SN 2011dh: Discovery of a type IIb supernova from a compact progenitor in the nearby galaxy M51

Iair Arcavi; Avishay Gal-Yam; Ofer Yaron; Assaf Sternberg; Itay Rabinak; Eli Waxman; Mansi M. Kasliwal; Robert M. Quimby; Eran O. Ofek; Assaf Horesh; Shrinivas R. Kulkarni; Alexei V. Filippenko; Jeffrey M. Silverman; S. Bradley Cenko; Weidong Li; Joshua S. Bloom; Mark Sullivan; Peter E. Nugent; Dovi Poznanski; Evgeny Gorbikov; Benjamin J. Fulton; D. Andrew Howell; David Bersier; Amedee Riou; Stephane Lamotte-Bailey; Thomas Griga; Judith G. Cohen; Stephan Hachinger; David Polishook; Dong Xu; Sagi Ben-Ami; Ilan Manulis; Emma S. Walker; Kate Maguire; Yen Chen Pan; Thomas Matheson; Paolo A. Mazzali; Elena Pian; Derek B. Fox; Neil Gehrels; Nicholas Law; Philip James; Jonathan M. Marchant; Robert J. Smith; Chris J. Mottram; Robert M. Barnsley; Michael T. Kandrashoff; Kelsey I. Clubb

doi:10.1088/2041-8205/742/2/L18

SN 2011dh: Discovery of a type IIb supernova from a compact progenitor in the nearby galaxy M51

Iair Arcavi^*, Avishay Gal-Yam, Ofer Yaron, Assaf Sternberg, Itay Rabinak, Eli Waxman, Mansi M. Kasliwal, Robert M. Quimby, Eran O. Ofek, Assaf Horesh, Shrinivas R. Kulkarni, Alexei V. Filippenko, Jeffrey M. Silverman, S. Bradley Cenko, Weidong Li, Joshua S. Bloom, Mark Sullivan, Peter E. Nugent, Dovi Poznanski, Evgeny GorbikovBenjamin J. Fulton, D. Andrew Howell, David Bersier, Amedee Riou, Stephane Lamotte-Bailey, Thomas Griga, Judith G. Cohen, Stephan Hachinger, David Polishook, Dong Xu, Sagi Ben-Ami, Ilan Manulis, Emma S. Walker, Kate Maguire, Yen Chen Pan, Thomas Matheson, Paolo A. Mazzali, Elena Pian, Derek B. Fox, Neil Gehrels, Nicholas Law, Philip James, Jonathan M. Marchant, Robert J. Smith, Chris J. Mottram, Robert M. Barnsley, Michael T. Kandrashoff, Kelsey I. Clubb

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

On 2011 May 31 UT a supernova (SN) exploded in the nearby galaxy M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy). We discovered this event using small telescopes equipped with CCD cameras and also detected it with the Palomar Transient Factory survey, rapidly confirming it to be a Type II SN. Here, we present multi-color ultraviolet through infrared photometry which is used to calculate the bolometric luminosity and a series of spectra. Our early-time observations indicate that SN 2011dh resulted from the explosion of a relatively compact progenitor star. Rapid shock-breakout cooling leads to relatively low temperatures in early-time spectra, compared to explosions of red supergiant stars, as well as a rapid early light curve decline. Optical spectra of SN 2011dh are dominated by H lines out to day 10 after explosion, after which He I lines develop. This SN is likely a member of the cIIb (compact IIb) class, with progenitor radius larger than that of SN 2008ax and smaller than the eIIb (extended IIb) SN 1993J progenitor. Our data imply that the object identified in pre-explosion Hubble Space Telescope images at the SN location is possibly a companion to the progenitor or a blended source, and not the progenitor star itself, as its radius (∼10¹³cm) would be highly inconsistent with constraints from our post-explosion spectra.

