The core degenerate scenario for the type Ia supernova SN 2020eyj

TL;DR

This paper proposes a new core degenerate scenario for type Ia supernova SN 2020eyj, involving two common envelope phases and a merger with a helium-rich circumstellar medium, explaining observed features.

Contribution

It introduces a novel CD scenario with two CEE phases, explaining the helium-rich CSM and timing of the supernova explosion.

Findings

The model produces a sufficiently massive CO core for merger.

The helium-rich layer (~0.3-1 solar masses) explains the CSM.

The delay between merger and explosion matches observations.

Abstract

We argue that the core degenerate (CD) scenario of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) can explain the compact helium-rich circumstellar material (CSM) of SN 2020eyj. In the new channel of the CD scenario that we propose there are two major common envelope evolution (CEE) phases. After the white dwarf (WD) companion removes the hydrogen-rich envelope of the asymptotic giant branch star its spiralling-in halts at few solar radii from the core, rather than continuing to the carbon-oxygen (CO) core as in the hydrogen-rich SNe Ia-CSM CD scenario. Only hundreds to tens of thousands of years later, after the helium-rich core expands, does the WD enters a CEE with the helium-rich layer. By that time the hydrogen-rich envelope is at a large distance from the center. The WD merges with the CO core during the second CEE phase, and only after a merger to explosion delay (MED) time of weeks to tens of years the merger remnant explodes. The SN Ia ejecta collides with a helium-rich CSM at tens to hundreds of AU. We follow the evolution of two stellar models with initial masses of 5Mo and 7Mo to their asymptotic giant branch phase when they are supposed to engulf the WD companion. We find that there is a sufficiently massive CO core to merge with the WD in the frame of the CD scenario as well as a massive helium-rich layer, ~0.3-1Mo, to account for the helium-rich CSM of SN 2020eyj.