2007/01/05 by J. J. Eldridge, S. Mattila, S. J. Smartt · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2007.00285.x
published as Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc.Lett.376:L52-L56,2007 · 5 pages, 3 figures, Letter accepted for publication in MNRAS
arxiv created 2007/01/05 · openalex publication_date 2007/02/19 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Abstract We calculate the predicted UBVRIJHK absolute magnitudes for models of supernova progenitors and apply the result to the case of supernova 2005cs. We agree with previous results that the initial mass of the star was low, around 6 to 8 M⊙. However, such stars are thought to go through a second dredge-up to become asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. We show that had this occurred to the progenitor of 2005cs it would have been observed in JHK pre-explosion images. The progenitor was not detected in these bands and therefore we conclude that it was not an AGB star. Furthermore, if some AGB stars do produce supernovae they will have a clear signature in pre-explosion near-infrared images. Electron-capture supernovae are thought to occur in AGB stars, hence the implication is that 2005cs was not an electron-capture supernova but was the collapse of an iron core.