| 1. |
- Aamer, Aysha, et al.
(författare)
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A precursor plateau and pre-maximum [O ii] emission in the superluminous SN2019szu : a pulsational pair-instability candidate
- 2023
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 527:4, s. 11970-11995
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a detailed study on SN2019szu, a Type I superluminous supernova at z = 0.213 that displayed unique photometric and spectroscopic properties. Pan-STARRS and ZTF forced photometry show a pre-explosion plateau lasting ∼40 d. Unlike other SLSNe that show decreasing photospheric temperatures with time, the optical colours show an apparent temperature increase from ∼15 000 to ∼20 000 K over the first 70 d, likely caused by an additional pseudo-continuum in the spectrum. Remarkably, the spectrum displays a forbidden emission line (likely attributed to λλ7320,7330) visible 16 d before maximum light, inconsistent with an apparently compact photosphere. This identification is further strengthened by the appearances of [O III] λλ4959, 5007, and [O III] λ4363 seen in the spectrum. Comparing with nebular spectral models, we find that the oxygen line fluxes and ratios can be reproduced with ∼0.25 M⊙ of oxygen-rich material with a density of ∼10−15 g cm−3. The low density suggests a circumstellar origin, but the early onset of the emission lines requires that this material was ejected within the final months before the terminal explosion, consistent with the timing of the precursor plateau. Interaction with denser material closer to the explosion likely produced the pseudo-continuum bluewards of ∼5500 Å. We suggest that this event is one of the best candidates to date for a pulsational pair-instability ejection, with early pulses providing the low density material needed for the formation of the forbidden emission line, and collisions between the final shells of ejected material producing the pre-explosion plateau.
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| 2. |
- Ackley, K., et al.
(författare)
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Observational constraints on the optical and near-infrared emission from the neutron star-black hole binary merger candidate S190814bv
- 2020
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 643
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Gravitational wave (GW) astronomy has rapidly reached maturity, becoming a fundamental observing window for modern astrophysics. The coalescences of a few tens of black hole (BH) binaries have been detected, while the number of events possibly including a neutron star (NS) is still limited to a few. On 2019 August 14, the LIGO and Virgo interferometers detected a high-significance event labelled S190814bv. A preliminary analysis of the GW data suggests that the event was likely due to the merger of a compact binary system formed by a BH and a NS.Aims. In this paper, we present our extensive search campaign aimed at uncovering the potential optical and near infrared electromagnetic counterpart of S190814bv. We found no convincing electromagnetic counterpart in our data. We therefore use our non-detection to place limits on the properties of the putative outflows that could have been produced by the binary during and after the merger.Methods. Thanks to the three-detector observation of S190814bv, and given the characteristics of the signal, the LIGO and Virgo Collaborations delivered a relatively narrow localisation in low latency - a 50% (90%) credible area of 5 deg(2) (23 deg(2)) - despite the relatively large distance of 26752 Mpc. ElectromagNetic counterparts of GRAvitational wave sources at the VEry Large Telescope collaboration members carried out an intensive multi-epoch, multi-instrument observational campaign to identify the possible optical and near infrared counterpart of the event. In addition, the ATLAS, GOTO, GRAWITA-VST, Pan-STARRS, and VINROUGE projects also carried out a search on this event. In this paper, we describe the combined observational campaign of these groups.Results. Our observations allow us to place limits on the presence of any counterpart and discuss the implications for the kilonova (KN), which was possibly generated by this NS-BH merger, and for the strategy of future searches. The typical depth of our wide-field observations, which cover most of the projected sky localisation probability (up to 99.8%, depending on the night and filter considered), is r similar to 22 (resp. K similar to 21) in the optical (resp. near infrared). We reach deeper limits in a subset of our galaxy-targeted observations, which cover a total similar to 50% of the galaxy-mass-weighted localisation probability. Altogether, our observations allow us to exclude a KN with large ejecta mass M greater than or similar to 0.1 M-circle dot to a high (> 90%) confidence, and we can exclude much smaller masses in a sub-sample of our observations. This disfavours the tidal disruption of the neutron star during the merger.Conclusions. Despite the sensitive instruments involved in the campaign, given the distance of S190814bv, we could not reach sufficiently deep limits to constrain a KN comparable in luminosity to AT 2017gfo on a large fraction of the localisation probability. This suggests that future (likely common) events at a few hundred megaparsecs will be detected only by large facilities with both a high sensitivity and large field of view. Galaxy-targeted observations can reach the needed depth over a relevant portion of the localisation probability with a smaller investment of resources, but the number of galaxies to be targeted in order to get a fairly complete coverage is large, even in the case of a localisation as good as that of this event.
