Interacting supernovae from wide massive binary systems

Abstract

Many supernovae (SNe) imply an interaction of the SN ejecta with matter (CSM) surrounding the progenitor star. This suggests that many massive stars may undergo various degrees of envelope stripping shortly before exploding, and produce a considerable diversity in their pre-explosion CSM properties. We explore a generic set of ~100 detailed massive binary evolution models to characterize the amount of envelope stripping and the expected CSM configurations. Our binary models were computed with the MESA stellar evolution code, considering an initial primary star mass of 12.6 Msun, and focus on initial orbital periods above 500 d. We compute these models up to the time of the primary's iron core collapse. We find that Roche lobe overflow often leads to incomplete stripping of the mass donor, resulting in a large variety of pre-SN envelope masses. Many of our models' red supergiant (RSG) donors undergo core collapse during Roche lobe overflow, with mass transfer and thus system mass loss rates of up to 0.01 Msun/yr at that time. The corresponding CSM densities are similar to those inferred for Type IIn SNe like 1998S. In other cases, the mass transfer turns unstable, leading to a common envelope phase at such late time that the mass donor explodes before the common envelope is fully ejected or the system has merged. We argue that this may cause significant pre-SN variability, as for example in SN 2020tlf. Other models suggest a common envelope ejection just centuries before core collapse, which may lead to the strongest interactions, as in superluminous Type IIn SNe like 1994W, or 2006gy. Wide massive binaries offer a natural framework to understand a broad range of hydrogen-rich interacting SNe. On the other hand, the flash features observed in many Type IIP SNe, like in SN 2013fs, may indicate that RSG atmospheres are more extended than currently assumed.