Can circumstellar interaction explain the strange light-curve features of Type Ib/c supernovae?

¹ Department of Experimental Physics, Institute of Physics, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 9, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
² ELKH-SZTE Stellar Astrophysics Research Group, Szegedi út, Kt. 766, 6500 Baja, Hungary

^⋆ Corresponding author; nagyandi@titan.physx.u-szeged.hu

Received: 21 November 2023
Accepted: 24 January 2025

Abstract

Context. The evolution and surrounding of the progenitors of stripped-envelope supernovae are still debated: some studies suggest single-star progenitors, but others prefer massive binary progenitors. Moreover, the basic physical properties of the exploding star and its interaction with circumstellar matter could significantly modify the overall light-curve features of these objects. To better understand the effect of stellar evolution and circumstellar interaction, systematic hydrodynamic calculations are needed.

Aims. We test the hypothesis that circumstellar matter generated by an extreme episodic η Carinae-like eruption that occurs days or weeks before the supernova explosion may explain the differences related to the general light-curve features of stripped-envelope supernovae.

Methods. We present our bolometric light-curve calculations of single-star and binary progenitors generated by hydrodynamic simulations via MESA and SNEC. We also studied the effect of an interaction with close low-mass circumstellar matter assumed to be created just a few days or weeks before the explosion. In addition to generating a model light-curve grid, we compared our results with some observational data.

Results. We found that the shape of the supernova light curve alone can indicate that the cataclysmic death of the massive star occurred in a binary system or was related to the explosion of a single star. Moreover, our study also shows that confined dense circumstellar matter may cause the strange light-curve features (bumps, rebrightening, or steeper tail) of some Type Ib/c supernovae.