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| 3. |
- Alp, Dennis, et al.
(författare)
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The 30 Year Search for the Compact Object in SN 1987A
- 2018
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : Institute of Physics Publishing (IOPP). - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 864:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite more than 30 years of searching, the compact object in Supernova (SN) 1987A has not yet been detected. We present new limits on the compact object in SN 1987A using millimeter, near-infrared, optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray observations from ALMA, VLT, HST, and Chandra. The limits are approximately 0.1 mJy (0.1 x 10(-26) erg s(-1) cm(-2) Hz(-1)) at 213 GHz, 1 L-circle dot (6 x 10(-29) erg s(-1) cm(-2) Hz(-1)) in the optical if our line of sight is free of ejecta dust, and 10(36) erg s(-1) (2 x 10(-30) erg s(-1) cm(-2) Hz(-1) ) in 2-10 keV X-rays. Our X-ray limits are an order of magnitude less constraining than previous limits because we use a more realistic ejecta absorption model based on three-dimensional neutrino-driven SN explosion models. The allowed bolometric luminosity of the compact object is 22 L-circle dot if our line of sight is free of ejecta dust, or 138L(circle dot) if dust-obscured. Depending on assumptions, these values limit the effective temperature of a neutron star (NS) to <4-8 MK and do not exclude models, which typically are in the range 3-4 MK. For the simplest accretion model, the accretion rate for an efficiency 77 is limited to <10(-11) eta(-1) M-circle dot yr(-1), which excludes most predictions. For pulsar activity modeled by a rotating magnetic dipole in vacuum, the limit on the magnetic field strength (B) for a given spin period (P) is B less than or similar to 10(14) P-2 G s(-2), which firmly excludes pulsars comparable to the Crab. By combining information about radiation reprocessing and geometry, we infer that the compact object is a dust-obscured thermally emitting NS, which may appear as a region of higher-temperature ejecta dust emission.
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| 4. |
- Alp, Dennis, MSc, 1992-, et al.
(författare)
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X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Emission from Core-collapse Supernovae : Comparison of Three-dimensional Neutrino-driven Explosions with SN 1987A
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 882:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During the first few hundred days after the explosion, core-collapse supernovae (SNe) emit down-scattered X-rays and gamma-rays originating from radioactive line emissions, primarily from the Ni-56 -> Co-56 -> Fe-56 chain. We use supernova (SN) models based on three-dimensional neutrino-driven explosion simulations of single stars and mergers to compute this emission and compare the predictions with observations of SN 1987A. A number of models are clearly excluded, showing that high-energy emission is a powerful way of discriminating between models. The best models are almost consistent with the observations, but differences that cannot be matched by a suitable choice of viewing angle are evident. Therefore, our self-consistent models suggest that neutrino-driven explosions are able to produce, in principle, sufficient mixing, although remaining discrepancies may require small changes to the progenitor structures. The soft X-ray cutoff is primarily determined by the metallicity of the progenitor envelope. The main effect of asymmetries is to vary the flux level by a factor of similar to 3. For the more asymmetric models, the shapes of the light curves also change. In addition to the models of SN 1987A, we investigate two models of SNe II-P and one model of a stripped-envelope SN IIb. The Type II-P models have observables similar to those of the models of SN 1987A, but the stripped-envelope SN model is significantly more luminous and evolves faster. Finally, we make simple predictions for future observations of nearby SNe.
