Superluminous supernovae radiate up to 100 times more energy than normal supernovae. The origin of this energy and the nature of their stellar progenitors are poorly understood. We identify neutral iron lines in the spectrum of one such transient, SN 2006gy, and show that they require a large mass of iron (>~0.3 Msun) expanding at 1500 km/s. We demonstrate that a model of a standard Type Ia supernova hitting a shell of circumstellar material produces a light curve and late-time iron-dominated spectrum that match SN 2006gy. In such a scenario, common envelope evolution of the progenitor system can synchronize envelope ejection and supernova explosion and may explain these bright transients.
Superluminous supernovae are a new class of supernovae that were recognized about a decade ago. Both observational and theoretical progress has been significant in the last decade. In this review, we first briefly summarize the observational properties of superluminous supernovae. We then introduce the three major suggested luminosity sources to explain the huge luminosities of superluminous supernovae, i.e., the nuclear decay of 56Ni, the interaction between supernova ejecta and dense circumstellar media, and the spin down of magnetars. We compare these models and discuss their strengths and …
We present the Dark Energy Survey (DES) discovery of DES15E2mlf, the most distant superluminous supernova (SLSN) spectroscopically confirmed to date. The light curves and Gemini spectroscopy of DES15E2mlf indicate that it is a Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN-I) at z = 1.861 (a lookback time of ~10 Gyr) and peaking at M_AB = -22.3 +/- 0.1 mag. Given the high redshift, our data probe the rest-frame ultraviolet (1400-3500 A) properties of the SN, finding velocity of the C III feature changes by ~5600 km/s over 14 days around maximum light. We find the host galaxy of DES15E2mlf has a stellar …
We propose that nebular H-alpha emission as detected in the Type Ic superluminous supernova iPTF13ehe stems from matter which is stripped from a companion star when the supernova ejecta collide with it. The temporal evolution, the line broadening, and the overall blueshift of the emission are consistent with this interpretation. We scale the nebular H-alpha luminosity predicted for Type Ia supernovae in single-degenerate systems to derive the stripped mass required to explain the H-alpha luminosity of iPTF13ehe. We find a stripped mass of 0.1 - 0.9 solar masses, assuming that the supernova lum…
A model of a supernova explosion inside a dense extended hydrogenless envelope is proposed to explain the properties of the light curve for one of the superluminous supernovae PTF12dam. It is argued in the literature that the flux of this supernova rises too fast to be explained by the explosion model due to the instability associated with the electron-positron pair production (pair-instability supernova, PISNe), but it is well described by the models with energy input by a magnetar. We show that the PTF12dam-type supernovae can be explained without a magnetar in a model with a radiative shock…
Superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) are found predominantly in dwarf galaxies, indicating that their progenitors have a low metallicity. However, the most nearby SLSN to date, SN 2017egm, occurred in the spiral galaxy NGC 3191, which has a relatively high stellar mass and correspondingly high metallicity. In this paper, we present detailed analysis of the nearby environment of SN 2017egm using MaNGA IFU data, which provides spectral data on kiloparsec scales. From the velocity map we find no evidence that SN 2017egm occurred within some intervening satellite galaxy, and at the SN position most me…
We model the late evolution and mass loss history of rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet stars in the mass range $5\,\rm{M}_{\odot}\dots 100\,\rm{M}_{\odot}$. We find that quasi-chemically homogeneously evolving single stars computed with enhanced mixing retain very little or no helium and are compatible with Type\,Ic supernovae. The more efficient removal of core angular momentum and the expected smaller compact object mass in our lower mass models lead to core spins in the range suggested for magnetar driven superluminous supernovae. Our more massive models retain larger specific core angular moment…
We report the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the metal rich host galaxy of superluminous supernova (SLSN) PTF10tpz, a barred spiral galaxy at z=0.03994. We find the CO(1-0) emission to be confined within the bar of the galaxy. The distribution and kinematics of molecular gas in the host galaxy resemble gas flows along two lanes running from the tips of the bar towards the galaxy center. These gas lanes end in a gaseous structure in the inner region of the galaxy, likely associated with an inner Lindblad resonance. The interaction between the large-scale gas…