Original language	English
Article number	L18
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	742
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/742/2/L18
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1088/2041-8205/742/2/L18

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Arcavi, I., Gal-Yam, A., Yaron, O., Sternberg, A., Rabinak, I., Waxman, E., Kasliwal, M. M., Quimby, R. M., Ofek, E. O., Horesh, A., Kulkarni, S. R., Filippenko, A. V., Silverman, J. M., Cenko, S. B., Li, W., Bloom, J. S., Sullivan, M., Nugent, P. E., Poznanski, D., ... Clubb, K. I. (2011). SN 2011dh: Discovery of a type IIb supernova from a compact progenitor in the nearby galaxy M51. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 742(2), Article L18. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/742/2/L18

@article{1e5517c03653442ea1623e6a79297ab5,

title = "SN 2011dh: Discovery of a type IIb supernova from a compact progenitor in the nearby galaxy M51",

abstract = "On 2011 May 31 UT a supernova (SN) exploded in the nearby galaxy M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy). We discovered this event using small telescopes equipped with CCD cameras and also detected it with the Palomar Transient Factory survey, rapidly confirming it to be a Type II SN. Here, we present multi-color ultraviolet through infrared photometry which is used to calculate the bolometric luminosity and a series of spectra. Our early-time observations indicate that SN 2011dh resulted from the explosion of a relatively compact progenitor star. Rapid shock-breakout cooling leads to relatively low temperatures in early-time spectra, compared to explosions of red supergiant stars, as well as a rapid early light curve decline. Optical spectra of SN 2011dh are dominated by H lines out to day 10 after explosion, after which He I lines develop. This SN is likely a member of the cIIb (compact IIb) class, with progenitor radius larger than that of SN 2008ax and smaller than the eIIb (extended IIb) SN 1993J progenitor. Our data imply that the object identified in pre-explosion Hubble Space Telescope images at the SN location is possibly a companion to the progenitor or a blended source, and not the progenitor star itself, as its radius (∼1013cm) would be highly inconsistent with constraints from our post-explosion spectra.",

author = "Iair Arcavi and Avishay Gal-Yam and Ofer Yaron and Assaf Sternberg and Itay Rabinak and Eli Waxman and Kasliwal, {Mansi M.} and Quimby, {Robert M.} and Ofek, {Eran O.} and Assaf Horesh and Kulkarni, {Shrinivas R.} and Filippenko, {Alexei V.} and Silverman, {Jeffrey M.} and Cenko, {S. Bradley} and Weidong Li and Bloom, {Joshua S.} and Mark Sullivan and Nugent, {Peter E.} and Dovi Poznanski and Evgeny Gorbikov and Fulton, {Benjamin J.} and Howell, {D. Andrew} and David Bersier and Amedee Riou and Stephane Lamotte-Bailey and Thomas Griga and Cohen, {Judith G.} and Stephan Hachinger and David Polishook and Dong Xu and Sagi Ben-Ami and Ilan Manulis and Walker, {Emma S.} and Kate Maguire and Pan, {Yen Chen} and Thomas Matheson and Mazzali, {Paolo A.} and Elena Pian and Fox, {Derek B.} and Neil Gehrels and Nicholas Law and Philip James and Marchant, {Jonathan M.} and Smith, {Robert J.} and Mottram, {Chris J.} and Barnsley, {Robert M.} and Kandrashoff, {Michael T.} and Clubb, {Kelsey I.}",

year = "2011",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1088/2041-8205/742/2/L18",

language = "English",

volume = "742",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "Institute of Physics Publishing",

