Brijesh Kumar

The Discovery and Nature of the Optical Transient CSS100217:102913+404220

We report on the discovery and observations of the extremely luminous optical transient CSS100217:102913+404220 (CSS100217 hereafter). Spectroscopic observations showed that this transient was coincident with a galaxy at redshift z = 0.147 and reached an apparent magnitude of V ~ 16.3. After correcting for foreground Galactic extinction we determine the absolute magnitude to be M_V = –22.7 approximately 45 days after maximum light. Over a period of 287 rest-frame days, this event had an integrated bolometric luminosity of 1.3 × 10^(52) erg based on time-averaged bolometric corrections of ~15 from V- and R-band observations. Analysis of the pre-outburst Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectrum of the source shows features consistent with a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy. High-resolution Hubble Space Telescope and Keck follow-up observations show that the event occurred within 150 pc of the nucleus of the galaxy, suggesting a possible link to the active nuclear region. However, the rapid outburst along with photometric and spectroscopic evolution are much more consistent with a luminous supernova. Line diagnostics suggest that the host galaxy is undergoing significant star formation. We use extensive follow-up of the event along with archival Catalina Sky Survey NEO search and SDSS data to investigate the three most likely sources of such an event: (1) an extremely luminous supernova, (2) the tidal disruption of a star by the massive nuclear black hole, and (3) variability of the central active galactic nucleus (AGN). We find that CSS100217 was likely an extremely luminous Type IIn supernova and occurred within the range of the narrow-line region of an AGN. We discuss how similar events may have been missed in past supernova surveys because of confusion with AGN activity.

SN 2008In-Bridging The Gap Between Normal And Faint Supernovae Of Type IIp

We present optical photometric and low-resolution spectroscopic observations of the Type II plateau supernova (SN) 2008in, which occurred in the outskirts of the nearly face-on spiral galaxy M61. Photometric data in the X-ray, ultraviolet, and near-infrared bands have been used to characterize this event. The SN field was imaged with the ROTSE-IIIb optical telescope about seven days before the explosion. This allowed us to constrain the epoch of the shock breakout to JD = 2454825.6. The duration of the plateau phase, as derived from the photometric monitoring, was ~98 days. The spectra of SN 2008in show a striking resemblance to those of the archetypal low-luminosity IIP SNe 1997D and 1999br. A comparison of ejecta kinematics of SN 2008in with the hydrodynamical simulations of Type IIP SNe by Dessart et al. indicates that it is a less energetic event (~5 × 10^(50) erg). However, the light curve indicates that the production of radioactive ^(56)Ni is significantly higher than that in the low-luminosity SNe. Adopting an interstellar absorption along the SN direction of AV ~ 0.3 mag and a distance of 13.2 Mpc, we estimated a synthesized ^(56)Ni mass of ~0.015 M_☉. Employing semi-analytical formulae derived by Litvinova and Nadezhin, we derived a pre-SN radius of ~126 R_☉, an explosion energy of ~5.4 × 10^(50) erg, and a total ejected mass of ~16.7 M_☉. The latter indicates that the zero-age main-sequence mass of the progenitor did not exceed 20 M_☉. Considering the above properties of SN 2008in and its occurrence in a region of sub-solar metallicity ([O/H] ~ 8.44 dex), it is unlikely that fall-back of the ejecta onto a newly formed black hole occurred in SN 2008in. We therefore favor a low-energy explosion scenario of a relatively compact, moderate-mass progenitor star that generates a neutron star.

Supernova 2012aw - a high-energy clone of archetypal type IIP SN 1999em

We present densely-sampled UBV RI/griz photometric and low-resolution (6-10u optical spectroscopic observations from 4 to 270 days after explosion of a newly discovered type II SN 2012aw in a nearby (�9.9 Mpc) galaxy M95. The light-curve characteristics of apparent magnitudes, colors, bolometric luminosity and the presence and evolution of prominent spectral features are found to have striking similarity with the archetypal IIP SNe 1999em, 1999gi and 2004et. The early time observations of SN 2012aw clearly detect minima in the light-curve of V , R and I bands near 37 days after explosion and this we suggest to be an observational evidence for emergence of recombination phase. The mid-plateau MV magnitude ( 16.67 ± 0.04) lies in between the bright (� 18) and subluminous (� 15) IIP SNe. The mass of nickel is 0.06±0.01 M⊙. The SYNOW modelling of spectra indicate that the value and evolution of photospheric velocity is similar to SN 2004et, but about �600 kms −1 higher than that of SNe 1999em and 1999gi at comparable epochs. This trend is more apparent in the line velocities of Hα and Hβ. A comparison of ejecta velocity properties with that of existing radiation-hydrodynamical simulations indicate that the energy of explosion lies in the range 1-2×10 51 ergs; a further comparison of nebular phase [Oi] doublet luminosity with SNe 2004et and 1987A indicate that the mass of progenitor star is about 14-15 M⊙. The presence of high-velocity absorption features in the mid-to-late plateau and possibly in early phase spectra show signs of interaction between ejecta and the circumstellar matter; being consistent with its early-time detection at X-ray and radio wavebands.

Distance Determination to Eight Galaxies Using Expanding Photosphere Method

Type IIP supernovae (SNe) are recognized as independent extragalactic distance indicators; however, keeping in mind the diverse nature of their observed properties as well as the availability of good quality data, more and newer events need to be tested for their applicability as reliable distance indicators. We use early photometric and spectroscopic data of eight Type IIP SNe to derive distances to their host galaxies by using the expanding photosphere method (EPM). For five of these, the EPM is applied for the first time. In this work, we improved EPM application by using SYNOW estimated velocities and by semi-deconvolving the broadband filter responses while deriving color temperatures and blackbody angular radii. We find that the derived EPM distances are consistent with that derived using other redshift-independent methods.

SN 2013ej - A type IIL supernova with weak signs of interaction

We present optical photometric and spectroscopic observations of supernova 2013ej. It is one of the brightest type II supernovae exploded in a nearby (

SN 2013ab : A normal type IIP supernova in NGC 5669

sim 10

Light curve and spectral evolution of the Type IIb supernova 2011fu

Mpc) galaxy NGC 628. The light curve characteristics are similar to type II SNe, but with a relatively shorter (

SN 2007uy metamorphosis of an aspheric Type Ib explosion

sim85

CCD photometric and mass function study of nine young Large Magellanic Cloud star clusters

day) and steeper (

A study of the long-term evolution of quasi-periodic oscillations in the accretion-powered X-ray pulsar 4U 1626-67

sim1.7