1. |
- Adams, S. M., et al.
(author)
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iPTF Survey for Cool Transients
- 2018
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In: Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. - : IOP Publishing. - 0004-6280 .- 1538-3873. ; 130:985
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We performed a wide-area (2000 deg2) g and I band experiment as part of a two month extension to the Intermediate Palomar Transient Factory. We discovered 36 extragalactic transients including iPTF17lf, a highly reddened local SN Ia, iPTF17bkj, a new member of the rare class of transitional Ibn/IIn supernovae, and iPTF17be, a candidate luminous blue variable outburst. We do not detect any luminous red novae and place an upper limit on their rate. We show that adding a slow-cadence I band component to upcoming surveys such as the Zwicky Transient Facility will improve the photometric selection of cool and dusty transients.
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2. |
- Amanullah, Rahman, et al.
(author)
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Diversity in extinction laws of Type Ia supernovae measured between 0.2 and 2 μm
- 2015
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 453:3, s. 3300-3328
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present ultraviolet (UV) observations of six nearby Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope, three of which were also observed in the near-IR (NIR) with Wide-Field Camera 3. UV observations with the Swift satellite, as well as ground-based optical and NIR data provide complementary information. The combined data set covers the wavelength range 0.2-2 mu m. By also including archival data of SN 2014J, we analyse a sample spanning observed colour excesses up to E(B - V) = 1.4 mag. We study the wavelength-dependent extinction of each individual SN and find a diversity of reddening laws when characterized by the total-to-selective extinction R-V. In particular, we note that for the two SNe with E(B - V) greater than or similar to 1 mag, for which the colour excess is dominated by dust extinction, we find R-V = 1.4 +/- 0.1 and R-V = 2.8 +/- 0.1. Adding UV photometry reduces the uncertainty of fitted R-V by similar to 50 per cent allowing us to also measure R-V of individual low-extinction objects which point to a similar diversity, currently not accounted for in the analyses when SNe Ia are used for studying the expansion history of the Universe.
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3. |
- Bulla, Mattia, et al.
(author)
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Estimating dust distances to Type Ia supernovae from colour excess time evolution
- 2018
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 473:2, s. 1918-1929
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a new technique to infer dust locations towards reddened Type Ia supernovae and to help discriminate between an interstellar and a circumstellar origin for the observed extinction. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that the time evolution of the light-curve shape and especially of the colour excess E(B - V) places strong constraints on the distance between dust and the supernova. We apply our approach to two highly reddened Type Ia supernovae for which dust distance estimates are available in the literature: SN 2006X and SN 2014J. For the former, we obtain a time-variable E(B - V) and from this derive a distance of 27.5(-4.9)(+ 9.0) or 22.1(-3.8)(+ 6.0) pc depending on whether dust properties typical of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) or the Milky Way (MW) are used. For the latter, instead, we obtain a constant E(B - V) consistent with dust at distances larger than similar to 50 and 38 pc for LMC-and MW-type dust, respectively. Values thus extracted are in excellent agreement with previous estimates for the two supernovae. Our findings suggest that dust responsible for the extinction towards these supernovae is likely to be located within interstellar clouds. We also discuss how other properties of reddened Type Ia supernovae - such as their peculiar extinction and polarization behaviour and the detection of variable, blue-shifted sodium features in some of these events - might be compatible with dust and gas at interstellar-scale distances.
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4. |
- Cao, Yi, et al.
(author)
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A strong ultraviolet pulse from a newborn type Ia supernova
- 2015
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 521:7552, s. 328-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Type Ia supernovae(1) are destructive explosions of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs(2,3). Although they are used empirically to measure cosmological distances(4-6), the nature of their progenitors remains mysterious(3). One of the leading progenitor models, called the single degenerate channel, hypothesizes that a white dwarf accretes matter from a companion star and the resulting increase in its central pressure and temperature ignites thermonuclear explosion(3,7,8). Here we report observations with the Swift Space Telescope of strong but declining ultraviolet emission from a type Ia supernova within four days of its explosion. This emission is consistent with theoretical expectations of collision between material ejected by the supernova and a companion star(9), and therefore provides evidence that some type Ia supernovae arise from the single degenerate channel.
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5. |
- Cao, Yi, et al.
(author)
-
ABSENCE OF FAST-MOVING IRON IN AN INTERMEDIATE TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA BETWEEN NORMAL AND SUPER-CHANDRASEKHAR
- 2016
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 823:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper, we report observations of a peculiar SN Ia iPTF13asv (a.k.a., SN2013cv) from the onset of the explosion to months after its peak. The early-phase spectra of iPTF13asv show an absence of iron absorption, indicating that synthesized iron elements are confined to low-velocity regions of the ejecta, which, in turn, implies a stratified ejecta structure along the line of sight. Our analysis of iPTF13asv's light curves and spectra shows that it is an intermediate case between normal and super-Chandrasekhar events. On the one hand, its light curve shape (B-band Delta m(15)=1.03 +/- 0.01) and overall spectral features resemble those of normal SNe Ia. On the other hand, its large peak optical and UV luminosity (M-B = -19.84 mag, M-uvm2 = -15.5 mag) and its low but almost constant Si II velocities of about 10,000 km s (1) are similar to those in super-Chandrasekhar events, and its persistent carbon signatures in the spectra are weaker than those seen commonly in super-Chandrasekhar events. We estimate a Ni-56 mass of 0.81(-0.18)(+0.10) M-circle dot and a total ejecta mass of 1.59(-0.12)(+0.45) M-circle dot. The large ejecta mass of iPTF13asv and its stratified ejecta structure together seemingly favor a double-degenerate origin.
