Progenitor, Precursor and Evolution of the Dusty Remnant of the Stellar Merger M31-LRN-2015

Abstract

M31-2015-LRN is a likely stellar merger discovered in the Andromeda Galaxy in 2015. We present new optical to mid-infrared photometry and optical spectroscopy for this event. The transient brightened by \(\sim\)3 mag as compared to its progenitor. The complex precursor emission, which started \(\sim\)2 years before the nova event, may be explained by the binary undergoing Roche-lobe overflow. The dynamical mass loss from the outer Lagrange point L2 creates an optically thick outflow to power the observed brightening of the system. We find two possible periods of 16\(\pm\)0.3 and 28.1\(\pm\)1.4 days at different phases of the precursor lightcurve, possibly related to the geometry of the mass-loss from the binary. Although the progenitor spectral energy distribution shows no evidence of pre-existing warm dust in system, the remnant forms an optically thick dust shell 2\(-\)4 months after the outburst peak. The optical depth of the shell increases after 1.5 years, suggesting the existence of shocks that enhance the dust formation process. We propose that the merger remnant is likely an inflated giant obscured by a cooling shell of gas with mass \(\sim0.2\) \(M_{\odot}\) ejected at the onset of the common envelope phase.