The SN 2023ixf Progenitor in M101. I. Infrared Variability

Observational evidence points to a red supergiant (RSG) progenitor for SN 2023ixf. The progenitor candidate has been detected in archival images at wavelengths (≥0.6 μ m) where RSGs typically emit profusely. This object is distinctly variable in the infrared (IR). We characterize the variability using pre-explosion mid-IR (3.6 and 4.5 μ m) Spitzer and ground-based near-IR ( JHK _s ) archival data jointly covering 19 yr. The IR light curves exhibit significant variability with rms amplitudes in the range 0.2–0.4 mag, increasing with decreasing wavelength. From a robust period analysis of the more densely sampled Spitzer data, we measure a period of 1091 ± 71 days. We demonstrate using Gaussian process modeling that this periodicity is also present in the near-IR light curves, thus indicating a common physical origin, which is likely pulsational instability. We use a period–luminosity relation for RSGs to derive a value of M _K = −11.58 ± 0.31 mag. Assuming a late M spectral type, this corresponds to $\mathrm{log}(L/{L}_{\odot })=5.27\pm 0.12$ at T _eff = 3200 K and to $\mathrm{log}(L/{L}_{\odot })=5.37\pm 0.12$ at T _eff = 3500 K. This gives an independent estimate of the progenitor’s luminosity, unaffected by uncertainties in extinction and distance. Assuming the progenitor candidate underwent enhanced dust-driven mass loss during the time of these archival observations, and using an empirical period–luminosity–based mass-loss prescription, we obtain a mass-loss rate of around (2–4) × 10 ^−4 M _⊙ yr ^−1 . Comparing the above luminosity with stellar evolution models, we infer an initial mass for the progenitor candidate of 20 ± 4 M _⊙ , making this one of the most massive progenitors for a Type II SN detected to date.