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6. |
- Dhawan, Suhail, et al.
(author)
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Narrowing down the possible explanations of cosmic acceleration with geometric probes
- 2017
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In: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. - : IOP Publishing. - 1475-7516. ; :7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent re-calibration of the Type Ia supernova (SNe Ia) magnitude-redshift relation combined with cosmic microwave background (CMB) and baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) data have provided excellent constraints on the standard cosmological model. Here, we examine particular classes of alternative cosmologies, motivated by various physical mechanisms, e.g. scalar fields, modified gravity and phase transitions to test their consistency with observations of SNe Ia and the ratio of the angular diameter distances from the CMB and BAO. Using a model selection criterion for a relative comparison of the models (the Bayes Factor), we find moderate to strong evidence that the data prefer flat Lambda CDM over models invoking a thawing behaviour of the quintessence scalar field. However, some exotic models like the growing neutrino mass cosmology and vacuum metamorphosis still present acceptable evidence values. The bimetric gravity model with only the linear interaction term as well as a simplified Galileon model can be ruled out by the combination of SNe Ia and CMB/BAO datasets whereas the model with linear and quadratic interaction terms has a comparable evidence value to standard Lambda CDM. Thawing models are found to have significantly poorer evidence compared to flat Lambda CDM cosmology under the assumption that the CMB compressed likelihood provides an adequate description for these non-standard cosmologies. We also present estimates for constraints from future data and find that geometric probes from oncoming surveys can put severe limits on non-standard cosmological models.
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7. |
- Ferretti, Raphael, et al.
(author)
-
No Evidence of Circumstellar Gas Surrounding Type Ia Supernova SN 2017cbv
- 2017
-
In: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : American Astronomical Society. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 851:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nearby type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), such as SN 2017cbv, are useful events to address the question of what the elusive progenitor systems of the explosions are. Hosseinzadeh et al. suggested that the early blue excess of the light curve of SN 2017cbv could be due to the supernova ejecta interacting with a non-degenerate companion star. Some SN Ia progenitor models suggest the existence of circumstellar (CS) environments in which strong outflows create low-density cavities of different radii. Matter deposited at the edges of the cavities should be at distances at which photoionization due to early ultraviolet (UV) radiation of SNe. Ia causes detectable changes to the observable Na I D and Ca II H&K absorption lines. To study possible narrow absorption lines from such material, we obtained a time series of high-resolution spectra of SN 2017cbv at phases between -14.8 and +83 days with respect to B-band maximum, covering the time at which photoionization is predicted to occur. Both narrow Na I D and Ca II H&K are detected in all spectra, with no measurable changes between the epochs. We use photoionization models to rule out the presence of Na I and Ca II gas clouds along the line of sight of SN 2017cbv between similar to 8 x 10(16)-2 x 10(19) cm and similar to 10(15)-10(17) cm, respectively. Assuming typical abundances, the mass of a homogeneous spherical CS gas shell with radius R must be limited to M-HI(CSM) < 3 x 10(-4) x (R/10(17)[cm(2)]) M-circle dot. The bounds point to progenitor models that deposit little gas in their CS environment.
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8. |
- Ferretti, Raphael, et al.
(author)
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Probing gas and dust in the tidal tail of NGC 5221 with the type Ia supernova iPTF16abc
- 2017
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 606
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) can be used to address numerous questions in astrophysics and cosmology. Due to their wellknown spectral and photometric properties, SNe Ia are well suited to study gas and dust along the lines-of-sight to the explosions. For example, narrow Na I D and Ca II H&K absorption lines can be studied easily, because of the well-defined spectral continuum of SNe Ia around these features.Aims. We aim to study the gas and dust along the line-of-sight to iPTF16abc, which occurred in an unusual location, in a tidal arm, 80 kpc from centre of the galaxy NGC 5221.Methods. Using a time-series of high-resolution spectra, we have examined narrow Na I D and Ca II H&K absorption features for variations in time, which would be indicative for circumstellar (CS) matter. Furthermore, we have taken advantage of the well known photometric properties of SNe Ia to determine reddening due to dust along the line-of-sight.Results. From the lack of variations in Na I D and Ca II H&K, we determine that none of the detected absorption features originate from the CS medium of iPTF16abc. While the Na I D and Ca II H&K absorption is found to be optically thick, a negligible amount of reddening points to a small column of interstellar dust.Conclusions. We find that the gas along the line-of-sight to iPTF16abc is typical of what might be found in the interstellar medium (ISM) within a galaxy. It suggests that we are observing gas that has been tidally stripped during an interaction of NGC 5221 with one of its neighbouring galaxies in the past ~109 years. In the future, the gas clouds could become the locations of star formation. On a longer time scale, the clouds might diuse, enriching the circum-galactic medium (CGM) with metals. The gas profile along the line-of-sight should be useful for future studies of the dynamics of the galaxy group containing NGC 5221.
