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A Wolf-Rayet-Like Progenitor of SN 2013cu from Spectral Observations of a Stellar WindThe explosive fate of massive Wolf-Rayet stars (WRSs) is a key open question in stellar physics. An appealing option is that hydrogen- deficient WRSs are the progenitors of some hydrogen-poor supernova explosions of types IIb, Ib and Ic. A blue object, having luminosity and colours consistent with those of some WRSs, has recently been identified in pre-explosion images at the location of a supernova of type Ib, but has not yet been conclusively determined to have been the progenitor. Similar work has so far only resulted in non-detections. Comparison of early photometric observations of type Ic supernovae with theoretical models suggests that the progenitor stars had radii of less than 10(exp 12) centimetres, as expected for some WRSs. The signature of WRSs, their emission line spectra, cannot be probed by such studies. Here we report the detection of strong emission lines in a spectrum of type IIb supernova 2013cu (iPTF13ast) obtained approximately 15.5 hours after explosion (by 'flash spectroscopy', which captures the effects of the supernova explosion shock breakout flash on material surrounding the progenitor star).We identify Wolf-Rayet-like wind signatures, suggesting a progenitor of the WN(h) subclass (those WRSs with winds dominated by helium and nitrogen, with traces of hydrogen). The extent of this dense wind may indicate increased mass loss from the progenitor shortly before its explosion, consistent with recent theoretical predictions.
Document ID
20150008281
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
doi:10.1038/nature13304
Authors
Gal-Yam, Avishay (Weizmann Inst. of Science Rehovot, Israel)
Arcavi, I. (Weizmann Inst. of Science Rehovot, Israel)
Ofek, E. O. (Weizmann Inst. of Science Rehovot, Israel)
Ben-Ami, S. (Weizmann Inst. of Science Rehovot, Israel)
Cenko, S. B. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Kasliwal, M. M. (Carnegie Institution for Science Pasadena, CA, United States)
Cao, Y. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Yaron, O. (Weizmann Inst. of Science Rehovot, Israel)
Tal, D. (Weizmann Inst. of Science Rehovot, Israel)
Silverman, J. M. (Texas Univ. Austin, TX, United States)
Horesh, A. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Cia, A. De (Weizmann Inst. of Science Rehovot, Israel)
Taddia, F. (Stockholm Univ. Sweden)
Sollerman, J. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Perley, D. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Vreeswijk, P. M. (Weizmann Inst. of Science Rehovot, Israel)
Kulkarni, S. R. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Nugent, P. E. (California Univ., Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Filippenko, A. V. (California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Wheeler, J. C. (Texas Univ. Austin, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
May 18, 2015
Publication Date
May 21, 2014
Publication Information
Publication: Nature
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Volume: 509
Issue: 7501
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN21602
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
observations
spectral
stellar

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