Chandra's insights into SN 2023ixf

TL;DR

This study presents Chandra X-ray observations of SN 2023ixf, revealing details about circumstellar interaction, evolving absorption, and progenitor mass-loss history over years before explosion.

Contribution

First detailed X-ray analysis of SN 2023ixf showing circumstellar interaction, absorption evolution, and progenitor mass-loss rate, providing new insights into supernova environment and progenitor evolution.

Findings

Circumstellar absorption declines as t^{-2} then t^{-1}.

Unabsorbed X-ray luminosity decreases as t^{-1}.

Detection of Fe Kα line indicates cold material near the SN.

Abstract

We report Chandra-ACIS observations of SN 2023ixf in M101 on day 13 and 86 since the explosion. The X-rays in both epochs are characterized by high temperature plasma from the forward shocked region as a result of circumstellar interaction. We are able to constrain the absorption column density at both Chandra epochs, which is much larger than that due to the Galactic and host absorption column, and we attribute it to absorption by the circumstellar matter in the immediate vicinity of SN 2023ixf. Combining our column density measurements with the published measurement on day 4, we show that the column density declines as $t^{-2}$ between day 4 to day 13 and then evolves as $t^{-1}$. The unabsorbed $0.3-10$ keV luminosity evolves as $t^{-1}$ during the Chandra epochs. On day 13 Chandra observation we detect the Fe K$\alpha$ fluorescent line at 6.4 keV indicating presence of cold material in the vicinity of the SN. The line is absent on day 86, consistent with the decreased column density by a factor of 7 between the two epochs. Our analysis indicates that during 10 years to 1.5 years before explosion, the progenitor was evolving with a constant mass-loss rate of $5.6\times 10^{-4}$ M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$.