Simulations and Modeling of Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transients and Supernova Impostors

TL;DR

This paper reviews the classification of Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transients (ILOTs), presents 3D hydrodynamical simulations of giant eruptions, and explores their connection to planetary nebulae formation, highlighting a common gravitational energy source.

Contribution

It introduces new 3D hydrodynamical models of giant eruptions and links ILOTs to planetary nebulae formation, proposing a unified energy mechanism.

Findings

Simulations reveal the mechanism behind giant eruptions.

ILOTs and PNe may share a common gravitational energy source.

New models for recent ILOTs are presented.

Abstract

More luminous than classical novae, but less luminous than Supernovae, lies the exotic stellar eruptions known as Intermediate luminosity optical transients (ILOTs). They are divided into a number of sub-groups depending on the erupting progenitor and the properties of the eruption. A large part of the ILOTs is positioned on the slanted Optical Transient Stripe (OTS) in the Energy-Time Diagram (ETD) that shows their total energy vs. duration of their eruption. We describe the different kinds of ILOTs that populate the OTS and other parts of the ETD. The high energy part of the OTS hosts the supernova impostors -- giant eruption (GE) of very massive stars. We show results of 3D hydrodynamical simulations of GEs that expose the mechanism behind these GEs, and present new models for recent ILOTs. We discuss the connection between different kinds of ILOTs, and suggest that they have a common energy source -- gravitational energy released by mass transfer. We emphasize similarities between Planetary Nebulae (PN) and ILOTs, and suggest that some PNe were formed in an ILOT event. Therefore, simulations used for GEs can be adapted for PNe, and used for learning about the influence of the ILOT events on the the central star of the planetary nebula.