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9. |
- Ferretti, Raphael, 1989-
(author)
-
The Circumstellar Environment of Type Ia Supernovae
- 2017
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) have proven to be extremely useful for measuring cosmological distances and were used for the discovery of the accelerated expansion of the universe. Although thousands of SNe Ia have been observed to date, many questions surrounding the physics of the explosions and the nature of their progenitor systems remain unanswered. An notable property of many SNe Ia is the relation between extinction due to dust and their colour. For example SN 2014J, the nearest SN Ia in recent years, has an extinction relation which would be very unusual to observe in the Milky Way. One possible explanation to the peculiar extinction could be the presence of circumstellar (CS) dust surrounding the explosions. Incidentally, some proposed progenitor models of SNe Ia suggest that the explosions are surrounded by shells of matter, which could account for the unusual extinction.CS gas would be ionised, if it is exposed to the intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation of a SN Ia. The research presented in this thesis focuses on the search for CS gas by observing the effects of photoionisation on absorption lines commonly detected in optical spectra. Simple models suggest that the frequently studied sodium doublet (Na I D) should significantly decrease or even disappear if the gas is in the CS environment. Conversely, the absence of variations implies that the absorbing gas clouds must be far from the explosion, in the interstellar medium (ISM). To date, few SNe Ia have been shown to have variable absorption lines, to which we have added another case with SN 2013gh. Yet, we have also shown that most observations searching for variable absorption lines have been taken at too late phases, when most CS gas will have already been ionised. Setting out to obtain the earliest possible coverage of a SN Ia with high-resolution spectra, we have been able to set strong limits on the presence of CS gas surrounding SN 2017cbv.Along with evidence from other observational methods, these results have shown that there is little matter in the CS environments of SNe Ia, suggesting that the peculiar extinction likely results from the dust properties of their host galaxy ISM. Although the progenitor question cannot be resolved by these observations, nondetections of CS gas point to models which do not deposit large amounts of matter in their surroundings.
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10. |
- Ferretti, Raphael, et al.
(author)
-
Time-varying sodium absorption in the Type Ia supernova 2013gh
- 2016
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 592
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. Temporal variability of narrow absorption lines in high-resolution spectra of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) is studied to search for circumstellar matter. Time series which resolve the profiles of absorption lines such as Na I D or Ca II H&K are expected to reveal variations due to photoionisation and subsequent recombination of the gases. The presence, composition, and geometry of circumstellar matter may hint at the elusive progenitor system of SNe Ia and could also affect the observed reddening law. Aims. To date, there are few known cases of time-varying Na I D absorption in SNe Ia, all of which occurred during relatively late phases of the supernova (SN) evolution. Photoionisation, however, is predicted to occur during the early phases of SNe Ia, when the supernovae peak in the ultraviolet. We attempt, therefore, to observe early-time absorption-line variations by obtaining high-resolution spectra of SNe before maximum light. Methods. We have obtained photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy of SNe Ia 2013gh and iPTF 13dge, to search for absorption-line variations. Furthermore, we study interstellar absorption features in relation to the observed photometric colours of the SNe. Results. Both SNe display deep Na I D and Ca II H&K absorption features. Furthermore, small but significant variations are detected in a feature of the Na I D profile of SN 2013gh. The variations are consistent with either geometric effects of rapidly moving or patchy gas clouds or photoionisation of Na I gas at R approximate to 10(19) cm from the explosion. Conclusions. Our analysis indicates that it is necessary to focus on early phases to detect photoionisation effects of gases in the circumstellar medium of SNe Ia. Different absorbers such as Na I and Ca II can be used to probe for matter at different distances from the SNe. The nondetection of variations during early phases makes it possible to put limits on the abundance of the species at those distances.
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11. |
- Goobar, Ariel, et al.
(author)
-
CONSTRAINTS ON THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRST LIGHT FROM SN 2014J
- 2015
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 799:1, s. 106-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We study the very early light curve of supernova 2014J (SN 2014J) using the high-cadence broad-band imaging data obtained by the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope, which fortuitously observed M 82 around the time of the explosion, starting more than 2 months prior to detection, with up to 20 observations per night. These observations are complemented by observations in two narrow-band filters used in an Ha survey of nearby galaxies by the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory that also captured the first days of the brightening of the supernova. The evolution of the light curves is consistent with the expected signal from the cooling of shock heated material of large scale dimensions, greater than or similar to 1R(circle dot). This could be due to heated material of the progenitor, a companion star or pre-existing circumstellar environment, e.g., in the form of an accretion disk. Structure seen in the light curves during the first days after explosion could also originate from radioactive material in the outer parts of an exploding white dwarf, as suggested from the early detection of gamma-rays. The model degeneracy translates into a systematic uncertainty of +/- 0.3 days on the estimate of the first light from SN 2014J.