We present imaging polarimetry of the superluminous supernova SN 2015bn, obtained over nine epochs between $-$20 and $+$46 days with the Nordic Optical Telescope. This was a nearby, slowly-evolving Type I superluminous supernova that has been studied extensively and for which two epochs of spectropolarimetry are also available. Based on field stars, we determine the interstellar polarisation in the Galaxy to be negligible. The polarisation of SN 2015bn shows a statistically significant increase during the last epochs, confirming previous findings. Our well-sampled imaging polarimetry series al…
Previous studies have shown that the radiation emitted by a rapidly rotating magnetar embedded in a young supernova can greatly amplify its luminosity. These one-dimensional studies have also revealed the existence of an instability arising from the piling up of radiatively accelerated matter in a thin dense shell deep inside the supernova. Here we examine the problem in two dimensions and find that, while instabilities cause mixing and fracture this shell into filamentary structures that reduce the density contrast, the concentration of matter in a hollow shell persists. The extent of the mix…
The discovery of double-peaked light curves in some superluminous supernovae offers an important new clue to their origins. We examine the published photometry of all Type Ic SLSNe, finding 14 objects with constraining data or limits around the time of explosion. Of these, 8 (including the already identified SN 2006oz and LSQ14bdq) show plausible flux excess at the earliest epochs, which deviate significantly (2-9$σ$) from polynomial fits to the rising light curves. Simple scaling of the LSQ14bdq data show that they are all consistent with a similar double-peaked structure. PS1-10pm provides m…
We present the first spectropolarimetric observations of a hydrogen-free superluminous supernova at z=0.1136, namely SN 2015bn. The transient shows significant polarization at both the observed epochs: one 24 days before maximum light in the rest-frame, and the subsequent at 27 days after peak luminosity. Analysis of the Q-U plane suggests the presence of a dominant axis and no physical departure from the main axis at either epoch. The polarization spectrum along the dominant axis is characterized by a strong wavelength dependence and an increase in the signal from the first to the second epoc…
We present a detailed spectroscopic analysis of the recently discovered fast evolving Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN-I), SN 2019neq (at redshift z = 0.1059) comparing it to the well-studied slow evolving SLSN-I, SN 2010kd (z = 0.101). Our investigation concentrates on optical spectra taken during the photospheric phase. The observations of SN 2019neq were carried out with the 10m Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) Low Resolution Spectrograph-2 (LRS2) at McDonald Observatory. We apply the SYN++ code to model the spectra taken at -4 days, +5 days and +29 days from maximum light. We examine the c…
Significant undulations appear in the light curve of a recently discovered super-luminous supernova (SLSN) SN 2015bn after the first peak, while the underlying profile of the light curve can be well explained by a continuous energy supply from a central engine, possibly the spin-down of a millisecond magnetar. We propose that these undulations are caused by an intermittent pulsed energy supply, indicating an energetic flare activity of the central engine of the SLSN. Many post-burst flares were discovered during X-ray afterglow observations of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). We find that the SLSN fla…
Observations from the last decade have indicated the existence of a general class of superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), in which the peak luminosity exceeds 10^{44} erg/s. Here we focus on a subclass of these events, where the light curve is also tens of days wide, so the total radiated energy is order 10^{51} erg. If the origin of these SLSNe is a core-collapse-driven explosion of a massive star, then the mechanism which converts the explosion energy into radiation must be very efficient (much more than in typical core collapse SNe, where this efficiency is of order one percent). We examine th…
An increasing number of so-called superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) are discovered. It is believed that at least some of them with slowly fading light curves originate in stellar explosions induced by the pair instability mechanism. Recent stellar evolution models naturally predict pair instability supernovae (PISNe) from very massive stars at wide range of metallicities (up to Z=0.006, Yusof et al. 2013). In the scope of this study we analyse whether PISN models can match the observational properties of SLSNe with various light curve shapes. Specifically, we explore the influence of different …
Superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) have been suggested to be powered by strongly magnetized, rapidly rotating neutron stars which are often called magnetars. In this process, rotational energy of the magnetar is radiated via magnetic dipole radiation and heats the supernova ejecta. However, if magnetars are highly distorted in their geometric shape, rotational energy is mainly lost as gravitational wave radiation and thus such magnetars cannot power SLSNe. By simply comparing electromagnetic and gravitational wave emission timescales, we constrain upper limits to the ellipticity of magnetars by …
The recent discovery of the unprecedentedly superluminous transient ASASSN-15lh (or SN 2015L) with its UV-bright secondary peak challenges all the power-input models that have been proposed for superluminous supernovae. Here we examine some of the few viable interpretations of ASASSN-15lh in the context of a stellar explosion, involving combinations of one or more power inputs. We model the lightcurve of ASASSN-15lh with a hybrid model that includes contributions from magnetar spin-down energy and hydrogen-poor circumstellar interaction. We also investigate models of pure circumstellar interac…
Evidence suggests that the direct progenitor stars of some core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) are luminous blue variables (LBVs), perhaps including some `superluminous supernovae' (SLSNe). We examine models in which massive stars gain mass soon after the end of core hydrogen burning. These are mainly intended to represent mergers following a brief contact phase during early Case B mass transfer, but may also represent stars which gain mass in the Hertzsprung Gap or extremely late during the main-sequence phase for other reasons. The post-accretion stars spend their core helium-burning phase as b…
We analyze the properties of 42 rapidly rotating, low metallicity, quasi-chemically homogeneously evolving stellar models in the mass range between 4 and 45 $\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ at the time of core collapse. Such models were proposed as progenitors for both superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) and long duration gamma-ray bursts (lGRBs), and the Type Ic-BL supernovae (SNe) that are associated with them. Our findings suggest that whether these models produce a magnetar driven SLSN explosion or a near-critically rotating black hole (BH) is not a monotonic function of the initial mass. Rather, their e…
The observed sub-class of "superluminous" Type Ia supernovae lacks a convincing theoretical explanation. If the emission of such objects were powered exclusively by radioactive decay of 56Ni formed in the explosion, a progenitor mass close to or even above the Chandrasekhar limit for a non-rotating white dwarf star would be required. Masses significantly exceeding this limit can be supported by differential rotation. We, therefore, explore explosions and predict observables for various scenarios resulting from differentially rotating carbon-oxygen white dwarfs close to their respective limit o…
We present nebular-phase imaging and spectroscopy for the hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova SN 2015bn, at redshift z=0.1136, spanning +250-400 d after maximum light. The light curve exhibits a steepening in the decline rate from 1.4 mag/(100 d) to 1.7 mag/(100 d), suggestive of a significant decrease in the opacity. This change is accompanied by a transition from a blue continuum superposed with photospheric absorption lines to a nebular spectrum dominated by emission lines of oxygen, calcium and magnesium. There are no obvious signatures of circumstellar interaction or large nickel mass. …
We present the first polarimetric observations of a Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN). LSQ14mo was observed with VLT/FORS2 at five different epochs in the V band, with the observations starting before maximum light and spanning 26 days in the rest frame (z=0.256). During this period, we do not detect any statistically significant evolution (< 2$σ$) in the Stokes parameters. The average values we obtain, corrected for interstellar polarisation in the Galaxy, are Q = -0.01% ($\pm$ 0.15%) and U = - 0.50% ($\pm$ 0.14%). This low polarisation can be entirely due to interstellar polarisation in …
Fast-rotating pulsars and magnetars have been suggested as the central engines of super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe) and fast radio bursts, and this scenario naturally predicts non-thermal synchrotron emission from their nascent pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). We report results of high-frequency radio observations with ALMA and NOEMA for three SLSNe (SN 2015bn, SN 2016ard, and SN 2017egm), and present a detailed theoretical model to calculate non-thermal emission from PWNe with an age of about 1-3 yr. We find that the ALMA data disfavors a PWN model motivated by the Crab nebula for SN 2015bn and SN…