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| 5. |
- Blondin, Stéphane, et al.
(författare)
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StaNdaRT : a repository of standardised test models and outputs for supernova radiative transfer
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 668
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the first results of a comprehensive supernova (SN) radiative-transfer (RT) code-comparison initiative (StaNdaRT), where the emission from the same set of standardised test models is simulated by currently used RT codes. We ran a total of ten codes on a set of four benchmark ejecta models of Type Ia SNe. We consider two sub-Chandrasekhar-mass (Mtot = 1.0 M⊙) toy models with analytic density and composition profiles and two Chandrasekhar-mass delayed-detonation models that are outcomes of hydrodynamical simulations. We adopt spherical symmetry for all four models. The results of the different codes, including the light curves, spectra, and the evolution of several physical properties as a function of radius and time are provided in electronic form in a standard format via a public repository. We also include the detailed test model profiles and several Python scripts for accessing and presenting the input and output files. We also provide the code used to generate the toy models studied here. In this paper, we describe the test models, radiative-transfer codes, and output formats in detail, and provide access to the repository. We present example results of several key diagnostic features.
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| 6. |
- Fiore, A., et al.
(författare)
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Close, bright, and boxy : the superluminous SN 2018hti
- 2022
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 512:3, s. 4484-4502
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- SN 2018hti was a very nearby (z = 0.0614) superluminous supernova with an exceedingly bright absolute magnitude of −21.7 mag in r band at maximum. The densely sampled pre-maximum light curves of SN 2018hti show a slow luminosity evolution and constrain the rise time to ∼50 rest-frame d. We fitted synthetic light curves to the photometry to infer the physical parameters of the explosion of SN 2018hti for both the magnetar and the CSM-interaction scenarios. We conclude that one of two mechanisms could be powering the luminosity of SN 2018hti; interaction with ∼10 M⊙ of circumstellar material or a magnetar with a magnetic field of Bp∼ 1.3 × 1013 G, and initial period of Pspin∼ 1.8 ms. From the nebular spectrum modelling we infer that SN 2018hti likely results from the explosion of a ∼40M⊙∼40M⊙ progenitor star.
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| 7. |
- Fiore, Achille, et al.
(författare)
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Detailed spectrophotometric analysis of the superluminous and fast evolving SN 2019neq
- 2024
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 527:3, s. 6473-6494
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- SN 2019neq was a very fast evolving superluminous supernova. At a redshift z = 0.1059, its peak absolute magnitude was −21.5 ± 0.2 mag in g band. In this work, we present data and analysis from an extensive spectrophotometric follow-up campaign using multiple observational facilities. Thanks to a nebular spectrum of SN 2019neq, we investigated some of the properties of the host galaxy at the location of SN 2019neq and found that its metallicity and specific star formation rate are in a good agreement with those usually measured for SLSNe-I hosts. We then discuss the plausibility of the magnetar and the circumstellar interaction scenarios to explain the observed light curves, and interpret a nebular spectrum of SN 2019neq using published SUMO radiative-transfer models. The results of our analysis suggest that the spin-down radiation of a millisecond magnetar with a magnetic field B ≃ 6×1014 G could boost the luminosity of SN 2019neq.
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| 8. |
- Fiore, A., et al.