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12. |
- Goobar, Ariel, et al.
(author)
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iPTF16geu : A multiply imaged, gravitationally lensed type Ia supernova
- 2017
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 356:6335, s. 291-295
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the discovery of a multiply imaged, gravitationally lensed type Ia supernova, iPTF16geu (SN 2016geu), at redshift z = 0.409. This phenomenon was identified because the light from the stellar explosion was magnified more than 50 times by the curvature of space around matter in an intervening galaxy. We used high-spatial-resolution observations to resolve four images of the lensed supernova, approximately 0.3 arc seconds from the center of the foreground galaxy. The observations probe a physical scale of ~1 kiloparsec, smaller than is typical in other studies of extragalactic gravitational lensing. The large magnification and symmetric image configuration imply close alignment between the lines of sight to the supernova and to the lens. The relative magnifications of the four images provide evidence for substructures in the lensing galaxy.
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13. |
- Hoffmann, Samantha L., et al.
(author)
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OPTICAL IDENTIFICATION OF CEPHEIDS IN 19 HOST GALAXIES OF TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE AND NGC 4258 WITH THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
- 2016
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 830:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present results of an optical search conducted as part of the SH0ES project (Supernovae and H-0 for the Equation of State of dark energy) for Cepheid variable stars using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in 19 hosts of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and the maser-host galaxy NGC 4258. The targets include nine newly imaged SN. Ia hosts using a novel strategy based on a long-pass filter that minimizes the number of HST orbits required to detect and accurately determine Cepheid properties. We carried out a homogeneous reduction and analysis of all observations, including new universal variability searches in all SN. Ia hosts, which yielded a total of 2200 variables with well-defined selection criteria, the largest such sample identified outside the Local Group. These objects are used in a companion paper to determine the local value of H-0 with a total uncertainty of 2.4%.
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14. |
- Hsiao, E. Y., et al.
(author)
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Strong near-infrared carbon in the Type Ia supernova iPTF13ebh
- 2015
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 578
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present near-infrared (NIR) time-series spectroscopy, as well as complementary ultraviolet (UV), optical, and NIR data, of the Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) iPTF13ebh, which was discovered within two days from the estimated time of explosion. The first NIR spectrum was taken merely 2 : 3 days after explosion and may be the earliest NIR spectrum yet obtained of a SN Ia. The most striking features in the spectrum are several NIR C I lines, and the C I lambda 1.0693 mu m line is the strongest ever observed in a SN Ia. Interestingly, no strong optical C II counterparts were found, even though the optical spectroscopic time series began early and is densely cadenced. Except at the very early epochs, within a few days from the time of explosion, we show that the strong NIR C I compared to the weaker optical C II appears to be general in SNe Ia. iPTF13ebh is a fast decliner with Delta m(15)(B) = 1.79 +/- 0.01, and its absolute magnitude obeys the linear part of the width-luminosity relation. It is therefore categorized as a transitional event, on the fast-declining end of normal SNe Ia as opposed to subluminous/91bg-like objects. iPTF13ebh shows NIR spectroscopic properties that are distinct from both the normal and subluminous/91bg-like classes, bridging the observed characteristics of the two classes. These NIR observations suggest that composition and density of the inner core are similar to that of 91bg-like events, and that it has a deep-reaching carbon burning layer that is not observed in more slowly declining SNe Ia. There is also a substantial difference between the explosion times inferred from the early-time light curve and the velocity evolution of the Si II lambda 0.6355 mu m line, implying a long dark phase of similar to 4 days.
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15. |
- Johansson, Joel, 1984-
(author)
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Sources of Dust Extinction in Type Ia Supernovae : Measurements and constraints from X-rays to the Infrared
- 2015
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The use of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) as distance indicators is essential for studying the expansion history of the Universe and for exploring the nature of dark energy. However, a lack of understanding of the progenitor systems and the empirically derived colour-brightness corrections represent severe limitations for SNe Ia as cosmological probes. In this thesis, we study how dust along the line of sight towards SNe Ia affects the observed light over a wide range of wavelengths; from X-rays to infrared.Unless properly corrected for, the existence of intergalactic dust will introduce a redshift dependent magnitude offset to standard candle sources and bias the cosmological parameter estimates as derived from observations of SNe Ia. We model the optical extinction and X-ray scattering properties of intergalactic dust grains to constrain the intergalactic opacity using a combined analysis of observed quasar colours and measurements of the soft X-ray background. We place upper limits on the extinction AB(z = 1) < 0.10 - 0.25 mag, and the dust density parameter Ωdust < 10−5 − 10−4 (ρgrain/3 g cm−3), for models with RV < 12 − ∞, respectively.Dust in the host galaxies, and dust that may reside in the circumstellar (CS) environment, have important implications for the observed colours of SNe Ia. Using the Hubble Space Telescope and several ground based telescopes, we measure the extinction law, from UV to NIR, for a sample of six nearby SNe Ia. The SNe span a range of E(B − V ) ≈ 0.1 − 1.4 mag and RV ≈ 1.5 − 2.7, showing a diversity of dust extinction parameters. We present mid- and far-infrared (IR) observations for a number of SNe Ia, obtained with the Herschel Space Observatory and Spitzer Space Telescope, addressing CS dust as an explanation for “peculiar” extinction towards some SNe Ia. No excess IR emission is detected, limiting CS dust masses, Mdust < 10−5 solar masses. In particular, the timely appearance of SN 2014J in M82 - the closest SN Ia in several decades - allows for detailed studies, across an unprecedented wavelength range, of its lightcurve and spectral evolution along with the host galaxy and CS environment.
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16. |
- Johansson, Joel, et al.
(author)
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Spitzer observations of SN 2014J and properties of mid-IR emission in Type Ia supernovae
- 2017
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 466:3, s. 3442-3449
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- SN 2014J in M 82 is the closest Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) in decades. The proximity allows for detailed studies of supernova physics and provides insights into the circumstellar and interstellar environment. In this work, we analyse Spitzer mid-infrared (mid-IR) data of SN 2014J in the 3.6 and 4.5 mu m wavelength range, together with several other nearby and well-studied SNe Ia. We compile the first composite mid-IR light-curve templates from our sample of SNe Ia, spanning the range from before peak brightness well into the nebular phase. Our observations indicate that SNe Ia form a very homogeneous class of objects at these wavelengths. Using the low-reddening supernovae for comparison, we constrain possible thermal emission from circumstellar dust around the highly reddened SN 2014J. We also study SNe 2006X and 2007le, where the presence of matter in the circumstellar environment has been suggested. No significant mid-IR excess is detected, allowing us to place upper limits on the amount of pre-existing dust in the circumstellar environment. For SN 2014J, M-dust less than or similar to 10(-5) M-circle dot within r(dust) similar to 10(17) cm, which is insufficient to account for the observed extinction. Similar limits are obtained for SNe 2006X and 2007le.
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17. |
- Kromer, Markus, et al.
(author)
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The peculiar Type Ia supernova iPTF14atg : Chandrasekhar-mass explosion or violent merger?
- 2016
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 459:4, s. 4428-4439
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- iPTF14atg, a subluminous peculiar Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) similar to SN 2002es, is the first SN Ia for which a strong UV flash was observed in the early-time light curves. This has been interpreted as evidence for a single-degenerate (SD) progenitor system, where such a signal is expected from interactions between the SN ejecta and the non-degenerate companion star. Here, we compare synthetic observables of multidimensional state-of-the-art explosion models for different progenitor scenarios to the light curves and spectra of iPTF14atg. From our models, we have difficulties explaining the spectral evolution of iPTF14atg within the SD progenitor channel. In contrast, we find that a violent merger of two carbon-oxygen white dwarfs with 0.9 and 0.76 M-aS (TM), respectively, provides an excellent match to the spectral evolution of iPTF14atg from 10 d before to several weeks after maximum light. Our merger model does not naturally explain the initial UV flash of iPTF14atg. We discuss several possibilities like interactions of the SN ejecta with the circumstellar medium and surface radioactivity from an He-ignited merger that may be able to account for the early UV emission in violent merger models.
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18. |
- Marion, G. H., et al.
(author)
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Early Observations and Analysis of the Type Ia SN 2014J in M82
- 2015
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 798:1, s. 39-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present optical and near infrared (NIR) observations of the nearby Type Ia SN 2014J. Seventeen optical and 23 NIR spectra were obtained from 10 days before (–10d) to 10 days after (+10d) the time of maximum B-band brightness. The relative strengths of absorption features and their patterns of development can be compared at one day intervals throughout most of this period. Carbon is not detected in the optical spectra, but we identify C I λ1.0693 in the NIR spectra. Mg II lines with high oscillator strengths have higher initial velocities than other Mg II lines. We show that the velocity differences can be explained by differences in optical depths due to oscillator strengths. The spectra of SN 2014J show that it is a normal SN Ia, but many parameters are near the boundaries between normal and high-velocity subclasses. The velocities for O I, Mg II, Si II, S II, Ca II, and Fe II suggest that SN 2014J has a layered structure with little or no mixing. That result is consistent with the delayed detonation explosion models. We also report photometric observations, obtained from –10d to +29d, in the UBVRIJH and Ksbands. The template fitting package SNooPy is used to interpret the light curves and to derive photometric parameters. UsingRV = 1.46, which is consistent with previous studies, SNooPy finds that AV = 1.80 for E(B – V)host = 1.23 ± 0.06 mag. The maximum B-band brightness of –19.19 ± 0.10 mag was reached on February 1.74 UT ± 0.13 days and the supernova has a decline parameter, Δm 15, of 1.12 ± 0.02 mag.
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19. |
- Papadogiannakis, Seméli, 1989-, et al.
(author)
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R-band light-curve properties of Type Ia supernovae from the (intermediate) Palomar Transient Factory
- 2019
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 483, s. 5045-5076
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the best 265 sampled R-band light curves of spectroscopically identified Type Ia supernovae (SNe) from the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF; 2009-2012) survey and the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF; 2013-2017). A model-independent light-curve template is built from our data-set with the purpose to investigate average properties and diversity in our sample. We searched for multiple populations in the light-curve properties using machine learning tools. We also utilized the long history of our light curves, up to 4000 days, to exclude any significant pre- or post- supernova flares. From the shapes of light curves we found the average rise time in the R band to be 16.8−0.6+0.5'>16.8 +0.5 −0.6 16.8−0.6+0.5 days. Although PTF/iPTF were single-band surveys, by modelling the residuals of the SNe in the Hubble–Lemaître diagram, we estimate the average colour excess of our sample to be 〈E(B − V)〉 ≈ 0.05(2) mag and thus the mean corrected peak brightness to be MR = −19.02 ± 0.02 +5log(H0[kms−1Mpc−1]/70)'>+5log(H 0 [kms −1 Mpc −1 ]/70) +5log(H0[kms−1Mpc−1]/70) mag with only weak dependennce on light–curve shape. The intrinsic scatter is found to be σR = 0.186 ± 0.033 mag for the redshift range 0.05 < z < 0.1, without colour corrections of individual SNe. Our analysis shows that Malmquist bias becomes very significant at z = 0.13. A similar limitation is expected for the ongoing Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) survey using the same telescope, but new camera expressly designed for ZTF.
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20. |
- Petrushevska, Tanja, et al.
(author)
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High-redshift supernova rates measured with the gravitational telescope A 1689
- 2016
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 594
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims. We present a ground-based, near-infrared search for lensed supernovae behind the massive cluster Abell 1689 at z = 0.18, which is one of the most powerful gravitational telescopes that nature provides. Methods. Our survey was based on multi-epoch J-band observations with the HAWK-I instrument on VLT, with supporting optical data from the Nordic Optical Telescope. Results. Our search resulted in the discovery of five photometrically classified, core-collapse supernovae with high redshifts of 0.671 < z < 1.703 and magnifications in the range Delta m = -0.31 to -1.58 mag, as calculated from lensing models in the literature. Owing to the power of the lensing cluster, the survey had the sensitivity to detect supernovae up to very high redshifts, z similar to 3, albeit for a limited region of space. We present a study of the core-collapse supernova rates for 0.4 < z < 2.9, and find good agreement with previous estimates and predictions from star formation history. During our survey, we also discovered two Type Ia supernovae in A 1689 cluster members, which allowed us to determine the cluster Ia rate to be 0.14(-0.09)(+0.19) SNuB h(2) (SNuB 10(-12) SNe L-circle dot,B(-1) yr(-1)), where the error bars indicate 1 sigma confidence intervals, statistical and systematic, respectively. The cluster rate normalized by the stellar mass is 0.10(-0.06)(+0.13) +/- 0.02 in SNuM h(2) (SNuM = 10(-12) SNe M-1 yr(-1)). Furthermore, we explore the optimal future survey for improving the core-collapse supernova rate measurements at z greater than or similar to 2 using gravitational telescopes, and for detections with multiply lensed images, and we find that the planned WFIRST space mission has excellent prospects. Conclusions. Massive clusters can be used as gravitational telescopes to significantly expand the survey range of supernova searches, with important implications for the study of the high-z transient Universe.
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21. |
- Petrushevska, Tanja, et al.
(author)
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Searching for supernovae in the multiply-imaged galaxies behind the gravitational telescope A370
- 2018
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 614
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims. Strong lensing by massive galaxy clusters can provide magnification of the flux and even multiple images of the galaxies that he behind them. This phenomenon facilitates observations of high-redshift supernovae (SNe) that would otherwise remain undetected. Type la supernovae (SNe la) detections are of particular interest because of their standard brightness, since they can be used to improve either cluster lensing models or cosmological parameter measurements.Methods. We present a ground-based, near-infrared search for lensed SNe behind the galaxy cluster Abell 370. Our survey was based on 15 epochs of J-band observations with the HAWK-I instrument on the Very Large Telescope (VLT). We use Hubble Space Telescope (HST) photometry to infer the global properties of the multiply-imaged galaxies. Using a recently published lensing model of Abell 370, we also present the predicted magnifications and time delays between the images.Results. In our survey, we did not discover any live SNe from the 13 lensed galaxies with 47 multiple images behind Abell 370. This is consistent with the expectation of 0.09 +/- 0.02 SNe calculated based on the measured star formation rate. We compare the expectations of discovering strongly lensed SNe in our survey and that performed with HST during the Hubble Frontier Fields (HFF) programme. We also show the expectations of search campaigns that can be conducted with future facilities, such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) or the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST). We show that the NIRCam instrument aboard the JWST will be sensitive to most SN multiple images in the strongly lensed galaxies and thus will be able to measure their time delays if observations are scheduled accordingly.
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22. |
- Petrushevska, Tanja, 1985-
(author)
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Supernovae seen through gravitational telescopes
- 2017
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Galaxies, and clusters of galaxies, can act as gravitational lenses and magnify the light of objects behind them. The effect enables observations of very distant supernovae, that otherwise would be too faint to be detected by existing telescopes, and allows studies of the frequency and properties of these rare phenomena when the universe was young. Under the right circumstances, multiple images of the lensed supernovae can be observed, and due to the variable nature of the objects, the difference between the arrival times of the images can be measured. Since the images have taken different paths through space before reaching us, the time-differences are sensitive to the expansion rate of the universe. One class of supernovae, Type Ia, are of particular interest to detect. Their well known brightness can be used to determine the magnification, which can be used to understand the lensing systems.In this thesis, galaxy clusters are used as gravitational telescopes to search for lensed supernovae at high redshift. Ground-based, near-infrared and optical search campaigns are described of the massive clusters Abell 1689 and 370, which are among the most powerful gravitational telescopes known. The search resulted in the discovery of five photometrically classified, core-collapse supernovae at redshifts of 0.671Magnification from a galaxy lens also allows for detailed studies of the supernova properties at high redshift that otherwise would not be possible. Spectroscopic observations of lensed high-redshift supernovae Type Ia are of special interest since they can be used to test for evolution of the standard candle nature of these objects. If systematic redshift-dependent properties are found, their utility for future surveys could be challenged. In the thesis it is shown that the strongly lensed and very distant supernova Type Ia PS1-10afx at z=1.4, does not deviate from the well-studied nearby and intermediate populations of normal supernovae Type Ia.In a different study, the discovery of the first resolved multiply-imaged gravitationally lensed supernova Type Ia is also reported.
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23. |
- Petrushevska, Tanja, et al.
(author)
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Testing for redshift evolution of Type Ia supernovae using the strongly lensed PS1-10afx at z=1.4
- 2017
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 603
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. The light from distant supernovae (SNe) can be magnified through gravitational lensing when a foreground galaxy is located along the line of sight. This line-up allows for detailed studies of SNe at high redshift that otherwise would not be possible. Spectroscopic observations of lensed high-redshift Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are of particular interest since they can be used to test for evolution of their intrinsic properties. The use of SNe Ia for probing the cosmic expansion history has proven to be an extremely powerful method for measuring cosmological parameters. However, if systematic redshift-dependent properties are found, their usefulness for future surveys could be challenged. Aims. We investigate whether the spectroscopic properties of the strongly lensed and very distant SN Ia PS1-10afx at z = 1.4, deviates from the well-studied populations of normal SNe Ia at nearby or intermediate distance. Methods. We created median spectra from nearby and intermediate-redshift spectroscopically normal SNe Ia from the literature at -5 and + 1 days from light-curve maximum. We then compared these median spectra to those of PS1-10afx. Results. We do not find signs of spectral evolution in PS1-10afx. The observed deviation between PS1-10afx and the median templates are within what is found for SNe at low and intermediate redshift. There is a noticeable broad feature centred at lambda similar to 3500 angstrom which is present only to a lesser extent in individual low-and intermediate-redshift SN Ia spectra. From a comparison with a recently developed explosion model, we find this feature to be dominated by iron peak elements, in particular, singly ionized cobalt and chromium.
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24. |
- Puschnig, Johannes, 1980-
(author)
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How ISM properties drive Lyman Continuum Escape
- 2016
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The thesis introduces physical processes that are at work in astrophysical plasmas and reviews the current state of research related to the emission of ionizing photons, i.e. Lyman continuum (LyC). Star forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei are discussed as sources of LyC. Observations of LyC leakage at all redshifts are summarized and escape fractions are brought into a cosmological context, i.e. its implications for the reionization of the Universe, one of the major gas phase changes that was completed already after ∼1Gyr after the Big Bang at redshift z∼6.The main work focuses on observations of the local LyC leaking galaxy Tololo 1247-232. Physical properties of the interstellar medium, its porosity and neutral medium column density, could be derived using newly obtained Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data. The work is based on spectroscopy obtained with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), as well as optical and ultraviolet multi-band imaging with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). An improved COS data reduction procedure was adopted. The recent detection of ionizing radiation emerging from Tololo 1247-232 could be confirmed. A LyC escape fraction of 6.6% was derived, in agreement with previous results. We used FUV absorption lines of Si II and Si IV as a probe of the neutral and ionized interstellar medium and find that most of the ISM gas is ionized, likely facilitating LyC escape from density bounded regions. Neutral gas covering as a function of line-of-sight velocity is derived using the apparent optical depth method. The ISM is found to be sufficiently clumpy, supporting the direct escape of LyC photons. We further report on broadband UV and optical continuum imaging as well as narrowband imaging of Lyα, Hα and Hβ. We also performed VLA 21cm imaging. The hydrogen hyperfine transition was not detected, but a deep upper limit atomic gas mass of 10^9 Mo could be derived. The upper limit gas fraction is only 20 percent. Evidence is found that the H I gas halo is relatively small compared to other Lyman Alpha emitters.
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25. |
- Rubin, D., et al.
(author)
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A CALIBRATION OF NICMOS CAMERA 2 FOR LOW COUNT RATES
- 2015
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In: Astronomical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-6256 .- 1538-3881. ; 149:5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- NICMOS 2 observations are crucial for constraining distances to most of the existing sample of z > 1 SNe Ia. Unlike conventional calibration programs, these observations involve long exposure times and low count rates. Reciprocity failure is known to exist in HgCdTe devices and a correction for this effect has already been implemented for high and medium count rates. However, observations at faint count rates rely on extrapolations. Here instead, we provide a new zero-point calibration directly applicable to faint sources. This is obtained via inter-calibration of NIC2 F110W/F160W with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) in the low count-rate regime using z similar to 1 elliptical galaxies as tertiary calibrators. These objects have relatively simple near-IR spectral energy distributions, uniform colors, and their extended nature gives a superior signal-to-noise ratio at the same count rate than would stars. The use of extended objects also allows greater tolerances on point-spread function profiles. We find space telescope magnitude zero points (after the installation of the NICMOS cooling system, NCS) of 25.296 +/- 0.022 for F110W and 25.803 +/- 0.023 for F160W, both in agreement with the calibration extrapolated from count rates greater than or similar to 1000 times larger (25.262 and 25.799). Before the installation of the NCS, we find 24.843 +/- 0.025 for F110W and 25.498 +/- 0.021 for F160W, also in agreement with the high-count-rate calibration (24.815 and 25.470). We also check the standard bandpasses of WFC3 and NICMOS 2 using a range of stars and galaxies at different colors and find mild tension for WFC3, limiting the accuracy of the zero points. To avoid human bias, our cross-calibration was blinded in that the fitted zero-point differences were hidden until the analysis was finalized.
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26. |
- Rubin, D., et al.
(author)
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The Discovery of a Gravitationally Lensed Supernova Ia at Redshift 2.22
- 2018
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 866:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the discovery and measurements of a gravitationally lensed supernova (SN) behind the galaxy cluster MOO J1014+0038. Based on multi-band Hubble Space Telescope and Very Large Telescope (VLT) photometry of the supernova, and VLT spectroscopy of the host galaxy, we find a 97.5% probability that this SN is a SN Ia, and a 2.5% chance of a CC SN. Our typing algorithm combines the shape and color of the light curve with the expected rates of each SN type in the host galaxy. With a redshift of 2.2216, this is the highest redshift SN. Ia discovered with a spectroscopic host-galaxy redshift. A further distinguishing feature is that the lensing cluster, at redshift 1.23, is the most distant to date to have an amplified SN. The SN lies in the middle of the color and light-curve shape distributions found at lower redshift, disfavoring strong evolution to z = 2.22. We estimate an amplification due to gravitational lensing of 2.8(-0.5)(+0.6) (1.10 +/- 0.23 mag)-compatible with the value estimated from the weak-lensing-derived mass and the mass-concentration relation from Lambda CDM simulations-making it the most amplified SN Ia discovered behind a galaxy cluster.
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27. |
- Stanishev, Vallery, et al.
(author)
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Type Ia supernova Hubble diagram with near-infrared and optical observations
- 2018
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 615
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) have been used as standardizable candles in the optical wavelengths to measure distances with an accuracy of similar to 7% out to redshift z similar to 1 : 5. There is evidence that in the near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths SNe Ia are even better standard candles, however, NIR observations are much more time-consuming.Aims. We aim to test whether the NIR peak magnitudes could be accurately estimated with only a single observation obtained close to maximum light, provided that the time of B band maximum, the B - V color at maximum and the optical stretch parameter are known.Methods. We present multi-epoch UBVRI and single-epoch J and H photometric observations of 16 SNe Ia in the redshift range z = 0 : 037 0 : 183, doubling the leverage of the current SN Ia NIR Hubble diagram and the number of SNe beyond redshift 0.04. This sample was analyzed together with 102 NIR and 458 optical light curves (LCs) of normal SNe Ia from the literature.Results. The analysis of 45 NIR LCs with well-sampled first maximum shows that a single template accurately describes the LCs if its time axis is stretched with the optical stretch parameter. This allows us to estimate the peak NIR magnitudes of SNe with only few observations obtained within ten days from B-band maximum. The NIR Hubble residuals show weak correlation with Delta M-15 and the color excess E(B V), and for the first time we report a potential dependence on the J(max) - H-max color. With these corrections, the intrinsic NIR luminosity scatter of SNe Ia is estimated to be similar to 0.10 mag, which is smaller than what can be derived for a similarly heterogeneous sample at optical wavelengths. Analysis of both NIR and optical data shows that the dust extinction in the host galaxies corresponds to a low R-V similar or equal to 1.8-1.9.Conclusions. We conclude that SNe Ia are at least as good standard candles in the NIR as in the optical and are potentially less affected by systematic uncertainties. We extended the NIR SN Ia Hubble diagram to its nonlinear part at z similar to 0 : 2 and confirmed that it is feasible to accomplish this result with very modest sampling of the NIR LCs, if complemented by well-sampled optical LCs. With future facilities it will be possible to extend the NIR Hubble diagram beyond redshift z similar or equal to 1; and our results suggest that the most efficient way to achieve this would be to obtain a single observation close to the NIR maximum.
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