Mass-Loss Rate Rises Sharply Before Rare Type Ia Supernova Explosion: Study

Over the decades leading up to the explosion of the rare and luminous Type Ia supernova SN 2022erq, the mass-loss rate of its progenitor system rose sharply, according to new observations.

The finding provides new observational evidence for understanding how Type Ia supernova progenitor systems evolve during their final stages.

Led by Dr. ZHAI Qian from Yunnan Observatories (YNAO) of the , the study was published in The Astrophysical Journal.

SN 2022erq was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS).