It's a matter of time: Empirical Constraints on Supernova Yields and Delay Times from Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies

TL;DR

This study introduces a new chemical evolution model that uses observed star formation histories to empirically constrain supernova yields and delay times in dwarf spheroidal galaxies, revealing higher Mg yields and steeper Type Ia delay-time distributions.

Contribution

The paper presents DLEIY, a novel model that combines observed star formation histories with statistical analysis to constrain supernova yields and delay times without fixed yield scales.

Findings

Fe yields align with existing models.

Mg yields are 2-4 times higher than some models.

Type Ia supernova rate is about 5 times higher with a t^{-2} delay-time distribution.

Abstract

The chemical abundances of a stellar population encode information about nucleosynthesis and its astrophysical sites, but this information is confounded by the specific star formation history of the host galaxy. As a result, placing empirical constraints on supernova yields and timing using abundances has been very challenging. We introduce a galactic chemical evolution model DLEIY that uses an observed star formation history and metallicity distribution to reduce these confounding factors. Using a joint statistical model of the dwarf spheroidal galaxies Sculptor and Fornax, simultaneous constraints on population-averaged yields and galactic outflows are achieved with DLEIY, without fixing the absolute scale of nucleosynthetic yields. The Fe yield from core collapse supernovae is consistent with existing theoretical yield models, while the measured Mg yield is a factor of 2-4 higher, corroborating previous suggestions that yield models may under-predict [Mg/Fe]. We also find that the rate of Type Ia supernovae is enhanced by about a factor of 5 relative to field galaxies, and the delay-time distribution goes as $\sim t^{-2}$, a much steeper relationship than that measured from supernova surveys ($\sim t^{-1.1}$). These findings may suggest a metallicity dependence of the Type Ia rate and delay-time distribution.