Stars with initial masses in the range of 8–25 solar masses are thought to end their lives as hydrogen-rich supernovae (SNe II). Based on the pre-explosion images of Hubble space telescope (HST) and Spitzer space telescope, we place tight constraints on the progenitor candidate of type IIP SN 2023ixf in Messier 101. Fitting of the spectral energy distribution (SED) of its progenitor with dusty stellar spectral models results in an estimation of the effective temperature as 3091 ⁺⁴²²₋₂₅₈ K. The luminosity is estimated as lg(L/L_⊙)∼4.83, consistent with a red supergiant (RSG) star with an initial mass of 12 ⁺²₋₁ M_⊙. The derived mass loss rate (6×10⁻⁶−9×10⁻⁶M_⊙ yr⁻¹) is much lower than that inferred from the flash spectroscopy of the SN, suggesting that the progenitor experienced a sudden increase in mass loss when approaching the final explosion. In the infrared bands, significant deviation from the range of regular RSGs in the color-magnitude diagram and period-luminosity space of the progenitor star indicates enhanced mass loss and dust formation. Combined with new evidence of polarization at the early phases of SN 2023ixf, such a violent mass loss is likely a result of binary interaction.

初始质量在 8-25 个太阳质量范围内的恒星被认为会以富氢超新星 (SNe II) 的形式结束其生命。基于哈勃太空望远镜（HST）和斯皮策太空望远镜的爆炸前图像，我们对Messier 101中的IIP SN 2023ixf类型的前身候选者进行了严格的约束。其前身的光谱能量分布（SED）与尘埃的拟合恒星光谱模型得出的有效温度估计为 3091⁺⁴²²₋₂₅₈ K。估计光度为 lg(L/L_⊙)∼4.83，与初始质量为 12 的红超巨星 (RSG) 一致⁺²₋₁M_⊙。导出的质量损失率 (6×10⁻⁶−9×10⁻⁶M_⊙yr⁻¹）远低于此从超新星的闪光光谱推断，这表明前身在接近最终爆炸时经历了质量损失的突然增加。在红外波段，祖星的颜色-星等图和周期-光度空间中与常规 RSG 范围的显着偏差表明质量损失和尘埃形成增强。结合 SN 2023ixf 早期阶段极化的新证据，如此剧烈的质量损失很可能是二元相互作用的结果。