# A hyper-runaway white dwarf in Gaia DR2 as a Type Iax supernova primary remnant candidate

## TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a high-velocity white dwarf, LP 93-21, likely being the remnant of a Type Iax supernova, providing evidence for supernova progenitor models involving stellar ejections.

## Contribution

It presents the first candidate unbound white dwarf consistent with a Type Iax supernova remnant, supporting models of stellar ejection scenarios.

## Key findings

- LP 93-21 is unbound and traveling at ~605 km/s.
- Spectroscopic analysis shows anomalous elemental abundances.
- The trajectory is consistent with a supernova ejection origin.

## Abstract

Observations of stellar remnants linked to Type Ia and Type Iax supernovae are necessary to fully understand their progenitors. Multiple progenitor scenarios predict a population of kicked donor remnants and partially-burnt primary remnants, both moving with relatively high velocity. But only a handful of examples consistent with these two predicted populations have been observed. Here we report the likely first known example of an unbound white dwarf that is consistent with being the fully-cooled primary remnant to a Type Iax supernova. The candidate, LP 93-21, is travelling with a galactocentric velocity of v$_{gal}$ $\simeq$ 605 km s$^{-1}$, and is gravitationally unbound to the Milky Way. We rule out an extragalactic origin. The Type Iax supernova ejection scenario is consistent with its peculiar unbound trajectory, given anomalous elemental abundances are detected in its photosphere via spectroscopic follow-up. This discovery reflects recent models that suggest stellar ejections likely occur often. Unfortunately the intrinsic faintness of white dwarfs, and the uncertainty associated with their direct progenitor systems, makes it difficult to detect and confirm such donors.