Evolution Of Post-Impact Remnant Helium Stars In Type Ia Supernova Remnants Within The Single-Degenerate Scenario

TL;DR

This study models the post-impact evolution of helium-rich companion stars in Type Ia supernova remnants, predicting their observable phases, properties, and potential as hypervelocity stars within the single-degenerate scenario.

Contribution

It introduces a combined hydrodynamics and stellar evolution simulation approach to predict the evolution and observable signatures of helium-rich post-impact remnant stars in SN Ia remnants.

Findings

He PIRSs expand to luminous phase about 10 years post-supernova

They evolve into hot sdO-like stars lasting several million years

Predicted high velocities and rapid rotation of these stars

Abstract

The progenitor systems of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are still under debate. Based on recent hydrodynamics simulations, non-degenerate companions in the single-degenerate scenario (SDS) should survive the supernova impact. One way to distinguish between the SDS and the double-degenerate scenario is to search for the post-impact remnant stars (PIRSs) in SN Ia remnants. Using a technique that combines multi-dimensional hydrodynamics simulations with one-dimensional stellar evolution simulations, we have examined the post-impact evolution of helium-rich binary companions in the SDS. It is found that these helium-rich PIRSs (He PIRSs) dramatically expand and evolve to a luminous phase ($L\sim 10^4 L_\odot$) about 10 years after a supernova explosion. Subsequently, they contract and evolve to become hot blue-subdwarf-like (sdO-like) stars by releasing gravitational energy, persisting as sdO-like stars for several million years before evolving to the helium red-giant phase. We therefore predict that a luminous OB-like star should be detectable within $\sim 30$ years after the SN explosion. Thereafter, it will shrink and become an sdO-like star in the central regions of SN Ia remnants within star-forming regions for SN Ia progenitors evolved via the helium-star channel in the SDS. These He PIRSs are predicted to be rapidly rotating ($v_{\rm rot} \gtrsim 50$ km s$^{-1}$) and to have high spatial velocities ($v_{\rm linear} \gtrsim 500$ km s$^{-1}$). Furthermore, if supernova remnants have diffused away and are not recognizable at a later stage, He PIRSs could be an additional source of single sdO stars and/or hypervelocity stars.