We present our spectropolarimetric observations of SN 2017egm, a Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN-I) in a nearby galaxy NGC 3191, with Subaru telescope at 185.0 days after the g-band maximum light. This is the first spectropolarimetric observation for SLSNe at late phases. We find that the degree of the polarization in the late phase significantly changes from that measured at the earlier phase. The spectrum at the late phase shows a strong Ca emission line and therefore we reliably estimate the interstellar polarization component assuming that the emission line is intrinsically unpolarize…
iPTF13ehe is a hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova (SLSN) at z=0.3434, with a slow-evolving light curve and spectral features similar to SN2007bi. It rises within (83-148)days (rest-frame) to reach a peak bolometric luminosity of 1.3x$10^{44}$erg/s, then decays very slowly at 0.015mag. per day. The measured ejecta velocity is 13000km/s. The inferred explosion characteristics, such as the ejecta mass (67-220$M_\odot$), the total radiative and kinetic energy ($10^{51}$ & 2x$10^{53}$erg respectively), is typical of a slow-evolving H-poor SLSN event. However, the late-time spectrum taken at +251…
Helium is expected to be present in the ejecta of some hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSN-I). However, so far only one event, PTF10hgi has been identified with He features in its photospheric spectra (Quimby et al. 2018). We present the discovery of a new He-rich SLSN-I, ZTF19aawfbtg (SN2019hge) at $z=0.0866$. This event has more than 10 optical spectra at phases from $-41$ to $+103$\,days relative to the peak, most of which match well with that of PTF10hgi. Confirmation comes from a near-IR spectrum taken at $+34$ days, revealing He I features with P-Cygni profiles at 1.083 and 2.05…
We present optical imaging and spectroscopy of SN\,2018lfe, which we classify as a Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN-I) at a redshift of $z = 0.3501$ with a peak absolute magnitude of $M_r\approx -22.1$ mag, one of the brightest SLSNe discovered. SN\,2018lfe was identified for follow-up using our FLEET machine learning pipeline. Both the light curve and the spectra of SN\,2018lfe are consistent with the broad population of SLSNe. We fit the light curve with a magnetar central engine model and find an ejecta mass of $M_{\rm ej}\approx 3.8$ M$_\odot$, a magnetar spin period of $P\approx 2.9$ …
Nebular-phase observations and spectral models of Type Ic superluminous supernovae are presented. LSQ14an and SN 2015bn both display late-time spectra similar to galaxy-subtracted spectra of SN 2007bi, and the class shows strong similarity with broad-lined Type Ic SNe such as SN 1998bw. Near-infrared observations of SN 2015bn show a strong Ca II triplet, O I 9263, O I 1.13 um and Mg I 1.50 um, but no distinct He, Si, or S emission. The high Ca II NIR/[Ca II] 7291,7323 ratio of ~2 indicates a high electron density of n_e >~ 10^8 cm^{-3}. Spectral models of oxygen-zone emission are investigated …
We present the mid-infrared (MIR) light curves (LC) of 10 superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) at $z<0.12$ based on WISE data at 3.4 and 4.6 $μ$m. Three of them, including PS15br, SN 2017ens, and SN 2017err show rebrightening which started at 200--400 days and ended at 600--1000 days, indicating the presence of dust. In four of the left seven SLSNe, dust emission was detected with monochromatic luminosities of $10^7\sim10^8\ L_\odot$ at epochs of 100--500 days based on MIR colors $W1-W2\sim1$. Among the three SLSNe which show rebrightening, we further analysed PS15br and SN 2017ens. We modeled the…
We present optical photometric and spectroscopic coverage of the superluminous supernova (SLSN) PS1-11ap, discovered with the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey at z = 0.524. This intrinsically blue transient rose slowly to reach a peak magnitude of M_u = -21.4 mag and bolometric luminosity of 8 x 10^43 ergs^-1 before settling onto a relatively shallow gradient of decline. The observed decline is significantly slower than those of the superluminous type Ic SNe which have been the focus of much recent attention. Spectroscopic similarities with the lower redshift SN2007bi and a decline rate similar …
Recent work has revealed that the light curves of hydrogen-poor (Type I) superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), thought to be powered by magnetar central engines, do not always follow the smooth decline predicted by a simple magnetar spin-down model. Here we present the first systematic study of the prevalence and properties of "bumps" in the post-peak light curves of 34 SLSNe. We find that the majority (44-76%) of events cannot be explained by a smooth magnetar model alone. We do not find any difference in supernova properties between events with and without bumps. By fitting a simple Gaussian mod…
We search for the reasons behind the spectroscopic diversity of hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe-I) in the pre-maximum phase. Our analysis is a continuation of the paper of \citet{ktr21}, who disclosed two new subtypes of SLSNe-I characterized by the presence/absence of a W-shaped absorption feature in their pre-maximum spectra between 4000 and 5000 Å(called Type~W and Type~15bn, respectively). However, the physical cause of this bimodality is still uncertain. Here we present pre-maximum spectral synthesis of 27 SLSNe-I with special attention to the photospheric temperature ($T_{ …
