On the X-Ray Emission from Supernovae, and Implications for the Mass-Loss Rates of Their Progenitor Stars

We summarize the X-ray emission from young SNe. Having accumulated data on most observed X-ray SNe, we display the X-ray lightcurves of young SNe. We also explore the X-ray spectra of various SN types. The X-ray emission from Type Ib/c SNe is non-thermal. It is also likely that the emission from Type IIP SNe with low mass-loss rates (around 10−7 M⊙ yr−1) is non-thermal. As the mass-loss rate increases, thermal emission begins to dominate. Type IIn SNe have the highest X-ray luminosities, and are clearly thermal. We do not find evidence of non-thermal emission from Type IIb SNe. The aggregated data are used to obtain approximate mass-loss rates of the progenitor stars of these SNe. Type IIP have progenitors with mass-loss rates <10−5M⊙ yr−1, while Type IIn progenitors generally have mass-loss rates >10−3M⊙ yr−1. However, we emphasize that the density of the ambient medium is the important parameter, and if it is due to a non-steady outflow solution, it cannot be translated into a mass-loss rate.