TY - JOUR
T1 - Interaction-powered supernovae
T2 - Rise-time versus peak-luminosity correlation and the shock-breakout velocity
AU - Ofek, Eran O.
AU - Arcavi, Iair
AU - Tal, David
AU - Sullivan, Mark
AU - Gal-Yam, Avishay
AU - Kulkarni, Shrinivas R.
AU - Nugent, Peter E.
AU - Ben-Ami, Sagi
AU - Bersier, David
AU - Cao, Yi
AU - Cenko, S. Bradley
AU - De Cia, Cia, Annalisa
AU - Filippenko, Alexei V.
AU - Fransson, Claes
AU - Kasliwal, Mansi M.
AU - Laher, Russ
AU - Surace, Jason
AU - Quimby, Robert
AU - Yaron, Ofer
PY - 2014/6/20
Y1 - 2014/6/20
N2 - Interaction of supernova (SN) ejecta with the optically thick circumstellar medium (CSM) of a progenitor star can result in a bright, long-lived shock-breakout event. Candidates for such SNe include Type IIn and superluminous SNe. If some of these SNe are powered by interaction, then there should be a specific relation between their peak luminosity, bolometric light-curve rise time, and shock-breakout velocity. Given that the shock velocity during shock breakout is not measured, we expect a correlation, with a significant spread, between the rise time and the peak luminosity of these SNe. Here, we present a sample of 15 SNe IIn for which we have good constraints on their rise time and peak luminosity from observations obtained using the Palomar Transient Factory. We report on a possible correlation between the R-band rise time and peak luminosity of these SNe, with a false-alarm probability of 3%. Assuming that these SNe are powered by interaction, combining these observables and theory allows us to deduce lower limits on the shock-breakout velocity. The lower limits on the shock velocity we find are consistent with what is expected for SNe (i.e., ∼104 km s-1). This supports the suggestion that the early-time light curves of SNe IIn are caused by shock breakout in a dense CSM. We note that such a correlation can arise from other physical mechanisms. Performing such a test on other classes of SNe (e.g., superluminous SNe) can be used to rule out the interaction model for a class of events.
AB - Interaction of supernova (SN) ejecta with the optically thick circumstellar medium (CSM) of a progenitor star can result in a bright, long-lived shock-breakout event. Candidates for such SNe include Type IIn and superluminous SNe. If some of these SNe are powered by interaction, then there should be a specific relation between their peak luminosity, bolometric light-curve rise time, and shock-breakout velocity. Given that the shock velocity during shock breakout is not measured, we expect a correlation, with a significant spread, between the rise time and the peak luminosity of these SNe. Here, we present a sample of 15 SNe IIn for which we have good constraints on their rise time and peak luminosity from observations obtained using the Palomar Transient Factory. We report on a possible correlation between the R-band rise time and peak luminosity of these SNe, with a false-alarm probability of 3%. Assuming that these SNe are powered by interaction, combining these observables and theory allows us to deduce lower limits on the shock-breakout velocity. The lower limits on the shock velocity we find are consistent with what is expected for SNe (i.e., ∼104 km s-1). This supports the suggestion that the early-time light curves of SNe IIn are caused by shock breakout in a dense CSM. We note that such a correlation can arise from other physical mechanisms. Performing such a test on other classes of SNe (e.g., superluminous SNe) can be used to rule out the interaction model for a class of events.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84902204360&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/788/2/154
DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/788/2/154
M3 - Article
SN - 0004-637X
VL - 788
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
IS - 2
M1 - 154
ER -