Modeling of the nebular-phase spectral evolution of stripped-envelope supernovae. New grids from 100 to 450 days

Abstract

We present an extended grid of multi-epoch 1D nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium radiative transfer calculations for nebular-phase Type Ibc supernovae (SNe) from He-star explosions. Compared to Dessart+21, we study the spectral evolution from 100 to about 450d and augment the model set with progenitors that were evolved without wind mass loss. Models with the same final, preSN mass have similar yields and produce essentially the same emergent spectra. Hence, the uncertain progenitor mass loss history compromises the inference of the initial, main sequence mass. This shortcoming does not affect Type IIb SNe. However, our 1D models with a different preSN mass tend to yield widely different spectra, as seen through variations in the strong emission lines due to [NII]6548-6583, [OI]6300-6364, [CaII]7291-7323, [NiII]7378, and the forest of FeII lines below 5500A. At the lower mass end, the ejecta are He rich and at 100d cool through HeI, NII, CaII, and FeII lines, with NII and FeII dominating at 450d. These models, associated with He giants, conflict with observed SNe Ib, which typically lack strong NII emission. Instead they may lead to SNe Ibn or, because of additional stripping by a companion star, ultra-stripped SNe Ic. In contrast, for higher preSN masses, the ejecta are progressively He poor and cool at 100d through OI, CaII, and FeII lines, with OI and CaII dominating at 450d. Nonuniform, aspherical, large-scale mixing rather than composition differences likely determines the SN type at intermediate preSN masses. Variations in clumping, mixing, as well as departures from spherical symmetry would increase the spectral diversity but also introduce additional degeneracies. More robust predictions from spectral modeling require a careful attention to the initial conditions informed by physically-consistent 3D explosion models [abridged].