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.     

Abundance stratification in Type Ia supernovae – II. The rapidly declining, spectroscopically normal SN 2004eo

The variation in properties of Type Ia supernovae, the thermonuclear explosions of Chandrasekhar-mass carbon–oxygen white dwarfs, is caused by different nucleosynthetic outcomes of these explosions, which can be traced from the distribution of abundances in the ejecta. The composition stratification of the spectroscopically normal but rapidly declining SN 2004eo is studied by performing spectrum synthesis of a time-series of spectra obtained before and after maximum, and of one nebular spectrum obtained about eight months later. Early-time spectra indicate that the outer ejecta are dominated by oxygen and silicon, and contain other intermediate-mass elements, implying that the outer part of the star was subject only to partial burning. In the inner part, nuclear statistical equilibrium (NSE) material dominates, but the production of ⁵⁶Ni was limited to  ∼0.43 ± 0.05   M_⊙  . An innermost zone containing  ∼0.25   M_⊙  of stable Fe-group material is also present. The relatively small amount of NSE material synthesized by SN 2004eo explains both the dimness and the rapidly evolving light curve of this supernova.     

Optical and infrared observations of SN 2002dj: some possible common properties of fast-expanding Type Ia supernovae

As part of the European Supernova Collaboration, we obtained extensive photometry and spectroscopy of the Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) SN 2002dj covering epochs from 11 d before to nearly two years after maximum. Detailed optical and near-infrared observations show that this object belongs to the class of the high-velocity gradient events as indicated by Si, S and Ca lines. The light curve shape and velocity evolution of SN 2002dj appear to be nearly identical to SN 2002bo. The only significant difference is observed in the optical to near-infrared colours and a reduced spectral emission beyond 6500 Å. For high-velocity gradient SNe Ia, we tentatively identify a faster rise to maximum, a more pronounced inflection in the V and R light curves after maximum and a brighter, slower declining late-time B light curve as common photometric properties of this class of objects. They also seem to be characterized by a different colour and colour evolution with respect to 'normal' SNe Ia. The usual light curve shape parameters do not distinguish these events. Stronger, more blueshifted absorption features of intermediate-mass elements and lower temperatures are the most prominent spectroscopic features of SNe Ia displaying high-velocity gradients. It appears that these events burn more intermediate-mass elements in the outer layers. Possible connections to the metallicity of the progenitor star are explored.     

The C flash and the ignition conditions of Type Ia supernovae

Thanks to a stellar evolution code that is able to compute through the C flash we link the binary population synthesis of single degenerate progenitors of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) to their physical condition at the time of ignition. We show that there is a large range of possible ignition densities and we detail how their probability distribution depends on the accretion properties. The low-density peak of this distribution qualitatively reminds of the clustering of the luminosities of Branch-normal SNe Ia. We tighten the possible range of initial physical conditions for explosion models: they form a one-parameter family, independent of the metallicity. We discuss how these results may be modified if we were to relax our hypothesis of a permanent Hachisu wind or if we were to include electron captures.     

Time-dependent three-dimensional spectrum synthesis for Type Ia supernovae

A Monte Carlo code ( artis ) for modelling time-dependent three-dimensional spectral synthesis in chemically inhomogeneous models of Type Ia supernova ejecta is presented. Following the propagation of γ-ray photons, emitted by the radioactive decay of the nucleosynthesis products, energy is deposited in the supernova ejecta and the radiative transfer problem is solved self-consistently, enforcing the constraint of energy conservation in the comoving frame. Assuming a photoionization-dominated plasma, the equations of ionization equilibrium are solved together with the thermal balance equation adopting an approximate treatment of excitation. Since we implement a fully general treatment of line formation, there are no free parameters to adjust. Thus, a direct comparison between synthetic spectra and light curves, calculated from hydrodynamic explosion models, and observations is feasible. The code is applied to the well-known W7 explosion model and the results tested against other studies. Finally, the effect of asymmetric ejecta on broad-band light curves and spectra is illustrated using an elliptical toy model.     

Multidimensional simulations of radiative transfer in Type Ia supernovae

A three-dimensional Monte Carlo code for modelling radiation transport in Type Ia supernovae is described. In addition to tracking Monte Carlo quanta to follow the emission, scattering and deposition of radiative energy, a scheme involving volume-based Monte Carlo estimators is used to allow properties of the emergent radiation field to be extracted for specific viewing angles in a multidimensional structure. This eliminates the need to compute spectra or light curves by angular binning of emergent quanta. The code is applied to two test problems to illustrate consequences of multidimensional structure on the modelling of light curves. First, elliptical models are used to quantify how large-scale asphericity can introduce angular dependence to light curves. Secondly, a model which incorporates complex structural inhomogeneity, as predicted by modern explosion models, is used to investigate how such structure may affect light-curve properties.     

Type Ia supernovae and remnant neutron stars

On the basis of the current observational evidence, we put forward the case that the merger of two CO white dwarfs produces both a Type Ia supernova explosion and a stellar remnant, the latter in the form of a magnetar. The estimated occurrence rates raise the possibility that many, if not most, Type Ia supernovae might result from white dwarf mergers.     

Anomalous extinction behaviour towards the Type Ia SN 2003cg

We present optical and near-infrared photometry and spectroscopy of the Type Ia SN 2003cg, which exploded in the nearby galaxy NGC 3169. The observations cover a period between −8.5 and +414 d post-maximum. SN 2003cg is a normal but highly reddened Type Ia event. Its B magnitude at maximum   B _max= 15.94 ± 0.04  and  Δ m ₁₅( B )_obs= 1.12 ± 0.04 [Δ m ₁₅( B )_intrinsic= 1.25 ± 0.05]  . Allowing   R_V   to become a free parameter within the Cardelli et al. extinction law, simultaneous matches to a range of colour curves of normal SNe Ia yielded   E ( B − V ) = 1.33 ± 0.11  , and   R_V = 1.80 ± 0.19  . While the value obtained for   R_V   is small, such values have been invoked in the past, and may imply a grain size which is small compared with the average value for the local interstellar medium.     

A search for the progenitors of two Type Ia Supernovae in NGC 1316

Recent evidence of a young progenitor population for many Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) raises the possibility that evolved intermediate-mass progenitor stars may be detected in pre-explosion images. NGC 1316, a radio galaxy in the Fornax cluster, is a prolific producer of SNe Ia, with four detected since 1980. We analyse Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) pre-explosion images of the sites of two of the SNe Ia that exploded in this galaxy, SN2006dd (a normal Type Ia) and SN2006mr (likely a subluminous, 1991bg-like, SN Ia). Astrometric positions are obtained from optical and near-infrared ground-based images of the events. We find no candidate point sources at either location, and set upper limits on the flux in B, V and I from any such progenitors. We also estimate the amount of extinction that could be present, based on analysis of the surface-brightness inhomogeneities in the HST images themselves. At the distance of NGC 1316, the limits correspond to absolute magnitudes of  ∼−5.5, −5.4  and −6.0 mag in   M _B , M _V   and   M _I   , respectively. Comparison to stellar evolution models argues against the presence at the supernova sites, 3 yr prior to the explosion, of normal stars with initial masses  ≳6 M_⊙  at the tip of their asymptotic-giant branch (AGB) evolution, young post-AGB stars that had initial masses  ≳4 M_⊙  and post-red giant stars of initial masses  ≳9 M_⊙  .