Joanna Elizabeth Thomas-Osip

Photometry and Spectroscopy of GRB 030329 and Its Associated Supernova 2003dh: The First Two Months

We present extensive optical and infrared photometry of the afterglow of gamma-ray burst (GRB) 030329 and its associated supernova (SN) 2003dh over the first two months after detection (2003 March 30-May 29 UT). Optical spectroscopy from a variety of telescopes is shown and, when combined with the photometry, allows an unambiguous separation between the afterglow and SN contributions. The optical afterglow of the GRB is initially a power-law continuum but shows significant color variations during the first week that are unrelated to the presence of an SN. The early afterglow light curve also shows deviations from the typical power-law decay. An SN spectrum is first detectable ~7 days after the burst and dominates the light after ~11 days. The spectral evolution and the light curve are shown to closely resemble those of SN 1998bw, a peculiar Type Ic SN associated with GRB 980425, and the time of the SN explosion is close to the observed time of the GRB. It is now clear that at least some GRBs arise from core-collapse SNe.

The normal Type Ia SN 2003hv out to very late phases

Aims. We study a thermonuclear supernova (SN), emphasizing very late phases. Methods. An extensive dataset for SN 2003hv that covers the flux evolution from maximum light to day +786 is presented. This includes 82 epochs of optical imaging, 24 epochs of near-infrared (NIR) imaging, and 10 epochs of optical spectroscopy. These data are combined with published nebular-phase IR spectra, and the observations are compared to model light curves and synthetic nebular spectra. Results. SN 2003hv is a normal Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) with photometric and spectroscopic properties consistent with its rarely observed B-band decline-rate parameter, Δm15(B) = 1.61 ± 0.02. The blueshift of the most isolated [Fe ii] lines in the nebular-phase optical spectrum appears consistent with those observed in the IR at similar epochs. At late times there is a prevalent color evolution from the optical toward the NIR bands. We present the latest-ever detection of a SN Ia in the NIR in Hubble Space Telescope images. The study of the ultraviolet/optical/infrared (UVOIR) light curve reveals that a substantial fraction of the flux is “missing” at late times. Between 300 and 700 days past maximum brightness, the UVOIR light curve declines linearly following the decay of radioactive 56 Co, assuming full and instantaneous positron trapping. At 700 days we detect a possible slowdown of the decline in optical-bands, mainly in the V-band. Conclusions. The data are incompatible with a dramatic infrared catastrophe (IRC). However, the idea that an IRC occurred in the densest regions before 350 days can explain the missing flux from the UVOIR wavelengths and the flat-topped profiles in the NIR. We argue that such a scenario is possible if the ejecta are clumpy. The observations suggest that positrons are most likely trapped in the ejecta.

SUPERNOVA 2003bg: THE FIRST TYPE IIb HYPERNOVA

Optical and near-infrared photometry and optical spectroscopy are reported for SN 2003bg, starting a few days after explosion and extending for a period of more than 300 days. Our early-time spectra reveal the presence of broad, high-velocity Balmer lines. The nebular-phase spectra, on the other hand, show a remarkable resemblance to those of Type Ib/c supernovae, without clear evidence for hydrogen. Near maximum brightness SN 2003bg displayed a bolometric luminosity comparable to that of other Type I hypernovae unrelated to gamma-ray bursts, implying a rather normal amount of 56Ni production (0.1-0.2 M ☉) compared with other such objects. The bolometric light curve of SN 2003bg, on the other hand, is remarkably broad, thus suggesting a relatively large progenitor mass at the moment of explosion. These observations, together with the large value of the kinetic energy of expansion established in the accompanying paper, suggest that SN 2003bg can be regarded as a Type IIb hypernova.

THE FAST DECLINING TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA 2003gs, AND EVIDENCE FOR A SIGNIFICANT DISPERSION IN NEAR-INFRARED ABSOLUTE MAGNITUDES OF FAST DECLINERS AT MAXIMUM LIGHT*

We obtained optical photometry of SN 2003gs on 49 nights, from 2 to 494 days after T(B_(max)). We also obtained near-IR photometry on 21 nights. SN 2003gs was the first fast declining Type Ia SN that has been well observed since SN 1999by. While it was subluminous in optical bands compared to more slowly declining Type Ia SNe, it was not subluminous at maximum light in the near-IR bands. There appears to be a bimodal distribution in the near-IR absolute magnitudes of Type Ia SNe at maximum light. Those that peak in the near-IR after T(B_(max)) are subluminous in the all bands. Those that peak in the near-IR prior to T(B_(max)), such as SN 2003gs, have effectively the same near-IR absolute magnitudes at maximum light regardless of the decline rate Δm_(15)(B). Near-IR spectral evidence suggests that opacities in the outer layers of SN 2003gs are reduced much earlier than for normal Type Ia SNe. That may allow γ rays that power the luminosity to escape more rapidly and accelerate the decline rate. This conclusion is consistent with the photometric behavior of SN 2003gs in the IR, which indicates a faster than normal decline from approximately normal peak brightness.

