| 1. |
- Gal-Yam, A., et al.
(författare)
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A WC/WO star exploding within an expanding carbon-oxygen-neon nebula
- 2022
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 601:7892, s. 201-204
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The final fate of massive stars, and the nature of the compact remnants they leave behind (black holes and neutron stars), are open questions in astrophysics. Many massive stars are stripped of their outer hydrogen envelopes as they evolve. Such Wolf-Rayet stars(1) emit strong and rapidly expanding winds with speeds greater than 1,000 kilometres per second. A fraction of this population is also helium-depleted, with spectra dominated by highly ionized emission lines of carbon and oxygen (types WC/WO). Evidence indicates that the most commonly observed supernova explosions that lack hydrogen and helium (types Ib/Ic) cannot result from massive WC/WO stars(2,3), leading some to suggest that most such stars collapse directly into black holes without a visible supernova explosion(4). Here we report observations of SN 2019hgp, beginning about a day after the explosion. Its short rise time and rapid decline place it among an emerging population of rapidly evolving transients(5-8). Spectroscopy reveals a rich set of emission lines indicating that the explosion occurred within a nebula composed of carbon, oxygen and neon. Narrow absorption features show that this material is expanding at high velocities (greater than 1,500 kilometres per second), requiring a compact progenitor. Our observations are consistent with an explosion of a massive WC/WO star, and suggest that massive Wolf-Rayet stars may be the progenitors of some rapidly evolving transients.
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| 2. |
- Yaron, O., et al.
(författare)
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Confined dense circumstellar material surrounding a regular type II supernova
- 2017
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Ingår i: Nature Physics. - 1745-2473 .- 1745-2481. ; 13:5, s. 510-517
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- With the advent of new wide-field, high-cadence optical transient surveys, our understanding of the diversity of core-collapse supernovae has grown tremendously in the last decade. However, the pre-supernova evolution of massive stars, which sets the physical backdrop to these violent events, is theoretically not well understood and difficult to probe observationally. Here we report the discovery of the supernova iPTF 13dqy = SN 2013fs a mere similar to 3 h after explosion. Our rapid follow-up observations, which include multiwavelength photometry and extremely early (beginning at similar to 6 h post-explosion) spectra, map the distribution of material in the immediate environment (less than or similar to 1015 cm) of the exploding star and establish that it was surrounded by circumstellar material (CSM) that was ejected during the final similar to 1 yr prior to explosion at a high rate, around 10(-3) solar masses per year. The complete disappearance of flash-ionized emission lines within the first several days requires that the dense CSM be confined to within less than or similar to 10(15) cm, consistent with radio non-detections at 70-100 days. The observations indicate that iPTF 13dqy was a regular type II supernova; thus, the finding that the probable red supergiant progenitor of this common explosion ejected material at a highly elevated rate just prior to its demise suggests that pre-supernova instabilities may be common among exploding massive stars.
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| 3. |
- Khazov, D., et al.
(författare)
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FLASH SPECTROSCOPY : EMISSION LINES FROM THE IONIZED CIRCUMSTELLAR MATERIAL AROUND < 10-DAY-OLD TYPE II SUPERNOVAE
- 2016
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 818:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Supernovae (SNe) embedded in dense circumstellar material (CSM) may show prominent emission lines in their early-time spectra (<= 10 days after the explosion), owing to recombination of the CSM ionized by the shock-breakout flash. From such spectra (flash spectroscopy), we can measure various physical properties of the CSM, as well as the mass-loss rate of the progenitor during the year prior to its explosion. Searching through the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF and iPTF) SN spectroscopy databases from 2009 through 2014, we found 12 SNe II showing flash-ionized (FI) signatures in their first spectra. All are younger than 10 days. These events constitute 14% of all 84 SNe in our sample having a spectrum within 10 days from explosion, and 18% of SNe. II observed at ages <5 days, thereby setting lower limits on the fraction of FI events. We classified as blue/featureless (BF) those events having a first spectrum that is similar to that of a blackbody, without any emission or absorption signatures. It is possible that some BF events had FI signatures at an earlier phase than observed, or that they lack dense CSM around the progenitor. Within 2 days after explosion, 8 out of 11 SNe in our sample are either BF events or show FI signatures. Interestingly, we found that 19 out of 21 SNe brighter than an absolute magnitude M-R = -18.2 belong to the FI or BF groups, and that all FI events peaked above M-R = -17.6 mag, significantly brighter than average SNe II.
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| 4. |
- Prentice, S. J., et al.