In recent years, the viability of the pair-instability supernova (PISN) scenario for explaining superluminous supernovae has all but disappeared except for a few slowly-evolving examples. However, PISN are not predicted to be superluminous throughout the bulk of their mass range. In fact, it is more likely that the first PISN we see (if we have not seen one already) will not be superluminous. Here, we present hydrodynamic simulations of PISNe for four stellar models with unique envelope properties spanning the PISN mass range. In addition, we compute synthetic light curves for comparison with …
Superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) are luminous transients that can be detected to high redshifts with upcoming optical time-domain surveys such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). An interesting open question is whether the properties of SLSNe evolve through cosmic time. To address this question, in this paper we model the multi-color light curves of all 21 Type I SLSNe from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) with a magnetar spin-down engine, implemented in the Modular Open Source Fitter for Transients (MOSFiT). With redshifts up to $z\approx 2$, this sample inclu…
We perform 3D hydrodynamical simulations of new-born neutron stars (NSs) colliding with main-sequence binary companions after supernova explosions. Based on those hydrodynamical models, we construct a semi-analytical formula that describes the drag force inside stars with steep density gradients. We then compute the outcome of NS--companion collisions over a wide range of parameters using the semi-analytical formula. Depending on the direction and magnitude of the natal kick, we find that the collision may lead to various outcomes. For relatively fast kicks and high impact parameters, the NS m…
We present a simple and well defined prescription to compare absorption lines in supernova (SN) spectra with lists of transitions drawn from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) database. The method is designed to be applicable to simple spectra where the photosphere can be mostly described by absorptions from single transitions with a single photospheric velocity. These conditions are plausible for SN spectra obtained shortly after explosion. Here we show that the method also works well for spectra of hydrogen-poor (Type I) superluminous supernovae (SLSNe-I) around peak. …
We study the spectroscopic evolution of superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) later than 100 days after maximum light. We present new data for Gaia16apd and SN2017egm, and analyse these with a larger sample comprising 41 spectra of 12 events. The spectra become nebular within 2-4 $e$-folding times after light curve peak, with the rate of spectroscopic evolution correlated to the light curve timescale. Emission lines are identified with well-known transitions of oxygen, calcium, magnesium, sodium and iron. SLSNe are differentiated from other Type Ic SNe by a prominent O I $λ$7774 line and higher-ion…
The X-ray source 1E 161348-5055 in the supernova remnant RCW 103 recently exhibited X-ray activity typical of magnetars, i.e. neutron stars with magnetic fields > 10^14-10^15 G. However, 1E 161348-5055 has an observed period of 6.67 hr, in contrast to magnetars which have a spin period of seconds. Here we describe a simple model which can explain the spin evolution of 1E 161348-5055, as well as other magnetars, from an initial period of milliseconds that would be required for dynamo generation of magnetar-strength magnetic fields. We propose that the key difference between 1E 161348-5055 and o…
We present a sample of 14 hydrogen-rich superluminous supernovae (SLSNe II) from the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) between 2018 and 2020. We include all classified SLSNe with peaks $M_{g}<-20$ mag and with observed \emph{broad} but not narrow Balmer emission, corresponding to roughly 20 per cent of all hydrogen-rich SLSNe in ZTF phase I. We examine the light curves and spectra of SLSNe II and attempt to constrain their power source using light-curve models. The brightest events are photometrically and spectroscopically similar to the prototypical SN 2008es, while others are found spectroscop…
A number of Type I (hydrogenless) superluminous supernova (SLSN) events have been discovered recently. However, their nature remains debatable. One of the most promising ideas is the shock-interaction mechanism, but only simplified semi-analytical models have been applied so far. We simulate light curves for several Type I SLSN (SLSN-I) models enshrouded by dense, non-hydrogen circumstellar envelopes, using a multi-group radiation hydrodynamics code that predicts not only bolometric, but also multicolor light curves. We demonstrate that the bulk of SLSNe-I including those with relatively narro…
