# Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 Imaging1footnote 11footnote 1Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained in part from the data archive of the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. of SN 1979C and Its Environment

## 1 Introduction

A primary goal of supernova research is an understanding of the progenitor stars and explosion mechanisms of the different types of supernovae (SNe). In the absence of direct information about the progenitor stars, scrutiny of the host galaxies and local environments of SNe continues to yield valuable clues to their nature. Previous ground-based studies of SN host galaxies and environments have primarily concentrated on statistical results. Investigation of the local stellar and gaseous environments of SNe can, in favorable cases, yield useful constraints on the ages and masses of progenitor stars. However, most studies of this kind have been hampered by the limited spatial resolution of ground-based observations. The superior angular resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) offers the potential for greater understanding of SN environments.

Presumably caused by the core collapse of massive stars, Type II SNe (SNe II) have been associated with a young stellar population (e.g., Van Dyk (1992)). SNe II all exhibit hydrogen in their optical spectra, but the strength and profile of the H$`\alpha `$ line vary widely among these objects (e.g., Schlegel (1996)). At late times, SNe II are dominated by the strong H$`\alpha `$ emission line. Photometrically, SNe II are subclassified into “plateau” (SNe II-P) and “linear” (SNe II-L), based on the shape of their light curves (Barbon, Ciatti, & Rosino (1979); Doggett & Branch (1985)). As part of a larger survey of SNe environments using HST WFPC2 archive data (Van Dyk et al. (1998)), we have examined the environment of the SN II-L 1979C in NGC 4321 (M100).

SN 1979C was discovered on 1979 April 19 by Johnson (1979) at around magnitude 12. Optical spectra first showed a featureless continuum, which later slowly evolved to exhibit strong H$`\alpha `$ emission, but with weak or no P Cygni absorption (Panagia et al. 1980; Branch et al. 1981; Barbon et al. 1982; Schlegel 1996). Photometrically, SN 1979C was unusually blue near maximum (which occurred on or about 1979 April 15, at $`m_B(\mathrm{max})=11.6`$; de Vaucouleurs et al. (1981)) and declined in brightness in a way characteristic of SNe II-L (e.g., Barbon et al. (1982)). The SN was also extraordinarily luminous, at $`M_B(\mathrm{max})20`$ (e.g., Young & Branch (1989)), making it the brightest SN II yet observed.

SN 1979C is also a bright late-time radio source (Weiler et al. (1986), 1991). The radio sphere of the SN was resolved by VLBI observations (Bartel et al. (1985)). Weiler et al. (1991) showed that its radio emission is consistent with a red supergiant progenitor star which initially had a mass $``$13 $`M_{}`$. Periodic undulations in the evolution of the radio emission led Weiler et al. (1992) to model the progenitor as possibly being in a detached eccentric binary system with a less massive companion, similar to the VV Cephei systems. Hydrodynamical simulations by Schwarz & Pringle (1996) confirm that this binary system model is feasible for SN 1979C. The radio emission has been declining in a relatively normal fashion, until, after almost two decades, it has ceased declining and may be rising again at all radio frequencies (Montes et al. 1998).

According to the Chevalier (1982) scenario, the radio emission is best modelled as the interaction of the SN shock wave with relatively high-density circumstellar matter, set up by a constant mass-loss rate, constant velocity wind from the red supergiant progenitor. Chevalier & Fransson (1994) have shown from hydrodynamical considerations for SN 1979C that X-ray radiation from the SN shock front can be absorbed by a shell formed via radiative cooling at the reverse shock. This gives rise to a low-ionization optical spectrum in the ejecta and in the shocked shell, while high-ionization lines are formed in the freely expanding SN ejecta. This implies late-time optical emission at H$`\alpha `$, \[O I\], \[O III\], and other lines. Fesen & Matonick (1993) from the ground, and Fesen et al. (1998) with HST, have indeed observed strong late-time line emission in the optical and UV, and interpret this as the result of the SN shock-circumstellar gas interaction.

The site of SN 1979C was imaged on two sets of HST data we have analyzed, with details of the separate analyses provided below. Based on its radio position (Weiler et al. (1991)), Van Dyk et al. (1996) found this SN to be associated with a faint H II region of radius $`1\stackrel{}{\mathrm{.}}5`$, situated below the bright southern spiral arm in M100 (see also Fesen & Matonick (1993)). From the HST images, the SN is seen to have occurred in or near a small cluster of stars, some of which presumably contribute to the ionization of that H II region. We have also recovered and measured the brightness of the SN in both the broad-band and narrow-band HST images obtained in 1996 July, 17 years after explosion.

