Li, Z., Wang, L., Han, Z., & Chen, X. (2024). Type Ia Supernovae from First-generation Stars. arXiv preprint arXiv:2407.19357v2.
This study investigates the possibility of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) originating from Population III (Pop III) stars, the first generation of stars formed in the early universe. The authors aim to determine the production rate of such SNe Ia and assess the likelihood of their detection with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
The researchers employ a combination of detailed stellar evolution modeling using the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) code and semi-analytic calculations to simulate the evolution of Pop III binary systems. They consider both the single degenerate (SD) and double degenerate (DD) channels for SNe Ia production. For the SD channel, they utilize the common envelope wind (CEW) model, while for the DD channel, they adopt a delay time distribution (DTD) similar to that of Pop I stars. The authors then incorporate these models into a cosmological framework, considering two representative cosmic star formation history (CSFH) models for Pop III stars.
The study suggests that Pop III stars could be significant contributors to the SNe Ia rate at high redshifts. Observations of SNe Ia rates at z = 5 − 10 with the JWST could provide crucial constraints on the IMF of Pop III stars, offering valuable insights into the early universe's star formation processes.
This research highlights the potential of SNe Ia as probes of the early universe and the nature of the first stars. Detecting and characterizing Pop III SNe Ia would provide crucial information about the early stages of cosmic evolution, metal enrichment, and the formation of the first galaxies.
The study acknowledges limitations due to the simplified treatment of binary evolution and the assumed DTD for the DD channel. Future research incorporating detailed binary population synthesis calculations and exploring alternative IMFs for Pop III stars would refine the predictions and provide a more comprehensive understanding of Pop III SNe Ia.
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