(författare)
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SN 2017gci : a nearby Type I Superluminous Supernova with a bumpy tail
- 2021
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 502:2, s. 2120-2139
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present and discuss the optical spectrophotometric observations of the nearby (z = 0.087) Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN I) SN 2017gci, whose peak K-corrected absolute magnitude reaches M-g = -21.5 mag. Its photometric and spectroscopic evolution includes features of both slow- and of fast-evolving SLSN I, thus favoring a continuum distribution between the two SLSN-I subclasses. In particular, similarly to other SLSNe I, the multiband light curves (LCs) of SN 2017gci show two re-brightenings at about 103 and 142 d after the maximum light. Interestingly, this broadly agrees with a broad emission feature emerging around 6520 angstrom after similar to 51 d from the maximum light, which is followed by a sharp knee in the LC. If we interpret this feature as H alpha, this could support the fact that the bumps are the signature of late interactions of the ejecta with a (hydrogen-rich) circumstellar material. Then we fitted magnetar- and CSM-interaction-powered synthetic LCs on to the bolometric one of SN 2017gci. In the magnetar case, the fit suggests a polar magnetic field B-p similar or equal to 6 x 10(14) G, an initial period of the magnetar P-initial similar or equal to 2.8 ms, an ejecta mass M-ejecta similar or equal to 9M(circle dot) and an ejecta opacity kappa similar or equal to 0.08 cm(2) g(-1). A CSM-interaction scenario would imply a CSM mass similar or equal to 5 M-circle dot and an ejecta mass similar or equal to 12M(circle dot). Finally, the nebular spectrum of phase + 187 d was modeled, deriving a mass of similar or equal to 10 M-circle dot for the ejecta. Our models suggest that either a magnetar or CSM interaction might be the power sources for SN 2017gci and that its progenitor was a massive (40 M-circle dot) star.
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| 9. |
- Fransson, Claes, et al.
(författare)
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DISCOVERY OF MOLECULAR HYDROGEN IN SN 1987A
- 2016
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : Institute of Physics Publishing. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 821:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Both CO and SiO have been observed at early and late phases in SN 1987A. H-2 was predicted to form at roughly the same time as these molecules, but was not detected at early epochs. Here, we report the detection of NIR lines from H-2 at 2.12 and 2.40 mu m in VLT/SINFONI spectra obtained between days 6489 and 10,120. The emission is concentrated to the core of the SN in contrast to Ha and approximately coincides with the [Si I]/[Fe II] emission detected previously in the ejecta. Different excitation mechanisms and power sources of the emission are discussed. From the nearly constant H-2 luminosities, we favor excitation resulting from the Ti-44 decay.
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| 10. |
- Fransson, Claes, et al.
(författare)
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Late spectral evolution of the ejecta and reverse shock in SN 1987a
- 2013
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 768:1, s. 88-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present observations with the Very Large Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) of the broad emission lines from the inner ejecta and reverse shock of SN 1987A from 1999 February until 2012 January (days 4381-9100 after explosion). We detect broad lines from H alpha, H beta, Mg I], Na I, [O I], [Ca II], and a feature at similar to 9220 angstrom. We identify the latter line with Mg II lambda lambda 9218, 9244, which is most likely pumped by Ly alpha fluorescence. H alpha and H beta both have a centrally peaked component extending to similar to 4500 km s(-1) and a very broad component extending to greater than or similar to 11,000 km s(-1), while the other lines have only the central component. The low-velocity component comes from unshocked ejecta, heated mainly by X-rays from the circumstellar environment, whereas the very broad component comes from faster ejecta passing through the reverse shock, created by the collision with the circumstellar ring. The flux in H alpha from the reverse shock has increased by a factor of four to six from 2000 to 2007. After that there is a tendency of flattening of the light curve, similar to what may be seen in the optical lines from the shocked ring. The core component seen in H alpha, [Ca II], and Mg II has experienced a similar increase, which is consistent with that found from HST photometry. The energy deposition of the external X-rays is calculated using explosion models for SN 1987A and we predict that the outer parts of the unshocked ejecta will continue to brighten because of this. The external X-ray illumination also explains the edge-brightened morphology of the ejecta seen in the HST images. We finally discuss evidence for dust in the ejecta from line asymmetries.
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