Chandra’s Insights into SN 2023ixf

We report Chandra-ACIS observations of supernova (SN) 2023ixf in M101 on day 13 and 86 since the explosion. The X-rays in both epochs are characterized by high-temperature plasma from the forward shocked region as a result of circumstellar interaction. We are able to constrain the absorption column...

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Main Authors: Poonam Chandra, Roger A. Chevalier, Keiichi Maeda, Alak K. Ray, Nayana A. J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2024-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad275d
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author Poonam Chandra
Roger A. Chevalier
Keiichi Maeda
Alak K. Ray
Nayana A. J.
author_facet Poonam Chandra
Roger A. Chevalier
Keiichi Maeda
Alak K. Ray
Nayana A. J.
author_sort Poonam Chandra
collection DOAJ
description We report Chandra-ACIS observations of supernova (SN) 2023ixf in M101 on day 13 and 86 since the explosion. The X-rays in both epochs are characterized by high-temperature plasma from the forward shocked region as a result of circumstellar interaction. We are able to constrain the absorption column density at both Chandra epochs, which is much larger than that due to the Galactic and host absorption column, and we attribute it to absorption by the circumstellar matter in the immediate vicinity of SN 2023ixf. Combining our column density measurements with the published measurement on day 4, we show that the column density declines as t ^−2 between day 4 to day 13 and then evolves as t ^−1 . The unabsorbed 0.3–10 keV luminosity evolves as t ^−1 during the Chandra epochs. On the Chandra first epoch observation, when the SN was 13 days old, we detect the Fe K α fluorescent line at 6.4 keV indicating presence of cold material in the vicinity of the supernova. The line is absent on day 86, consistent with the decreased column density by a factor of 7 between the two epochs. Our analysis indicates that during 10–1.5 yr before explosion, the progenitor was evolving with a constant mass-loss rate of 5.6 × 10 ^−4 M _⊙ yr ^−1 .
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spelling doaj-art-ca261daf029540b79b466112612f89ba2025-08-20T02:52:42ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052024-01-019631L410.3847/2041-8213/ad275dChandra’s Insights into SN 2023ixfPoonam Chandra0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0844-6563Roger A. Chevalier1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9117-7244Keiichi Maeda2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2611-7269Alak K. Ray3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2404-0018Nayana A. J.4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8070-5400National Radio Astronomy Observatory , 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA; National Centre for Radio Astrophysics , TIFR, Ganeshkhind Pune 411007, IndiaDepartment of Astronomy, University of Virginia , Charlottesville, VA 22904-4325, USADepartment of Astronomy, Kyoto University , Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 JapanHomi Bhabha Centre for Science Education , TIFR, Mumbai 400088, IndiaDepartment of Astronomy, University of California , Berkeley, CA 94720-3411, USAWe report Chandra-ACIS observations of supernova (SN) 2023ixf in M101 on day 13 and 86 since the explosion. The X-rays in both epochs are characterized by high-temperature plasma from the forward shocked region as a result of circumstellar interaction. We are able to constrain the absorption column density at both Chandra epochs, which is much larger than that due to the Galactic and host absorption column, and we attribute it to absorption by the circumstellar matter in the immediate vicinity of SN 2023ixf. Combining our column density measurements with the published measurement on day 4, we show that the column density declines as t ^−2 between day 4 to day 13 and then evolves as t ^−1 . The unabsorbed 0.3–10 keV luminosity evolves as t ^−1 during the Chandra epochs. On the Chandra first epoch observation, when the SN was 13 days old, we detect the Fe K α fluorescent line at 6.4 keV indicating presence of cold material in the vicinity of the supernova. The line is absent on day 86, consistent with the decreased column density by a factor of 7 between the two epochs. Our analysis indicates that during 10–1.5 yr before explosion, the progenitor was evolving with a constant mass-loss rate of 5.6 × 10 ^−4 M _⊙ yr ^−1 .https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad275dCircumstellar matterSupernovaeStellar mass lossX-ray transient sources
spellingShingle Poonam Chandra
Roger A. Chevalier
Keiichi Maeda
Alak K. Ray
Nayana A. J.
Chandra’s Insights into SN 2023ixf
The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Circumstellar matter
Supernovae
Stellar mass loss
X-ray transient sources
title Chandra’s Insights into SN 2023ixf
title_full Chandra’s Insights into SN 2023ixf
title_fullStr Chandra’s Insights into SN 2023ixf
title_full_unstemmed Chandra’s Insights into SN 2023ixf
title_short Chandra’s Insights into SN 2023ixf
title_sort chandra s insights into sn 2023ixf
topic Circumstellar matter
Supernovae
Stellar mass loss
X-ray transient sources
url https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad275d
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AT alakkray chandrasinsightsintosn2023ixf
AT nayanaaj chandrasinsightsintosn2023ixf