scholarly journals First systematic high-precision survey of bright supernovae

2020 ◽  
Vol 643 ◽  
pp. A35
Author(s):  
E. Paraskeva ◽  
A. Z. Bonanos ◽  
A. Liakos ◽  
Z. T. Spetsieri ◽  
J. R. Maund

Rapid variability before and near the maximum brightness of supernovae has the potential to provide a better understanding of nearly every aspect of supernovae, from the physics of the explosion up to their progenitors and the circumstellar environment. Thanks to modern time-domain optical surveys, which are discovering supernovae in the early stage of their evolution, we have the unique opportunity to capture their intraday behavior before maximum. We present high-cadence photometric monitoring (on the order of seconds-minutes) of the optical light curves of three Type Ia and two Type II SNe over several nights before and near maximum light, using the fast imagers available on the 2.3 m Aristarchos telescope at Helmos Observatory and the 1.2 m telescope at Kryoneri Observatory in Greece. We applied differential aperture photometry techniques using optimal apertures and we present reconstructed light curves after implementing a seeing correction and the Trend Filtering Algorithm (TFA, Kovács et al. 2005, MNRAS, 356, 557). TFA yielded the best results, achieving a typical precision between 0.01 and 0.04 mag. We did not detect significant bumps with amplitudes greater than 0.05 mag in any of the SNe targets in the VR-, R-, and I-bands light curves obtained. We measured the intraday slope for each light curve, which ranges between −0.37−0.36 mag day−1 in broadband VR, −0.19−0.31 mag day−1 in R band, and −0.13−0.10 mag day−1 in I band. We used SNe light curve fitting templates for SN 2018gv, SN 2018hgc and SN 2018hhn to photometrically classify the light curves and to calculate the time of maximum. We provide values for the maximum of SN 2018zd after applying a low-order polynomial fit and SN 2018hhn for the first time. We conclude that optimal aperture photometry in combination with TFA provides the highest-precision light curves for SNe that are relatively well separated from the centers of their host galaxies. This work aims to inspire the use of ground-based, high-cadence and high-precision photometry to study SNe with the purpose of revealing clues and properties of the explosion environment of both core-collapse and Type Ia supernovae, the explosion mechanisms, binary star interaction and progenitor channels. We suggest monitoring early supernovae light curves in hotter (bluer) bands with a cadence of hours as a promising way of investigating the post-explosion photometric behavior of the progenitor stars.

2020 ◽  
Vol 493 (4) ◽  
pp. 5617-5624
Author(s):  
Doron Kushnir ◽  
Eli Waxman

ABSTRACT The finite time, τdep, over which positrons from β+ decays of 56Co deposit energy in type Ia supernovae ejecta lead, in case the positrons are trapped, to a slower decay of the bolometric luminosity compared to an exponential decline. Significant light-curve flattening is obtained when the ejecta density drops below the value for which τdep equals the 56Co lifetime. We provide a simple method to accurately describe this ‘delayed deposition’ effect, which is straightforward to use for analysis of observed light curves. We find that the ejecta heating is dominated by delayed deposition typically from 600 to 1200 d, and only later by longer lived isotopes 57Co and 55Fe decay (assuming solar abundance). For the relatively narrow 56Ni velocity distributions of commonly studied explosion models, the modification of the light curve depends mainly on the 56Ni mass-weighted average density, 〈ρ〉t3. Accurate late-time bolometric light curves, which may be obtained with JWST far-infrared (far-IR) measurements, will thus enable to discriminate between explosion models by determining 〈ρ〉t3 (and the 57Co and 55Fe abundances). The flattening of light curves inferred from recent observations, which is uncertain due to the lack of far-IR data, is readily explained by delayed deposition in models with $\langle \rho \rangle t^{3} \approx 0.2\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }\, (10^{4}\, \textrm{km}\, \textrm{s}^{-1})^{-3}$, and does not imply supersolar 57Co and 55Fe abundances.


