Type II-P supernova progenitor star initial masses and SN 2020jfo: direct detection, light-curve properties, nebular spectroscopy, and local environment

Abstract

ABSTRACT We present optical, ultraviolet, and infrared data of the type II supernova (SN II) 2020jfo at 14.5 Mpc. This wealth of multiwavelength data allows us to compare different metrics commonly used to estimate progenitor masses of SN II for the same object. Using its early light curve, we infer SN 2020jfo had a progenitor radius of ≈700 R⊙, consistent with red supergiants of initial mass MZAMS =11–13 M⊙. The decline in its late-time light curve is best fit by a 56Ni mass of 0.018 ± 0.007 M⊙ consistent with that ejected from SN II-P with ≈13 M⊙ initial mass stars. Early spectra and photometry do not exhibit signs of interaction with circumstellar matter, implying that SN 2020jfo experienced weak mass-loss within the final years prior to explosion. Our spectra at >250 d are best fit by models from 12 M⊙ initial mass stars. We analysed integral field unit spectroscopy of the stellar population near SN 2020jfo, finding its massive star population had a zero age main sequence mass of 9.7$\substack{+2.5\\ -1.3}~{\rm M}_{\odot }$. We identify a single counterpart in pre-explosion imaging and find it has an initial mass of at most $7.2\substack{+1.2\\ -0.6}~{\rm M}_{\odot }$. We conclude that the inconsistency between this mass and indirect mass indicators from SN 2020jfo itself is most likely caused by extinction with AV = 2–3 mag due to matter around the progenitor star, which lowered its observed optical luminosity. As SN 2020jfo did not exhibit extinction at this level or evidence for interaction with circumstellar matter between 1.6 and 450 d from explosion, we conclude that this material was likely confined within ≈3000 R⊙ from the progenitor star.