We report the first maximum-light far-Ultraviolet to near-infrared spectra (1000A - 1.62um, rest) of a H-poor superluminous supernova, Gaia16apd. At z=0.1018, it is one of the closest and the UV brightest such events, with 17.4 (AB) magnitude in Swift UV band (1928A) at -11days pre-maximum. Assuming an exponential form, we derived the rise time of 33days and the peak bolometric luminosity of 3x10^{44}ergs^-1. At maximum light, the estimated photospheric temperature and velocity are 17,000K and 14,000kms^-1 respectively. The inferred radiative and kinetic energy are roughly 1x10^{51} and 2x10^{…
Since the discovery of superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) in the last decade, it has been known that these events exhibit bluer spectral energy distributions than other supernova subtypes, with significant output in the ultraviolet. However, the event Gaia16apd seems to outshine even the other SLSNe at rest-frame wavelengths below $\sim 3000$ Å. Yan et al (2016) have recently presented HST UV spectra and attributed the UV flux to low metallicity and hence reduced line blanketing. Here we present UV and optical light curves over a longer baseline in time, revealing a rapid decline at UV wavelengt…
Numerous superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) of Type Ic have been discovered and monitored in the last decade. The favored mechanism at their origin is a sustained power injection from a magnetar. This study presents non-local thermodynamic equilibrium time-dependent radiative transfer simulations of various single carbon-rich Wolf-Rayet star explosions influenced by magnetars of diverse properties and covering from a few days to one or two years after explosion. Nonthermal processes are treated; the magnetar-power deposition profile is prescribed; dynamical effects are ignored. In this context, …
Most Type I superluminous supernovae (SLSNe-I) reported to date have been identified by their high peak luminosities and spectra lacking obvious signs of hydrogen. We demonstrate that these events can be distinguished from normal-luminosity SNe (including Type Ic events) solely from their spectra over a wide range of light-curve phases. We use this distinction to select 19 SLSNe-I and 4 possible SLSNe-I from the Palomar Transient Factory archive (including 7 previously published objects). We present 127 new spectra of these objects and combine these with 39 previously published spectra, and we…
We present optical photometry and spectroscopy of the superluminous SN 2002gh from maximum light to $+204$ days, obtained as part of the Carnegie Type II Supernova (CATS) project. SN 2002gh is among the most luminous discovered supernovae ever, yet it remained unnoticed for nearly two decades. Using Dark Energy Camera archival images we identify the potential SN host galaxy as a faint dwarf galaxy, presumably having low metallicity, and in an apparent merging process with other nearby dwarf galaxies. We show that SN 2002gh is among the brightest hydrogen-poor SLSNe with $M_{V} = -22.40 \pm 0.0…
The nearby He-rich superluminous supernova SN 2021bnw during photospheric phases
INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico d’Abruzzo(意大利国家天体物理研究所阿布鲁佐天文台);INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova(意大利国家天体物理研究所帕多瓦天文台);Dipartimento di Fisica, “Sapienza” Università di Roma & Sezione INFN Roma1(罗马大学物理系及INFN罗马第一分所);Caltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology(加州理工学院光学观测站);National Research Center, Kurchatov Institute(库尔恰托夫研究所国家研究中心);Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences(俄罗斯科学院列别杰夫物理研究所);M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Sternberg Astronomical Institute(莫斯科国立大学谢尔盖天文研究所);Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences(中国科学院云南天文台);International Centre of Supernovae, Yunnan Key Laboratory(云南省超新星国际研究中心);Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University(中央大学天文学研究所)
We present observations of two new hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSN-I), iPTF15esb and iPTF16bad, showing late-time H-alpha emission with line luminosities of (1-3)e+41 erg/s and velocity widths of (4000-6000) km/s. Including the previously published iPTF13ehe, this makes up a total of three such events to date. iPTF13ehe is one of the most luminous and the slowest evolving SLSNe-I, whereas the other two are less luminous and fast decliners. We interpret this as a result of the ejecta running into a neutral H-shell located at a radius of ~ 1.0e+16cm. This implies that violent mass l…
Superlinear Type II Superluminous Supernovae 2017fck and 2019cmv: A Possible Origin from Interacting Thermonuclear Supernovae
University of Florida(佛罗里达大学);Las Cumbres Observatory(拉斯坎伯斯天文台);University of California, Santa Barbara(加州大学圣塔芭芭拉分校);National Astronomical Observatory of Japan(日本国立天文台);Monash University(莫纳什大学);Tel Aviv University(特拉维夫大学);CIFAR(加拿大先进研究院);Shady Side Academy(阴影边学院);University of California, San Diego(加州大学圣地亚哥分校);University of California(加州大学);University of Toronto(多伦多大学)