2019 ◽  
Vol 631 ◽  
pp. A165
Author(s):  
Richard I. Anderson

Assessing the significance and implications of the recently established Hubble tension requires the comprehensive identification, quantification, and mitigation of uncertainties and/or biases affecting H0 measurements. Here, we investigate the previously overlooked distance scale bias resulting from the interplay between redshift and Leavitt laws in an expanding Universe: Redshift-Leavitt bias (RLB). Redshift dilates oscillation periods of pulsating stars residing in supernova-host galaxies relative to periods of identical stars residing in nearby (anchor) galaxies. Multiplying dilated log P with Leavitt Law slopes leads to underestimated absolute magnitudes, overestimated distance moduli, and a systematic error on H0. Emulating the SH0ES distance ladder, we estimate an associated H0 bias of (0.27 ± 0.01)% and obtain a corrected H0 = 73.70 ± 1.40 km s−1 Mpc−1. RLB becomes increasingly relevant as distance ladder calibrations pursue greater numbers of ever more distant galaxies hosting both Cepheids (or Miras) and type-Ia supernovae. The measured periods of oscillating stars can readily be corrected for heliocentric redshift (e.g. of their host galaxies) in order to ensure H0 measurements free of RLB.


2020 ◽  
Vol 633 ◽  
pp. A96 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. K. Abubekerov ◽  
N. Yu. Gostev

We present a highly precise calculation of the theoretical light curve and its derivatives for a binary star-planet system in an elliptical orbit. We also describe an analytical fitting by limb-darkening coefficients to reduce the number of parameters for nonlinear fitting. We demonstrate the practical importance of the precision computation of theoretical light curves through the example of the interpretation of the light curve of HD 209458 and the synthetic light curve. We also compare the results obtained using our algorithm to those provided by a lower-precision algorithm to demonstrate the benefits of computing with a higher precision. We discuss the capability of making more accurate conclusions concerning the agreement of the observed light curve with the adopted model.


2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
A. V. Lyutykh ◽  
M. V. Pruzhinskaya ◽  
S. I. Blinnikov

Abstract We have studied the light curves of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and the physical parameters inferred from them. We have constructed both analytical and numerical light curves of SNe Ia. Using an empirical relation between the SN luminosity and light-curve parameters, we have managed to impose constraints on the hydrodynamic solutions obtained by the STELLA code and to produce a sample of models that describe the observational properties of real SNe maximally accurately. With this sample we have established a relationship between the opacity in SN Ia ejecta and the parameters being determined directly from observations. The method has been tested on two classical SNe Ia as an example: 2011fe and 2012fr. The presented approach allows the opacity to be found without resorting to time-consuming computations.


2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (S281) ◽  
pp. 314-315
Author(s):  
Yasuomi Kamiya

AbstractSimplified explosion models of super-Chandrasekhar-mass C-O white dwarfs (WDs) are constructed with parameters such as WD mass and 56Ni mass. Their light curves are obtained by solving one-dimensional equations of radiation hydrodynamics, and compared with the observations of SN 2009dc, one of the overluminous Type Ia supernovae, to estimate its properties. As a result, the progenitor of SN 2009dc is suggested to be a 2.2–2.4-M⊙ C-O WD with 1.2–1.4 M⊙ of 56Ni, if the extinction by its host galaxy is negligible.


