Origins of diversity among hydrogen-rich core-collapse supernovae

Ascertain whether the observed diversity across hydrogen-rich supernova subclasses (Type IIL, Type IIP, Type IIn, and transitional cases) can be explained solely by increasing pre-explosion mass loss, or whether distinct mass-loss mechanisms and progenitor types are required to account for each class.

Background

Hydrogen-rich supernovae exhibit a continuum of behaviors from plateau-like Type IIP to linearly declining Type IIL and strongly interacting Type IIn events. The paper emphasizes that multiple mass-loss mechanisms can produce degenerate observable signatures, complicating the attribution of specific progenitor channels.

Resolving whether a single mass-loss continuum explains this diversity or whether fundamentally different progenitor systems are involved would enable more accurate mapping from observed characteristics to physical parameters, clarifying the role of late-stage mass loss and binary interaction.

References

Whether the observed properties of SNe~IIL, IIP, IIn, and everything in between can be explained solely by increasing the amount of mass loss~\citep[e.g. ][]{Smith2014}, or whether distinct and unique mass loss mechanisms and progenitors are responsible for each remains an open question.

— SN 2024cld: unveiling the complex mass-loss histories of evolved supergiant progenitors to core collapse supernovae  (2510.27631 - Killestein et al., 31 Oct 2025) in Section 1 (Introduction)