Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An alternative binary model for SN1987A

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

FABIAN et al.1 and Joss et al.2 have proposed that the progenitor of supernova 1987A was a relatively faint binary companion of the blue supergiant Sk –69°202 (ref. 3). Here we propose another, class of models for SN1987A, wherein Sk–69°202 was the progenitor, but where the presupernova evolution of this star was strongly influenced by the accretion of matter from a companion star which was initially the more massive star. Binary stellar evolution calculations show that a model of this type can naturally explain why the apparent progenitor was a blue supergiant rather than a red one. The system becomes unbound after the supernova event, and the presence of a normal or neutron-star companion will probably be revealed a few years after the explosion. A model of this type can explain all the major observational features of SN1987A and also provides plausible explanations for many of its anomalies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fabian, A. C., Rees, M. J., van den Heuvel, E. P. J. & van Paradijs, J. Nature 328, 323–324 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Joss, P. C., Podsiadlowski, Ph., Hsu, J. J. L. & Rappaport, S. Nature 331, 237–240 (1988).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Walborn, N. R., Lasker, B. M., Laidler, V. G. & Chu, Y.-H. Astrophys. J. 321, L41–L44 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Falk, S. W. & Arnett, W. D. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 33, 515–562 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Woosley, S. E. & Weaver, T. A. in Proc. 5th Moriand Astrophys Conf.: Nucleosynthesis and its Implications on Nuclear and Particle Physics (eds Audouze, J. & Mathieu, N.) 145–166 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Woosley, S. E. Astrophys. J. 330, 218–253 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Abt, H. A. & Levy, S. G. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 36, 241–258 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Renzini, A. in IAU Symp. 105: Observational Tests of Stellar Evolution Theory (eds Maeder, A. & Renzini, A.) 21–40 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1984).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Applegate, J. H. Astrophys. J. 329, 803–807 (1988).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Höppner, W. & Weigert, A. Astr. Astrophys. 25, 99–103 (1973).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Weiss, A. Astr. Astrophys. 127, 411–412 (1983).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Maeder, A. in IAU Symp. 105: Observational Tests of Stellar Evolution Theory (eds Maeder, A. & Renzini, A.) 299–319 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kippenhahn, R., Weigert, A. & Hofmeister, E. in Methods in Computational Physics Vol. 7 (eds Alder, B., Fernbach, S. & Rothenberg, M.) 129–190 (Academic, New York, 1967).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Iben Jr, I., Astrophys. J. 304, 201–216 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Nomoto, K. & Shigeyama, T. Proc. ESO Workshop on Supernova 1987A (ed. Danzinger, I. J.) (in the press).

  16. Barkat, Z. & Wheeler, J. C. Astrophys. J. 332, 247–260 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kippenhahn, R. & Weigert, A. Z. Astrophys. 65, 251–273 (1967).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Lauterborn, D. Astr. Astrophys. 7, 150–159 (1970).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Tutukov, A. V. & Yungelson, L. R. in IAU Symp. 88: Close Binary Stars: Observations and Interpretations (eds Plavec, J. M., Popper, D. M. & Ulrich, R. K.) 15–22 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1980).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  20. Bondi, H. & Hoyle, F. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 104, 273–282 (1944).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Harnden Jr. F. R., & Seward, F. D. Proc. 4th George Mason Workshop on Supernova 1987A (ed. Kafatos, M.) (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, in the press).

  22. Arnett, W. D. Astrophys. J. 319, 136–142 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Woosley, S. E., Pinto, P. A. & Ensman, L. Astrophys. J. 324, 466–489 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Cropper, M. et al. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 231, 695–722 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Karovska, M. et al. IAU Circ. No. 4604 (1988).

  26. Rees, M. J. Nature 328, 207 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Nisenson, P., Papaliolios, C., Karovska, M. & Noyes, R. Astrophys. J. 320, L15–L18 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Dotani, T. et al. Nature 330, 230–231 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Fabian, A. C. & Rees, M. J. Nature 335, 50–51 (1988).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Williams, R. E. Astrophys. J. 320, L117–L120 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Habets, G. M. H. J. Astr. Astrophys. 167, 61–76 (1986).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Iben Jr, I. & Tutukov, A. V. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 58, 661–710 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Mestel, L. in Stellar Structure (eds Aller, L. H. & McLaughlin, D. B.) Vol. 8 465–497 (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Saio, H., Kato, M. & Nomoto, K. Astrophys. J. 331, 388–393 (1988).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Weiss, A., Hillebrandt, W. & Truran, J. W. Astr. Astrophys. 197, L11–L14 (1988).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. McClure, R. D. Astrophys. J. 268, 264–273 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Fransson, C. et al. Astrophys. J. 336, 429–441 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Center for Space Research, and Center for Theoretical Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Room 6-203, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA

    Ph. Podsiadlowski & P. C. Joss

Authors
  1. Ph. Podsiadlowski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. C. Joss
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Podsiadlowski, P., Joss, P. An alternative binary model for SN1987A. Nature 338, 401–403 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/338401a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/338401a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation