Supernova 2002ap: the first month

Supernova (SN) 2002ap in M74 was discovered on 2002 January 29. Being one of the nearest (10 Mpc) SN events in the last decades, and spectroscopically similar to the so-called 'hypernovae' 1997ef and 1998bw, both possibly associated with gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), it is of great interest. Shortly after its discovery, we launched an intensive photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaign of this event, and here we report the results of the first month of observations. We use our UBVRI photometry to estimate the magnitudes at, and dates of, peak brightness. Our data suggest that this object reached its peak B -band luminosity on February     . Based on its similarity to SN 1998bw, we estimate the range of possible dates for a GRB that may have been associated with SN 2002ap. We find that it may include dates outside the time frame for which all available gamma-ray data have been intensively scanned, according to recent reports. The absolute magnitude at peak brightness of SN 2002ap  ( M _B =-16.9)  shows that it was significantly fainter than SN 1998bw, or normal Type Ia SNe, but similar to SN 1997ef. Our spectroscopic observations confirm that SN 2002ap is strikingly similar to SNe 1998bw and 1997ef. We briefly describe the spectral evolution of this object. To assist other observers and to stimulate theoretical models, we make our entire data set publicly available in digital form (http://wise-obs.tau.ac.il/∼avishay/local.html).     

An early-time infrared and optical study of the Type Ia Supernova 1998bu in M96

We present first-season infrared (IR) and optical photometry and spectroscopy of the Type Ia Supernova 1998bu in M96. We also report optical polarimetry of this event. SN 1998bu is one of the closest type Ia supernovae of modern times, and the distance of its host galaxy is well determined. We find that SN 1998bu is both photometrically and spectroscopically normal. However, the extinction to this event is unusually high, with     We find that SN 1998bu peaked at an intrinsic     Adopting a distance modulus of 30.25 (Tanvir et al.) and using Phillips et al.'s relations for the Hubble constant, we obtain     Combination of our IR photometry with those of Jha et al. provides one of the most complete early-phase IR light curves for a SN Ia published so far. In particular, SN 1998bu is the first normal SN Ia for which good pre- t _{B max} IR coverage has been obtained. It reveals that the J , H and K light curves peak about 5 days earlier than the flux in the B -band curve.     

Nucleosynthesis of 56Ni in wind-driven supernova explosions and constraints on the central engine of gamma-ray bursts

Theoretically expected natures of a supernova (SN) driven by a wind/jet are discussed. Approximate analytical formulations are derived to clarify basic physical processes involved in the wind/jet-driven explosions, and it is shown that the explosion properties are characterized by the energy injection rate     and the mass injection rate     . To explain observations of Supernova 1998bw associated with gamma-ray burst (GRB) 980425, the following conditions are required:     and     (if the wind Lorentz factor  Γ_w∼ 1  ) or     (if  Γ_w≫ 1  ). In Supernova 1998bw, ⁵⁶Ni  (∼0.4 M_⊙)  is probably produced in the shocked stellar mantle, not in the wind. The expected natures of SNe, e.g. ejected ⁵⁶Ni mass and ejecta mass, vary depending on     and     . The sequence of the SN properties from high     and     to low     and     is as follows: Supernova 1998bw-like – intermediate case – low mass ejecta  (≲1 M_⊙)  where ⁵⁶Ni is from the wind – whole collapse. This diversity may explain the diversity of SNe associated with GRBs. Our result can be used to constrain natures of the wind/jet, which are linked to the central engine of GRBs, by studying properties of the associated SNe.     

The X-ray transient 080109 in NGC 2770: an X-ray flash associated with a normal core-collapse supernova

Although it is generally thought that long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs) are associated with core-collapse supernovae (SNe), so far only four pairs of GRBs and SNe with firmly established connection have been found. All the four GRB-SNe belong to special class of Type Ic – called the broad-lined SNe indicative of a large explosion energy, suggesting that only a small fraction of SNe Ibc have GRBs associated with them. This scheme has been refreshed by the discovery of a bright X-ray transient in NGC 2770 on 2008 January 9, which was followed by a rather normal Type Ib SN 2008D. In this paper, I argue that the transient 080109 is an X-ray flash (XRF, the soft version of a GRB) because of the following evidence. (1) The transient cannot be interpreted as a SN shock breakout event. (2) The GRB X-ray flare interpretation is not supported by the high-energy observation. I then show that XRF 080109 satisfies the well-known relation between the isotropic-equivalent energy and the peak spectral energy for LGRBs, which highly strengthens the XRF interpretation. Finally, I point out that the peak spectral energy of XRF 080109 and the maximum bolometric luminosity of SN 2008D agree with the   E _γ,peak– L _SN,max  relationship of Li, strengthening the validity of the relationship. I speculate that events like XRF 080109 may occur at a rate comparable to SNe Ibc, and a soft X-ray telescope devoted to surveying for nearby X-ray flares will be very fruitful in discovering them.     

