C. P. Gutiérrez

A statistical analysis of circumstellar material in type Ia supernovae

A key tracer of the elusive progenitor systems of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) is the detection of narrow blueshifted time-varying Na I D absorption lines, interpreted as evidence of circumstellar material surrounding the progenitor system. The origin of this material is controversial, but the simplest explanation is that it results from previous mass-loss in a system containing a white dwarf and a non-degenerate companion star. We present new single-epoch intermediate-resolution spectra of 17 low-redshift SNe Ia taken with XShooter on the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope. Combining this sample with events from the literature, we confirm an excess (similar to 20 per cent) of SNe Ia displaying blueshifted narrow Na I D absorption features compared to redshifted Na I D features. The host galaxies of SNe Ia displaying blueshifted absorption profiles are skewed towards later-type galaxies, compared to SNe Ia that show no Na I D absorption and SNe Ia displaying blueshifted narrow Na I D absorption features have broader light curves. The strength of the Na I D absorption is stronger in SNe Ia displaying blueshifted Na I D absorption features than those without blueshifted features, and the strength of the blueshifted Na I D is correlated with the B - V colour of the SN at maximum light. This strongly suggests the absorbing material is local to the SN. In the context of the progenitor systems of SNe Ia, we discuss the significance of these findings and other recent observational evidence on the nature of SN Ia progenitors. We present a summary that suggests that there are at least two distinct populations of normal, cosmologically useful SNe Ia.

On the nature of hydrogen-rich superluminous supernovae

We present two hydrogen-rich superluminous supernovae (SLSNe): SN2103hx and PS15br. These objects, together with SN2008es, are the only SLSNe showing a distinct, broad H α feature during the photospheric phase; also, they show no sign of strong interaction between fast moving ejecta and circumstellar shells in their early spectra. Despite the fact that the peak luminosity of PS15br is fainter than that of the other two objects, the spectrophotometric evolution is similar to SN2103hx and different from any other supernova in a similar luminosity space. We group all of them as SLSNe II and hence they are distinct from the known class of SLSN IIn. Both transients show a strong, multicomponent H α emission after 200 d past maximum, which we interpret as an indication of the interaction of the ejecta with an asymmetric, clumpy circumstellar material. The spectra and photometric evolution of the two objects are similar to Type II supernovae, although they have much higher luminosity and evolve on slower time-scales. This is qualitatively similar to how SLSNe I compare with normal type Ic, in that the former are brighter and evolve more slowly. We apply a magnetar and an interaction semi-analytical code to fit the light curves of our two objects and SN2008es. The overall observational data set would tend to favour the magnetar, or central engine, model as the source of the peak luminosity, although the clear signature of late-time interaction indicates that interaction can play a role in the luminosity evolution of SLSNe II at some phases.

SN 2011hs: A fast and faint type IIb supernova from a supergiant progenitor

Observations spanning a large wavelength range, from X-ray to radio, of the Type IIb supernova (SN) 2011hs are presented, covering its evolution during the first year after explosion. The optical light curve presents a narrower shape and a fainter luminosity at peak than previously observed for Type IIb SNe. High expansion velocities are measured from the broad absorption H I and He I lines. From the comparison of the bolometric light curve and the time evolution of the photospheric velocities with hydrodynamical models, we found that SN 2011hs is consistent with the explosion of a 3–4 M⊙ He-core progenitor star, corresponding to a main-sequence mass of 12–15 M⊙, that ejected a mass of 56Ni of about 0.04 M⊙, with an energy of E = 8.5 × 1050 ERG. Such a low-mass progenitor scenario is in full agreement with the modelling of the nebular spectrum taken at ∼215 d from maximum. From the modelling of the adiabatic cooling phase, we infer a progenitor radius of ≈500–600 R⊙, clearly pointing to an extended progenitor star. The radio light curve of SN 2011hs yields a peak luminosity similar to that of SN 1993J, but with a higher mass-loss rate and a wind density possibly more similar to that of SN 2001ig. Although no significant deviations from a smooth decline have been found in the radio light curves, we cannot rule out the presence of a binary companion star.

Analysis of blueshifted emission peaks in Type II supernovae

In classical P-Cygni profiles, theory predicts emission to p eak at zero rest velocity. However, supernova spectra exhibit emission that is generally blue shifted. While this characteristic has been reported in many supernovae, it is rarely discussed in any detail. Here we present an analysis of Hα emission-peaks using a dataset of 95 type II supernovae, quantifying their strength and time evolution. Using a post-explosion time of 30 d, we observe a systematic blueshift of Hα emission, with a mean value of ‐2000 km s 1 . This offset is greatest at early times but vanishes as supernovae become nebular. Simulations of Dessart et al. (2013) match the observed behaviour, reproducing both its strength and evolution in time. Such blueshifts are a fundamental feature of supernova spectra as they are intimately tied to the density distribution of ejecta, which falls more rapidly than in stellar wi nds. This steeper density structure causes line emission/absorption to be much more confined; it also exacerbates the occultation of the receding part of the ejecta, biasing line emission to t he blue for a distant observer. We conclude that blue-shifted emission-peak offsets of sever al thousand km s 1 are a generic property of observations, confirmed by models, of photosphe ric-phase type II supernovae.

Hα SPECTRAL DIVERSITY OF TYPE II SUPERNOVAE: CORRELATIONS WITH PHOTOMETRIC PROPERTIES*

We present a spectroscopic analysis of the H{sub α} profiles of hydrogen-rich Type II supernovae. A total of 52 Type II supernovae having well-sampled optical light curves and spectral sequences were analyzed. Concentrating on the H{sub α} P-Cygni profile we measure its velocity from the FWHM of the emission and the ratio of absorption to emission (a/e) at a common epoch at the start of the recombination phase, and search for correlations between these spectral parameters and photometric properties of the V-band light curves. Testing the strength of various correlations we find that a/e appears to be the dominant spectral parameter in terms of describing the diversity in our measured supernova properties. It is found that supernovae with smaller a/e have higher H{sub α} velocities, more rapidly declining light curves from maximum during the plateau and radioactive tail phase, are brighter at maximum light, and have shorter optically thick phase durations. We discuss possible explanations of these results in terms of physical properties of Type II supernovae, speculating that the most likely parameters that influence the morphologies of H{sub α} profiles are the mass and density profile of the hydrogen envelope, together with additional emission components due to circumstellar interaction.

Nebular phase observations of the Type-Ib supernova iPTF13bvn favour a binary progenitor

Aims. We present and analyse late-time observations of the type-Ib supernova with possible pre-supernova progenitor detection, iPTF13bvn, taken at

Type II Plateau supernovae as metallicity probes of the Universe

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UBVRIz LIGHT CURVES OF 51 TYPE II SUPERNOVAE

300 days after the explosion, and discuss these in the context of constraints on the supernovas progenitor. Previous studies have proposed two possible natures for the progenitor of the supernova, i.e. a massive Wolf-Rayet star or a lower-mass star in close binary system. Methods. Our observations show that the supernova has entered the nebular phase, with the spectrum dominated by Mg~I]

A Hubble diagram from Type II Supernovae based solely on photometry: the Photometric-Colour Method

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EVIDENCE FOR ASYMMETRIC DISTRIBUTION OF CIRCUMSTELLAR MATERIAL AROUND TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE

4571, [O~I]