No UV-bright Eruptions from SN 2023ixf in GALEX Imaging 15-20 Years Before Explosion

TL;DR

This study examines pre-explosion UV images of SN 2023ixf to detect any precursor activity, finding no outbursts in the 15-20 years before the supernova, thus constraining progenitor variability.

Contribution

It provides the first deep UV observational constraints on the progenitor's variability in the decades before SN 2023ixf explosion.

Findings

No UV-bright outbursts detected 15-20 years prior to explosion.

Limits on UV luminosity set at approximately 1000-2000 solar luminosities.

Pre-explosion UV data constrains progenitor activity and circumstellar environment.

Abstract

We analyze pre-explosion ultraviolet (UV) imaging of the nearby Type II supernova SN 2023ixf in search of precursor variability. No outbursts are seen in observations obtained 15-20 yr prior to explosion to a limit of $L_{NUV} \approx 1000~L_{sun}$ and $L_{NUV} \approx 2000~L_{sun}$. The time period of these non-detections roughly corresponds to changes in the circumstellar density inferred from early spectra and photometry.