SN 1998A: explosion of a blue supergiant

We present spectroscopic and photometric observations of the peculiar Type II supernova (SN) 1998A. The light curves and spectra closely resemble those of SN 1987A, suggesting that the SN 1998A progenitor exploded when it was a compact blue supergiant. However, the comparison with SN 1987A also highlights some important differences: SN 1998A is more luminous and the spectra show bluer continua and larger expansion velocities at all epochs. These observational properties indicate that the explosion of SN 1998A is more energetic than SN 1987A and more typical of Type II supernovae. Comparing the observational data with simulations, we deduce that the progenitor of SN 1998A was a massive star  (∼25 M_⊙)  with a small pre-supernova radius  (≲6 × 10¹² cm)  . The Ba  ii lines, unusually strong in SN 1987A and some faint II-P events, are almost normal in the case of SN 1998A, indicating that the temperature plays a key role in determining their strength.     

The origin of the high-velocity circumstellar gas around SN 1998S

Modelling of high-resolution Balmer line profiles in the early-time spectra of SN 1998S shows that the inferred fast (≈400 km s⁻¹) circumstellar (CS) gas on days 23 and 42 post-explosion is confined to a narrow, negative velocity gradient shell just above the photosphere. This gas may be identified with a slow  (v<40 km s⁻¹)  progenitor wind accelerated at the ejecta–wind interface. In this scenario, the photosphere coincides with a cool dense shell formed in the reverse shock. Acceleration by radiation from the supernova or by a shock-accelerated relativistic particle precursor are both possible explanations for the observed fast CS gas. An alternative, equally plausible scenario is that the fast CS gas is accelerated within shocked clouds engulfed by the outer shock, as it propagates through the intercloud wind.     

Modelling the binary progenitor of Supernova 1993J

We have developed a detailed stellar evolution code capable of following the simultaneous evolution of both stars in a binary system, together with their orbital properties. To demonstrate the capabilities of the code, we investigate potential progenitors for the Type IIb Supernova 1993J, which is believed to have been an interacting binary system prior to its primary exploding. We use our detailed binary stellar evolution code to model this system to determine the possible range of primary and secondary masses that could have produced the observed characteristics of this system, with particular reference to the secondary. Using the luminosities and temperatures for both stars (as determined by Maund et al.) and the remaining mass of the hydrogen envelope of the primary at the time of explosion, we find that if mass transfer is 100 per cent efficient, the observations can be reproduced by a system consisting of a  15 M_⊙  primary and a  14 M_⊙  secondary in an orbit with an initial period of 2100 days. With a mass transfer efficiency of 50 per cent, a more massive system consisting of a  17 M_⊙  primary and a  16 M_⊙  secondary in an initial orbit of 2360 days is needed. We also investigate some of the uncertainties in the evolution, including the effects of tidal interaction, convective overshooting and thermohaline mixing.     

Estimation of 56Ni Needed in the Explosion Process of the Super Luminous Supernova ASASSN-15lh

ASASSN-15lh is a super luminous supernova, whose light curve is similar to that of the type Ia supernova (SN Ia). Since the luminosity of SN Ia is directly related to the decay of ⁵⁶Ni, in this paper, we consider the de-excitation energy of the new nuclei, and calculate the energy generated by the decay of ⁵⁶Ni in the explosive environment of ASASSN-15lh. The calculated mass of ⁵⁶Ni needed by the ASASSN-15lh explosion is 31.32 M_⊙. This result agrees with the estimation of the mass of ⁵⁶Ni ≥ 30 M_⊙ derived from the observed light curve of ASASSN-15lh. No agreement has reached for the explosion mechanism of supernova ASASSN-15lh so far. The calculation in this paper provides a reference for the further study on the progenitor and explosion mechanism of the supernova ASASSN-15lh.     

The X-ray spectrum and light curve of Supernova 1995N

We report on multi-epoch X-ray observations of the Type IIn (narrow emission line) Supernova (SN) 1995N with the ROSAT and ASCA satellites. The 1998 January ASCA X-ray spectrum is well fitted by a thermal bremsstrahlung         or power-law         model. The X-ray light curve shows evidence for significant flux evolution between 1996 August and 1998 January: the count rate from the source decreased by 30 per cent between our 1996 August and 1997 August ROSAT observations, and the X-ray luminosity most likely increased by a factor of ∼2 between our 1997 August ROSAT and 1998 January ASCA observations, although evolution of the spectral shape over this interval is not ruled out. The high X-ray luminosity,     places SN 1995N in a small group of Type IIn supernovae with strong circumstellar interaction, and the evolving X-ray luminosity suggests that the circumstellar medium is distributed inhomogeneously.     

Reflections on reflexions – II. Effects of light echoes on the luminosity and spectra of Type Ia supernovae

In this paper, we present and discuss the effects of scattered light echoes (LEs) on the luminosity and spectral appearance of Type Ia supernovae (SNe). After introducing the basic concept of LE spectral synthesis by means of LE models and real observations, we investigate the deviations from pure SN spectra, light and colour curves, the signatures that witness the presence of an LE and the possible inferences on the extinction law. The effects on the photometric parameters and spectral features are also discussed. In particular, for the case of circumstellar dust, LEs are found to introduce an apparent relation between the post-maximum decline rate and the absolute luminosity, which is most likely going to affect the well-known Pskowski–Phillips relation.