Do the photometric colors of Type II-P Supernovae allow accurate determination of host galaxy extinction?

We present infrared photometry of supernova (SN) 1999em, plus optical photometry, infrared photometry, and optical spectroscopy of SN 2003hn. Both objects were Type II-P SNe. The V – [RIJHK] color curves of these SNe evolved in a very similar fashion until the end of the plateau phase. This allows us to determine how much more extinction the light of SN 2003hn suffered compared to SN 1999em. Since we have an estimate of the total extinction suffered by SN 1999em from model fits of ground-based and space-based spectra as well as photometry of SN 1999em, we can estimate the total extinction and absolute magnitudes of SN 2003hn with reasonable accuracy. Since the host galaxy of SN 2003hn also produced the Type Ia SN 2001el, we can directly compare the absolute magnitudes of these two SNe of different types.

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.

Hayabusa-2 mission target asteroid 162173 Ryugu (1999 JU3): Searching for the object's spin-axis orientation

The JAXA Hayabusa2 mission was approved in 2011 with launch planned for late 2014. Arriving at the asteroid (162173) 1999 JU_3 in 2018, it will survey it, land, and obtain surface material, then depart in late 2019, and return to the Earth in December 2020. We observed the near-Earth asteroid 1999 JU_3 with the Herschel Space Observatory in April 2012 at thermal far-infrared wavelengths, supported by several ground-based observations to obtain optical lightcurves. We re-analyzed previously published Subaru-COMICS observations and merged them with existing data sets from Akari-IRC and Spitzer-IRS. In addition, we used the objects near-IR flux increase from February to May 2013 as observed by Spitzer. The almost spherical shape and the insufficient quality of lightcurve observations forced us to combine radiometric techniques and lightcurve inversion in a new way to find the objects spin-axis orientation, its shape, and to improve the quality of the key physical and thermal parameters of 1999 JU_3. We will present our best pre-launch solution for this C-class asteroid, including the sense of rotation, the spin-axis orientation, the effective diameter, the geometric albedo, and thermal inertia. The finely constrained values for this asteroid serve as an important input for the preparation of this exciting mission.

UBVRIz LIGHT CURVES OF 51 TYPE II SUPERNOVAE

Author(s): Galbany, L; Hamuy, M; Phillips, MM; Suntzeff, NB; Maza, J; Jaeger, TD; Moraga, T; Gonzalez-Gaitan, S; Krisciunas, K; Morrell, NI; Thomas-Osip, J; Krzeminski, W; Gonzalez, L; Antezana, R; Wishnjewski, M; McCarthy, P; Anderson, JP; Gutierrez, CP; Stritzinger, M; Folatelli, G; Anguita, C; Galaz, G; Green, EM; Impey, C; Kim, YC; Kirhakos, S; Malkan, MA; Mulchaey, JS; Phillips, AC; Pizzella, A; Prosser, CF; Schmidt, BP; Schommer, RA; Sherry, W; Strolger, LG; Wells, LA; Williger, GM | Abstract:

Calibration of the Relationship Between Precipitable Water Vapor and 225 GHz Atmospheric Opacity via Optical Echelle Spectroscopy at Las Campanas Observatory

ABSTRACT We report precipitable water vapor (PWV) measurements made at Las Campanas Observatory using optical spectra of H2O lines obtained with the Magellan echelle spectrograph, and calculated using a robust technique that is accurate to 5%–10%. Calibration of the relationship between our PWV measurements and opacity values at 225 GHz was made possible by simultaneous observations with a tipping radiometer. Based on this calibration, we present Las Campanas Observatory wintertime precipitable water vapor statistics, measured using the tipping radiometer, during a 1.5 month campaign. The median value of 2.8 ± 0.3 mm is consistent with that measured at the nearby La Silla Observatory during the VLT site survey. We conclude that in the Southern hemisphere winter months, we can expect good conditions for infrared observing (≲1.5 mm) approximately 10% of the time at Las Campanas Observatory.