2020 ◽  
Vol 642 ◽  
pp. A189
Author(s):  
M. R. Magee ◽  
K. Maguire

An excess of flux (i.e. a bump) in the early light curves of type Ia supernovae has been observed in a handful of cases. Multiple scenarios have been proposed to explain this excess flux. Recently, it has been shown that for at least one object (SN 2018oh) the excess emission observed could be the result of a large amount of 56Ni in the outer ejecta (∼0.03 M⊙). We present a series of model light curves and spectra for ejecta profiles containing 56Ni shells of varying masses (0.01, 0.02, 0.03, and 0.04 M⊙) and widths. We find that even for our lowest mass 56Ni shell, an increase of >2 magnitudes is produced in the bolometric light curve at one day after explosion relative to models without a 56Ni shell. We show that the colour evolution of models with a 56Ni shell differs significantly from those without and shows a colour inversion similar to some double-detonation explosion models. Furthermore, spectra of our 56Ni shell models show that strong suppression of flux between ∼3700–4000 Å close to maximum light appears to be a generic feature for this class of model. Comparing our models to observations of SNe 2017cbv and 2018oh, we show that a 56Ni shell of 0.02–0.04 M⊙ can match shapes of the early optical light curve bumps, but the colour and spectral evolution are in disagreement. Our models also predict a strong UV bump that is not observed. This would indicate that an alternative origin for the flux excess is necessary. In addition, based on existing explosion scenarios, producing such a 56Ni shell in the outer ejecta as required to match the light curve shape, without the presence of additional short-lived radioactive material, may prove challenging. Given that only a small amount of 56Ni in the outer ejecta is required to produce a bump in the light curve, such non-monotonically decreasing 56Ni distributions in the outer ejecta must be rare, if they were to occur at all.


2020 ◽  
Vol 634 ◽  
pp. A37 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Magee ◽  
K. Maguire ◽  
R. Kotak ◽  
S. A. Sim ◽  
J. H. Gillanders ◽  
...  

Recent studies have shown how the distribution of 56Ni within the ejected material of type Ia supernovae can have profound consequences on the observed light curves. Observations at early times can therefore provide important details on the explosion physics in thermonuclear supernovae, which are poorly constrained. To this end, we present a series of radiative transfer calculations that explore variations in the 56Ni distribution. Our models also show the importance of the density profile in shaping the light curve, which is often neglected in the literature. Using our model set, we investigate the observations that are necessary to determine the 56Ni distribution as robustly as possible within the current model set. We find that this includes observations beginning at least ∼14 days before B-band maximum, extending to approximately maximum light with a relatively high (≲3 day) cadence, and in at least one blue and one red band (such as B and R, or g and r) are required. We compare a number of well-observed type Ia supernovae that meet these criteria to our models and find that the light curves of ∼70–80% of objects in our sample are consistent with being produced solely by variations in the 56Ni distributions. The remaining supernovae show an excess of flux at early times, indicating missing physics that is not accounted for within our model set, such as an interaction or the presence of short-lived radioactive isotopes. Comparing our model light curves and spectra to observations and delayed detonation models demonstrates that while a somewhat extended 56Ni distribution is necessary to reproduce the observed light curve shape, this does not negatively affect the spectra at maximum light. Investigating current explosion models shows that observations typically require a shallower decrease in the 56Ni mass towards the outer ejecta than is produced for models of a given 56Ni mass. Future models that test differences in the explosion physics and detonation criteria should be explored to determine the conditions necessary to reproduce the 56Ni distributions found here.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S262) ◽  
pp. 358-361
Author(s):  
Yutaka Ihara ◽  
Mamoru Doi ◽  
Tomoki Morokuma ◽  
Raynald Pain ◽  
Naohiro Takanashi ◽  
...  

AbstractWe present a measurement of the rate of high-z Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) using multi-epoch observations of Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Field (SXDF) with Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope. Although SNe Ia are regarded as a standard candle, progenitor systems of SNe Ia have not been resolved yet. One of the key parameters to show the progenitor systems by observations is the delay time distribution between the binary system formation and subsequent SN explosion. Recently, a wide range of delay time is studied by SN Ia rates compared with an assumed cosmic star formation history. If SNe Ia with short delay time are dominant, the cosmic SN Ia rate evolution should closely trace that of the cosmic star formation. In order to detect a lot of high-z SNe Ia and measure SN Ia rates, we repeatedly carried out wide and deep imaging observations in the í-band with Suprime-Cam in 2002 (FoV~1 deg2, mi < 25.5 mag). We obtained detailed light curves of the variable objects, and 50 objects are classified as SNe Ia using the light curve fitting method at the redshift range of 0.2 < z < 1.3. In order to check the completeness and contamination of the light curve classification method, we performed Monte Carlo simulations and generated ~100,000 light curves of SNe Ia and II from templates. The control time and detection efficiency of the SN survey are also calculated using the artificial light curves. We derived an increasing trend of rates at around z ~ 1.2. Our results are almost consistent with other SN Ia rate results from low-z to high-z. Our results are the first results of high-z SN Ia rates with large statistics using light curves obtained by ground based telescopes, and give us visions of the SN rate studies for the future.