(författare)
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The bolometric light curves and physical parameters of stripped-envelope supernovae
- 2016
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 458:3, s. 2973-3002
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The optical and optical/near-infrared pseudo-bolometric light curves of 85 stripped-envelope supernovae (SNe) are constructed using a consistent method and a standard cosmology. The light curves are analysed to derive temporal characteristics and peak luminosity L-p, enabling the construction of a luminosity function. Subsequently, the mass of Ni-56 synthesized in the explosion, along with the ratio of ejecta mass to ejecta kinetic energy, are found. Analysis shows that host-galaxy extinction is an important factor in accurately determining luminosity values as it is significantly greater than Galactic extinction in most cases. It is found that broad-lined SNe Ic (SNe Ic-BL) and gamma-ray burst SNe are the most luminous subtypes with a combined median L-p, in erg s(-1), of log(L-p)= 43.00 compared to 42.51 for SNe Ic, 42.50 for SNe Ib, and 42.36 for SNe IIb. It is also found that SNe Ic-BL synthesize approximately twice the amount of 56Ni compared with SNe Ic, Ib, and IIb, with median M-Ni = 0.34, 0.16, 0.14, and 0.11 M-circle dot, respectively. SNe Ic-BL, and to a lesser extent SNe Ic, typically rise from L-p/2 to L-p more quickly than SNe Ib/IIb; consequently, their light curves are not as broad.
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| 5. |
- Lunnan, R., et al.
(författare)
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Two New Calcium-rich Gap Transients in Group and Cluster Environments
- 2017
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 836:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the Palomar Transient Factory discoveries and the photometric and spectroscopic observations of PTF11kmb and PTF12bho. We show that both transients have properties consistent with the class of calcium-rich gap transients, specifically lower peak luminosities and rapid evolution compared to ordinary supernovae, and a nebular spectrum dominated by [Ca II] emission. A striking feature of both transients is their host environments: PTF12bho is an intracluster transient in the Coma Cluster, while PTF11kmb is located in a loose galaxy group, at a physical offset similar to 150 kpc from the most likely host galaxy. Deep Subaru imaging of PTF12bho rules out an underlying host system to a limit of M-R > -8.0 mag, while Hubble Space Telescope imaging of PTF11kmb reveals a marginal counterpart that, if real, could be either a background galaxy or a globular cluster. We show that the offset distribution of Ca-rich gap transients is significantly more extreme than that seen for SNe Ia or even short-hard gamma-ray bursts (sGRBs). Thus, if the offsets are caused by a kick, they require higher kick velocities and/or longer merger times than sGRBs. We also show that almost all Ca-rich transients found to date are in group and cluster environments with elliptical host galaxies, indicating a very old progenitor population; the remote locations could partially be explained by these environments having the largest fraction of stars in the intragroup/intracluster light following galaxy-galaxy interactions.
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| 6. |
- Ofek, E. O., et al.
(författare)
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PTF13efv-AN OUTBURST 500 DAYS PRIOR TO THE SNHUNT 275 EXPLOSION AND ITS RADIATIVE EFFICIENCY
- 2016
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 824:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The progenitors of some supernovae (SNe) exhibit outbursts with super-Eddington luminosities prior to their final explosions. This behavior is common among SNe IIn, but the driving mechanisms of these precursors are not yet well-understood. SNHunt 275 was announced as a possible new SN during 2015 May. Here we report on pre-explosion observations of the location of this event by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) and report the detection of a precursor about 500 days prior to the 2015 May activity (PTF 13efv). The observed velocities in the 2015 transient and its 2013 precursor absorption spectra are low (1000-2000 km s(-1)), so it is not clear yet if the recent activity indeed marks the final disruption of the progenitor. Regardless of the nature of this event, we use the PTF photometric and spectral observations, as well as Swift-UVOT observations, to constrain the efficiency of the radiated energy relative to the total kinetic energy of the precursor. We find that, using an order-of-magnitude estimate and under the assumption of spherical symmetry, the ratio of the radiated energy to the kinetic energy is in the range of 4 x 10(-2) to 3.4 x 10(3).
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| 7. |
- Blagorodnova, N., et al.
(författare)
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The Broad Absorption Line Tidal Disruption Event iPTF15af : Optical and Ultraviolet Evolution
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 873:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present multiwavelength observations of the tidal disruption event (TDE) iPTF15af, discovered by the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory survey at redshift z = 0.07897. The optical and ultraviolet (UV) light curves of the transient show a slow decay over 5 months, in agreement with previous optically discovered TDEs. It also has a comparable blackbody peak luminosity of L-peak approximate to 1.5 x 10(44) erg s(-1). The inferred temperature from the optical and UV data shows a value of (3-5) x 10(4) K. The transient is not detected in X-rays up to L-X < 3 x 10(42) erg s(-1) within the first 5 months after discovery. The optical spectra exhibit two distinct broad emission lines in the He II region, and at later times also H alpha emission. Additionally, emission from [N III] and [O III] is detected, likely produced by the Bowen fluorescence effect. UV spectra reveal broad emission and absorption lines associated with high-ionization states of N V, C IV, Si IV, and possibly P V. These features, analogous to those of broad absorption line quasars (BAL QSOs), require an absorber with column densities N-H > 10(23) cm(-2). This optically thick gas would also explain the nondetection in soft X-rays. The profile of the absorption lines with the highest column density material at the largest velocity is opposite that of BAL QSOs. We suggest that radiation pressure generated by the TDE flare at early times could have provided the initial acceleration mechanism for this gas. Spectral UV line monitoring of future TDEs could test this proposal.
