignite helium as blue supergiants. Stars with initial masses of about 30 solar masses evolve redward very slowly and spend less than 1% of their total lifetimes as red supergiants. Above 30 solar masses, the rate of redward evolution increases dramatically. The effect of a reduction in the initial metal content relative to solar abundances is to cause the models to be bluer and, in general, slightly more luminous at comparable stages of evolution. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series Pub Date: July 1982 DOI: 10.1086/190806 Bibcode: 1982ApJS...49..447B Keywords: Stellar Evolution; Stellar Luminosity; Stellar Mass Ejection; Stellar Models; Stellar Structure; Supergiant Stars; Abundance; Cepheid Variables; Chemical Composition; Stellar Temperature; Tables (Data); Astrophysics full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (1)

We report the discovery of an extraordinarily massive young cluster of stars in the Galaxy, having an inferred total initial cluster mass comparable to the most massive young clusters in the Galaxy. Using IRMOS, 2MASS, and Spitzer observations, we conclude that there are 14 red supergiants in the cluster, compared with five, in what was previously thought to be the richest Galactic cluster of such stars. We infer spectral types from near-infrared spectra that reveal deep CO bandhead absorption that can only be fit by red supergiants. We identify a gap of ΔKs ~ 4 mag between the stars and the bulk of the other stars in the region that can only be fit by models if the brightest stars in the cluster are red supergiants. We estimate a distance of 5.8 kpc to the cluster by associating an OH maser with the envelope of one of the stars. We also identify a "yellow" supergiant of G6 I type in the cluster. Assuming a Salpeter IMF, we infer an initial cluster mass of 20,000-40,000 M☉ for cluster ages of 7-12 Myr. Continuing with these assumptions, we find that 80% of the initial mass and 99% of the number of stars remain at the present time. We associate the cluster with an X-ray source (detected by ASCA and Einstein), a recently discovered very high energy γ-ray source (detected by INTEGRAL and HESS), and several nonthermal radio sources, finding that these objects are likely related to recent supernovae in the cluster. In particular, we claim that the cluster has produced at least one recent supernova remnant with properties similar to the Crab Nebula.

Context. Wolf-Rayet (WR) and O-star binaries can be the progenitors of X-ray binaries and double black hole binaries. Their formation is not yet fully understood, however. For 21 observed WR+O systems, we aim to infer whether the mass transfer started on the main sequence (Case A) or later (Case B). We also calculated (limits on) the mass-transfer efficiency β, that is, the fraction of transferred mass that is accreted, and the parameter γ, which denotes the fraction of angular momentum of the binary that is lost per unit mass in units of the average angular momentum of the binary per unit mass. Aims. We inferred the possible values for the initial masses based on the observed WR masses and models for WR from the literature. With these initial primary masses, we created a grid of possible periods and secondary masses for which we determined the values that β and γ would have taken for either Case A or Case B mass transfer. Based on this, we also determined the case of mass transfer that is most likely for each system. Methods. Taking into account the progenitor distribution of WR+O binaries, we find that highly non-conservative Case A mass transfer seems to be the most likely scenario for the majority of systems as this can explain 14 out of 21 systems. The angular momentum loss is likely relatively high (typically γ > 1). Our finding that most systems in our sample experienced Case A mass transfer contradicts the expectation that most massive binaries go through Case B mass transfer. This suggests that post-case-B systems are significantly underrepresented in the observed WR+O binary population, either intrinsically or due to severe selection effects.

We present the results of a systematic study of the evolution of low- and intermediate-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs and IMXBs). Using a standard Henyey-type stellar-evolution code and a standard model for binary interactions, we have calculated 100 binary evolution sequences containing a neutron star and a normal-type companion star, where the initial mass of the secondary ranges from 0.6 to 7\Ms and the initial orbital period from $\sim 4 $hr to $\sim 100 $d. This grid of models samples the entire range of parameters one is likely to encounter for LMXBs and IMXBs. The sequences show an enormous variety of evolutionary histories and outcomes, where different mass-transfer mechanisms dominate in different phases. Very few sequences resemble the classical evolution of cataclysmic variables, where the evolution is driven by magnetic braking and gravitational radiation alone. Many systems experience a phase of mass transfer on a thermal timescale and may briefly become detached immediately after this phase (for the more massive secondaries). In agreement with previous results (\markcite{Tauris1}Tauris & Savonije 1999), we find that all sequences with (sub-)giant donors up to $\sim 2\Ms$ are stable against dynamical mass transfer. Sequences where the secondary has a radiative envelope are stable against dynamical mass transfer for initial masses up to $\sim 4\Ms$. (abridged)

Mass Transfer in Binary Systems without Bulk Flow: Unsteady-State Examples

Blue stragglers stars (BSS) define a sparsely populated sequence extending to higher luminosity than the turnoff point of normal main sequence stars in the color magnitude diagrams of stellar aggregates, thus mimicking a rejuvenated (more massive) stellar population. The nature of these stars has been a puzzle for many years and their formation mechanism is not completely understood, yet. Two mechanisms have been proposed to produce BSS: (i) the mass transfer in binary systems; and ((ii) the merger of two stars induced by stellar interactions. In this contribution we schematically report on the main properties of BSS in globular clusters (GCs) in the light of the most recent photometric and spectroscopic observations. These results, combined with dynamical simulations, indicate that both the proposed formation mechanisms play an important role in the production of BSS in GCs.