## 2 Analysis

For the first time, a number of resolved stars are seen in the SN 1979C environment on both sets of HST images discussed below. We employed point spread function (PSF) fitting photometry of these stars performed by DAOPHOT (Stetson (1987)) and ALLSTAR within IRAF<sup>2</sup><sup>2</sup>2IRAF (Image Reduction and Analysis Facility) is distributed by the National Optical Astronomy Observatories, which are operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.. Stars were located on the images using DAOFIND, with a detection threshold of 3$`\sigma `$, determined by the gain and read noise parameters for the image. Because of the lack of isolated stars of sufficient signal-to-noise ratio on the images we analyzed, it was impossible to build a good model PSF from field stars on these images. Instead, we employed the Tiny Tim routine (Krist 1995) to produce an artificial PSF. The PSF-fitting photometry resulted in color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) for the stars in the SN environment. Throughout this paper we express the magnitudes and colors in the WFPC2 flight magnitude system. To analyze these diagrams, we used the theoretical isochrones for solar metallicity from Bertelli et al. (1994), in order to constrain the ages and masses of the stars. (We have converted the Johnson-Cousins $`UBVRI`$ magnitudes and colors for the isochrones into WFPC2 flight system magnitudes and colors, using the transformations given in Table 2 of Van Dyk et al. 1998.) We have assumed the distance modulus to M100 ($`mM=31.04`$, or $`d=16.1`$ Mpc) measured using Cepheids by Ferrarese et al. (1996).

### 2.1 HST Extragalactic Distance Scale Key Project Images

The data obtained from the HST archive, consisting of 12 F555W and four F814W cosmic-ray-split pairs of images, were originally part of the Extragalactic Distance Scale Key Project (Ferrarese et al. (1996)). Details of these observations are given in Table 1.

To take advantage of the very high signal-to-noise ratio made possible by the long exposures, we created images combined in each band from all the individual image sets. Before combining, we first registered the individual images using the cross-correlation method XREGISTER in IRAF, as well as using positions of the brightest stars in each image. Rotation of the individual images was negligible. The accuracy of the image alignment was estimated to be well within 0.3 pixels. The combined F555W image is shown in Figure 1. One can see the small star cluster within the 1″ radius error circle for the SN’s position. (The radio position is accurate to $`\pm 0\stackrel{}{\mathrm{.}}2`$, but we have assigned a more conservative error, due to the larger uncertainty in the world coordinates of the HST images.)

The resolved stars in the associated cluster have separations of only $``$3 to 5 pixels peak-to-peak. Because of crowding, and loss of resolution in the shifted and undersampled images, it was necessary to identify and separate stars by eye in the associated star cluster. All identified stars were removed by PSF subtraction; stars which remained after subtraction were then added to the star list. We subsequently used this list derived from the combined image in each band and applied it within ALLSTAR to each of the individual images that went into forming the combination. The crowding and variable background required that the sky be determined with a small local annulus of $`0\stackrel{}{\mathrm{.}}3`$ inner radius and $`0\stackrel{}{\mathrm{.}}4`$ width. Trial and error dictated the best fitting radius, from $`0\stackrel{}{\mathrm{.}}14`$ to $`0\stackrel{}{\mathrm{.}}18`$.

The instrumental magnitudes determined from individual images were weight-averaged to yield final magnitudes. To stay consistent with the methods and results in Ferrarese et al. (1996), instrumental magnitudes were converted to apparent magnitudes using the zeropoints from Hill et al. (1998).

In Figure 2 we show the CMD for the SN 1979C environment (the star cluster nearest the positional error circle), which results from the photometry on the individual images, along with photometry of the summed images for stars not found on the individual images. The brightest star on the diagram is most likely SN 1979C itself (see next subsection). We cannot accurately estimate the reddening for this environment from this diagram, but it may be appreciable. Branch et al. (1981) estimated that the reddening to SN 1979C was $`E(BV)0.15`$ mag, but this could have been largely circumstellar. On the other hand, it is also possible that the underlying cluster may be reddened by more than this. We show in Figure 2 the reddened isochrones from Bertelli et al. (1994) with solar metallicity, reddening of $`E(BV)=0.15`$ mag, and a distance modulus of ($`mM=31.04`$), after transforming the isochrones to the WFPC2 flight system.

### 2.2 HST Project GO 6584 Images

In addition to the Key Project images, the environment of SN 1979C was observed as part of GO Project 6584, whose aim was to study the interaction of SNe with their circumstellar environments. Table 1 lists the details of these observations, which were not nearly as deep as the combined Key Project images, but covered a wider range in wavelength, including the F658N (H$`\alpha `$) narrow band, and also were centered on the PC1 chip, affording higher spatial resolution than the Key Project images. In Figure 3 we show the F555W and F658N images. The arrow in each figure points to what is very likely SN 1979C, which was still optically bright in 1996 July, especially at H$`\alpha `$, consistent with the results of Fesen & Matonick (1993) for 1991 and 1992. The numbering in Figure 3a corresponds to the stars listed in Table 2, for which we provide a comparison with our photometry of the Key Project images discussed above. (The errors for the magnitudes given in Table 2 are the formal errors provided by ALLSTAR.) One can see that the photometry for the two datasets agrees reasonably well; slight discrepancies can be explained in terms of the higher spatial resolution of the GO 6584 images versus the higher signal-to-noise ratio of the Key Project images.