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| 8. |
- Gal-Yam, Avishay, et al.
(författare)
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A Wolf-Rayet-like progenitor of SN 2013cu from spectral observations of a stellar wind
- 2014
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 509:7501, s. 471-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The explosive fate of massive Wolf-Rayet stars(1) (WRSs) is a key open question in stellar physics. An appealing option is that hydrogen-deficient WRSs are the progenitors of some hydrogen-poor supernova explosions of types IIb, Ib and Ic (ref. 2). A blue object, having luminosity and colours consistent with those of some WRSs, has recently been identified in pre-explosion images at the location of a supernova of type Ib (ref. 3), but has not yet been conclusively determined to have been the progenitor. Similar work has so far only resulted in non-detections(4). Comparison of early photometric observations of type Ic supernovae with theoretical models suggests that the progenitor stars had radii of less than 1012 centimetres, as expected for some WRSs(5). The signature of WRSs, their emission line spectra, cannot be probed by such studies. Here we report the detection of strong emission lines in a spectrum of type IIb supernova 2013cu (iPTF13ast) obtained approximately 15.5 hours after explosion (by 'flash spectroscopy', which captures the effects of the supernova explosion shock breakout flash on material surrounding the progenitor star). We identify Wolf-Rayet-like wind signatures, suggesting a progenitor of the WN(h) subclass (those WRSs with winds dominated by helium and nitrogen, with traces of hydrogen). The extent of this dense wind may indicate increased mass loss from the progenitor shortly before its explosion, consistent with recent theoretical predictions(6).
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| 9. |
- Perley, Daniel A., et al.
(författare)
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The Zwicky Transient Facility Bright Transient Survey. II. A Public Statistical Sample for Exploring Supernova Demographics
- 2020
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 904:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a public catalog of transients from the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) Bright Transient Survey, a magnitude-limited (m g or r filter) survey for extragalactic transients in the ZTF public stream. We introduce cuts on survey coverage, sky visibility around peak light, and other properties unconnected to the nature of the transient, and show that the resulting statistical sample is spectroscopically 97% complete at <18 mag, 93% complete at <18.5 mag, and 75% complete at <19 mag. We summarize the fundamental properties of this population, identifying distinct duration-luminosity correlations in a variety of supernova (SN) classes and associating the majority of fast optical transients with well-established spectroscopic SN types (primarily SN Ibn and II/IIb). We measure the Type Ia SN and core-collapse (CC) SN rates and luminosity functions, which show good consistency with recent work. About 7% of CC SNe explode in very low-luminosity galaxies (M-i > -16 mag), 10% in red-sequence galaxies, and 1% in massive ellipticals. We find no significant difference in the luminosity or color distributions between the host galaxies of SNe Type II and SNe Type Ib/c, suggesting that line-driven wind stripping does not play a major role in the loss of the hydrogen envelope from their progenitors. Future large-scale classification efforts with ZTF and other wide-area surveys will provide high-quality measurements of the rates, properties, and environments of all known types of optical transients and limits on the existence of theoretically predicted but as yet unobserved explosions.
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| 10. |
- Rubin, Adam, et al.
(författare)
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TYPE II SUPERNOVA ENERGETICS AND COMPARISON OF LIGHT CURVES TO SHOCK-COOLING MODELS
- 2016
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 820:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During the first few days after explosion, Type II supernovae (SNe) are dominated by relatively simple physics. Theoretical predictions regarding early-time SN light curves in the ultraviolet (UV) and optical bands are thus quite robust. We present, for the first time, a sample of 57 R-band SN II light curves that are well-monitored during their rise, with > 5 detections during the first 10 days after discovery, and a well-constrained time of explosion to within 1-3 days. We show that the energy per unit mass (E/M) can be deduced to roughly a factor of five by comparing early-time optical data to the 2011 model of Rabinak & Waxman, while the progenitor radius cannot be determined based on R-band data alone. We find that SN II explosion energies span a range of E/M = (0.2-20) x 10(51) erg/(10 M-circle dot), and have a mean energy per unit mass of < E/M > = 0.85 x 10(51) erg/(10 M-circle dot), corrected for Malmquist bias. Assuming a small spread in progenitor masses, this indicates a large intrinsic diversity in explosion energy. Moreover, E/M is positively correlated with the amount of Ni-56 produced in the explosion, as predicted by some recent models of core-collapse SNe. We further present several empirical correlations. The peak magnitude is correlated with the decline rate (Delta m(15)), the decline rate is weakly correlated with the rise time, and the rise time is not significantly correlated with the peak magnitude. Faster declining SNe are more luminous and have longer rise times. This limits the possible power sources for such events.
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