SNLS: Constraints on SN Ia progenitors from host galaxies

We investigate the single degenerate and double degenerate progenitor scenarios for SNe Ia using Pegase galaxy population synthesis models fit to the SN Ia host galaxy ugriz data from the SNLS. For the single degenerate scenario, we present the results of a Monte Carlo sumulation combining limits on the star formation history of the model hosts and analytic contraints on the allowable primary and secondary mass distributions. Under the assuption that all SNe are from the single degenerate channel, we find that SNe in star forming galaxies have a wide range of secondary masses, with a median of about 5 solar masses. Supernovae from the older galaxy population must come from a narrower distribution of secondary masses, with a median less than two solar masses. When combined with the differing stretch distributions for the two populations, this argues that there is a light curve shape-secondary mass correlation if the single degenerate model is the only route to an SN Ia. However, the single degenerate scenario has difficulty producing the observed SN Ia rate in old populations so the double degenerate scenario may be preferred.