2020 ◽  
Vol 495 (4) ◽  
pp. 3859-3880 ◽  
Author(s):  
S C Williams ◽  
I M Hook ◽  
B Hayden ◽  
J Nordin ◽  
G Aldering ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The Supernova Cosmology Project has conducted the ‘See Change’ programme, aimed at discovering and observing high-redshift (1.13 ≤ z ≤ 1.75) Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). We used multifilter Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of massive galaxy clusters with sufficient cadence to make the observed SN Ia light curves suitable for a cosmological probe of dark energy at z &gt; 0.5. This See Change sample of SNe Ia with multi-colour light curves will be the largest to date at these redshifts. As part of the See Change programme, we obtained ground-based spectroscopy of each discovered transient and/or its host galaxy. Here, we present Very Large Telescope (VLT) spectra of See Change transient host galaxies, deriving their redshifts, and host parameters such as stellar mass and star formation rate. Of the 39 See Change transients/hosts that were observed with the VLT, we successfully determined the redshift for 26, including 15 SNe Ia at z &gt; 0.97. We show that even in passive environments, it is possible to recover secure redshifts for the majority of SN hosts out to z = 1.5. We find that with typical exposure times of 3−4 h on an 8-m-class telescope we can recover ∼75 per cent of SN Ia redshifts in the range of 0.97 &lt; z &lt; 1.5. Furthermore, we show that the combination of HST photometry and VLT spectroscopy is able to provide estimates of host galaxy stellar mass that are sufficiently accurate for use in a mass-step correction in the cosmological analysis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 910 (2) ◽  
pp. 151
Author(s):  
Dae-Sik Moon ◽  
Yuan Qi Ni ◽  
Maria R. Drout ◽  
Santiago González-Gaitán ◽  
Niloufar Afsariardchi ◽  
...  

Abstract We report the early discovery and multicolor (BVI) high-cadence light-curve analyses of the rapidly declining sub-Chandrasekhar Type Ia supernova KSP-OT-201509b (= AT 2015cx) from the KMTNet Supernova Program. The Phillips and color stretch parameters of KSP-OT-201509b are ΔM B,15 ≃ 1.62 mag and s BV ≃ 0.54, respectively, at an inferred redshift of 0.072. These, together with other measured parameters (such as the strength of the secondary I-band peak, colors, and luminosity), identify the source to be a rapidly declining Type Ia of a transitional nature that is closer to Branch-normal than 91bg-like. Its early light-curve evolution and bolometric luminosity are consistent with those of homologously expanding ejecta powered by radioactive decay and a Type Ia SN explosion with 0.32 ± 0.01 M ⊙ of synthesized 56Ni mass, 0.84 ± 0.12 M ⊙ of ejecta mass, and (0.61 ± 0.14) × 1051 erg of ejecta kinetic energy. While its B − V and V − I colors evolve largely synchronously with the changes in the I-band light curve, as found in other supernovae, we also find the presence of an early redward evolution in V − I prior to −10 days since peak. The bolometric light curve of the source is compatible with a stratified 56Ni distribution extended to shallow layers of the exploding progenitor. Comparisons between the observed light curves and those predicted from ejecta–companion interactions clearly disfavor Roche lobe–filling companion stars at large separation distances, thus supporting a double-degenerate scenario for its origin. The lack of any apparent host galaxy in our deep stack images reaching a sensitivity limit of ∼28 mag arcsec−2 makes KSP-OT-201509b a hostless Type Ia supernova and offers new insights into supernova host galaxy environments.


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