We can measure the H$`\alpha `$ line flux from our F658N image in Figure 3b. Using Equation 11 in Holtzman et al. (1995) to convert a point-source count rate into flux, we find that the total H$`\alpha `$ flux on 1996 July 29 UT for SN 1979C through the F658N filter was $`4.7\times 10^{16}`$ erg cm<sup>-2</sup> s<sup>-1</sup>. Fesen & Matonick (1993; see also Fesen et al. 1998) detect a broad-line and narrow-line spectral components at H$`\alpha `$. It is thought that the broad-line flux is produced by the interaction of the SN shock with the presupernova circumstellar matter (Chevalier & Fransson (1994)), which is also the source for the radio emission from SN 1979C (Weiler et al. (1991)). The unresolved narrow-line component is from the associated H II region, seen by Van Dyk et al. (1996). In the WFPC2-PC1 image the H II emission from this region is seen mostly to the east of the SN (Figure 3b), and therefore likely contributes very little to the F658N flux. However, the broad-line component is broader than the F658N bandpass by a factor $``$5. Taking this into account, the flux we derive here agrees with the $`2.5\times 10^{15}`$ erg cm<sup>-2</sup> s<sup>-1</sup> measured by Fesen & Matonick (1993). Recently, Montes et al. (1998) have found that the radio emission has ceased declining and is possibly rising again. This could lead to an increase in the optical emission-line flux as well.

The photometry was conducted, as above, using an appropriate TinyTim PSF in ALLSTAR. For SN 1979C, we find the following filter magnitudes: $`m_{\mathrm{F336W}}=23.24\pm 0.09`$, $`m_{\mathrm{F439W}}=23.37\pm 0.04`$, $`m_{\mathrm{F555W}}=22.15\pm 0.02`$, $`m_{\mathrm{F675W}}=20.88\pm 0.03`$, and $`m_{\mathrm{F814W}}=21.05\pm 0.04`$; also, $`m_{\mathrm{F658N}}=21.11\pm 0.04`$, using the synthetic zeropoint in Holtzman et al. (1995). The agreement between $`m_{\mathrm{F675W}}`$ and $`m_{\mathrm{F658N}}`$ indicates that most of the emission in this broad band is from the H$`\alpha `$ line (see also Fesen & Matonick (1993)), and that the continuum contribution to $`m_{\mathrm{F658N}}`$ is small.

In Figure 4 we show the CMDs for the associated cluster. We correct the isochrones, assuming the same distance modulus and reddening as we did in the previous subsection. The bright red star with relatively small uncertainties is most likely the SN.

## 3 Results and Conclusions

We conclude from both datasets that a noncoeval mixture of young populations exists in the environment of SN 1979C, with very young ($``$4–6 Myr) blue stars to older ($``$20 Myr) red supergiants. Most of the stars immediately surrounding the SN appear to be massive main-sequence turnoff stars and a red supergiant star with ages $``$10 Myr. If the progenitor of SN 1979C was a member of this population, then its age was also $``$10 Myr. (If $`E[BV]`$ to the SN were greater by, e.g., 0.5 mag, this age could be in error, i.e., too old, by $``$3–4 Myr.) Based on the SN’s radio emission (Weiler et al. (1986), 1991), as well as its optical light curve, it is likely that the progenitor was a red supergiant star. Assuming solar metallicity for the models in Bertelli et al. (1994), this implies a mass for the progenitor of $``$17–18 $`M_{\mathrm{}}`$.

This mass estimate is consistent with the constraint on the mass ($``$13 $`M_{\mathrm{}}`$) made by Weiler et al. (1991), based on an estimate of the amount of presupernova mass loss. Constraints on the masses of SN progenitors have been placed on SNe 1987A, 1980K, and 1968L, based on the properties of their stellar environments. For SN 1987A, Romaniello et al. (1998) and Van Dyk, Hamuy, & Mateo (1998) find that the most luminous blue stars in the SN’s environment have ages 10–12 Myr, coeval to the SN progenitor (if the progenitor had mass $`19\pm 3`$ $`M_{\mathrm{}}`$; Arnett et al. (1989)). For the SN II-L 1980K Thompson (1982) set an upper limit of 18 $`M_{\mathrm{}}`$ on the progenitor mass from a plate taken before explosion. However, this result could be affected by the progenitor being enshrouded in dust. For the SN II-P 1968L, Barth et al. (1996) find that its progenitor may have had an initial mass of $``$25–30 $`M_{\mathrm{}}`$, if it were coeval with the star clusters in its environment.

This is the first time, however, other than for SN 1987A (Romaniello et al. (1998)), that the mass of a SN progenitor has been estimated from the stellar populations in its environment measured from HST images.

Financial suport for this work was provided by NASA through Grant Nos. AR-5793, AR-6371, and GO-6043 from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under NASA Contract No. NAS 5-26555; we also acknowledge NSF grant AST-9417213. We appreciate fruitful consultations with Craig Sosin and Adrienne Cool, and discussions with Rob Kennicutt regarding the Key Project data for M100. This research has made use of the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED) which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.