Expected Changes of SNe with Redshift due to Evolution of Their Progenitors

Abstract

SummaryWe have analyzed the influence of the stellar populations, from which SN progenitors come, on the observational outcome, including the metal free Pop. III. We use our models to study the evolution of the progenitor, the subsequent explosion and the light curves. For Type Ia, the variation of the main sequence mass of the progenitor of the exploding WD produces an offset in the maximum-decline relation of 0.2 mag. This effect is critical for the use of high redshift Type Ia SNe as cosmological standard candles. In contrast, the metallicity does not change the above relation (at maximum, ΔMV ≤0.06 mag). For Type II, we find a dependence of the light curve properties with both main sequence mass and metallicity of the progenitor, and we identify a rather homogeneous subclass, “Extreme II-P,” that may be used as a quasi-standard candle. Note that, although not as good as Type Ia for distance determinations, Type II are expected to have occurred since the first stars were formed.