Lunch talk on Apr. 3, 2026

A binary merger product as the direct progenitor of a Type II-P supernova

Speaker: Zexi Niu (UCAS)

Venue: SWIFAR Building 2111

Time: 12:45 PM, Friday, Apr. 3, 2026

Abstract: 

In the local Universe, Type IIP supernovae (SNe IIP) represent the most common subtype, accounting for approximately 35%-40% of all supernovae. Understanding their origins constitutes a primary scientific objective for time-domain astronomy, and it also greatly advances research in multiple astrophysical fields, such as massive stars evolution, explosion mechanisms, and compact object formation. In the conventional view, SNe IIP progenitors are extensively interpreted within the single-star evolution framework, which aligns with direct detections of red supergiants prior to their explosions. The significant observed diversity among SNe IIP, however, suggests the existence of different underlying evolutionary pathways. Among these, the scenario involving interacting binary systems was proposed in theoretical studies decades ago and has since been widely investigated. Recent population synthesis models further suggest that about 30–50% of SNe IIP may originate from interacting binary systems. Despite considerable efforts, the binary progenitor scenario still lacks strong observational evidence. In this talk, I will address this problem by introducing a newly developed methodology. We confirm that a Type IIP SN originated from a binary merger product. Using state-of-the-art binary evolution simulations, we reconstruct the complex interacting processes that the system underwent before merging. This work presents the first compelling evidence for a binary origin of SNe IIP and calls for a reassessment of these most common explosions in our local Universe. Related work has been published in Science Bulletin.