SN 2015bn: A Detailed Multi-wavelength View of a Nearby Superluminous Supernova
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Author
Smartt, S. J.
Margutti, R.
Chen, T.-W.
Inserra, C.
Arcavi, I.
Cartier, R.
Chambers, K. C.
Childress, M. J.
Chornock, R.
Drout, M.
Flewelling, H. A.
Fraser, M.
Gal-Yam, A.
Galbany, L.
Harmanen, J.
Holoien, T. W.-S.
Hosseinzadeh, G.
Howell, D. A.
Huber, M. E.
Jerkstrand, A.
Kankare, E.
Kochanek, C. S.
Lin, Z.-Y.
Lunnan, R.
Magnier, E. A.
Maguire, K.
McCully, C.
McDonald, M.
Metzger, B. D.
Milisavljevic, D.
Mitra, A.
Reynolds, T.
Saario, J.
Shappee, B. J.
Smith, K. W.
Valenti, S.
Villar, V. A.
Waters, C.
Young, D. R.
Note: Order does not necessarily reflect citation order of authors.
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https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637x/826/1/39Metadata
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Nicholl, M., E. Berger, S. J. Smartt, R. Margutti, A. Kamble, K. D. Alexander, T.-W. Chen, et al. 2016. “SN 2015bn: A Detailed Multi-wavelength View of a Nearby Superluminous Supernova.” The Astrophysical Journal 826 (1) (July 18): 39. doi:10.3847/0004-637x/826/1/39.Abstract
We present observations of SN 2015bn (=PS15ae = CSS141223-113342+004332 = MLS150211-113342+004333), a Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN) at redshift z = 0.1136. As well as being one of the closest SLSNe I yet discovered, it is intrinsically brighter (${M}_{U}\approx -23.1$) and in a fainter galaxy (${M}_{B}\approx -16.0$) than other SLSNe at $z\sim 0.1$. We used this opportunity to collect the most extensive data set for any SLSN I to date, including densely sampled spectroscopy and photometry, from the UV to the NIR, spanning −50 to +250 days from optical maximum. SN 2015bn fades slowly, but exhibits surprising undulations in the light curve on a timescale of 30–50 days, especially in the UV. The spectrum shows extraordinarily slow evolution except for a rapid transformation between +7 and +20–30 days. No narrow emission lines from slow-moving material are observed at any phase. We derive physical properties including the bolometric luminosity, and find slow velocity evolution and non-monotonic temperature and radial evolution. A deep radio limit rules out a healthy off-axis gamma-ray burst, and places constraints on the pre-explosion mass loss. The data can be consistently explained by a $\gtrsim 10$ M ${}_{\odot }$ stripped progenitor exploding with $\sim {10}^{51}$ erg kinetic energy, forming a magnetar with a spin-down timescale of ~20 days (thus avoiding a gamma-ray burst) that reheats the ejecta and drives ionization fronts. The most likely alternative scenario—interaction with ~20 M ${}_{\odot }$ of dense, inhomogeneous circumstellar material—can be tested with continuing radio follow-up.Other Sources
https://arxiv.org/pdf/1603.04748.pdfTerms of Use
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