number = "2",

}

Arcavi, I, Gal-Yam, A , Yaron, O, Sternberg, A, Rabinak, I, Waxman, E, Kasliwal, MM, Quimby, RM, Ofek, EO, Horesh, A, Kulkarni, SR, Filippenko, AV, Silverman, JM, Cenko, SB, Li, W, Bloom, JS, Sullivan, M, Nugent, PE, Poznanski, D, Gorbikov, E, Fulton, BJ, Howell, DA, Bersier, D, Riou, A, Lamotte-Bailey, S, Griga, T, Cohen, JG, Hachinger, S, Polishook, D, Xu, D, Ben-Ami, S, Manulis, I, Walker, ES, Maguire, K, Pan, YC, Matheson, T, Mazzali, PA, Pian, E, Fox, DB, Gehrels, N, Law, N, James, P, Marchant, JM, Smith, RJ, Mottram, CJ, Barnsley, RM, Kandrashoff, MT & Clubb, KI 2011, 'SN 2011dh: Discovery of a type IIb supernova from a compact progenitor in the nearby galaxy M51', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 742, no. 2, L18. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/742/2/L18

TY - JOUR

T1 - SN 2011dh

T2 - Discovery of a type IIb supernova from a compact progenitor in the nearby galaxy M51

AU - Arcavi, Iair

AU - Gal-Yam, Avishay

AU - Yaron, Ofer

AU - Sternberg, Assaf

AU - Rabinak, Itay

AU - Waxman, Eli

AU - Kasliwal, Mansi M.

AU - Quimby, Robert M.

AU - Ofek, Eran O.

AU - Horesh, Assaf

AU - Kulkarni, Shrinivas R.

AU - Filippenko, Alexei V.

AU - Silverman, Jeffrey M.

AU - Cenko, S. Bradley

AU - Li, Weidong

AU - Bloom, Joshua S.

AU - Sullivan, Mark

AU - Nugent, Peter E.

AU - Poznanski, Dovi

AU - Gorbikov, Evgeny

AU - Fulton, Benjamin J.

AU - Howell, D. Andrew

AU - Bersier, David

AU - Riou, Amedee

AU - Lamotte-Bailey, Stephane

AU - Griga, Thomas

AU - Cohen, Judith G.

AU - Hachinger, Stephan

AU - Polishook, David

AU - Xu, Dong

AU - Ben-Ami, Sagi

AU - Manulis, Ilan

AU - Walker, Emma S.

AU - Maguire, Kate

AU - Pan, Yen Chen

AU - Matheson, Thomas

AU - Mazzali, Paolo A.

AU - Pian, Elena

AU - Fox, Derek B.

AU - Gehrels, Neil

AU - Law, Nicholas

AU - James, Philip

AU - Marchant, Jonathan M.

AU - Smith, Robert J.

AU - Mottram, Chris J.

AU - Barnsley, Robert M.

AU - Kandrashoff, Michael T.

AU - Clubb, Kelsey I.

PY - 2011/12/1

Y1 - 2011/12/1

N2 - On 2011 May 31 UT a supernova (SN) exploded in the nearby galaxy M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy). We discovered this event using small telescopes equipped with CCD cameras and also detected it with the Palomar Transient Factory survey, rapidly confirming it to be a Type II SN. Here, we present multi-color ultraviolet through infrared photometry which is used to calculate the bolometric luminosity and a series of spectra. Our early-time observations indicate that SN 2011dh resulted from the explosion of a relatively compact progenitor star. Rapid shock-breakout cooling leads to relatively low temperatures in early-time spectra, compared to explosions of red supergiant stars, as well as a rapid early light curve decline. Optical spectra of SN 2011dh are dominated by H lines out to day 10 after explosion, after which He I lines develop. This SN is likely a member of the cIIb (compact IIb) class, with progenitor radius larger than that of SN 2008ax and smaller than the eIIb (extended IIb) SN 1993J progenitor. Our data imply that the object identified in pre-explosion Hubble Space Telescope images at the SN location is possibly a companion to the progenitor or a blended source, and not the progenitor star itself, as its radius (∼1013cm) would be highly inconsistent with constraints from our post-explosion spectra.

AB - On 2011 May 31 UT a supernova (SN) exploded in the nearby galaxy M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy). We discovered this event using small telescopes equipped with CCD cameras and also detected it with the Palomar Transient Factory survey, rapidly confirming it to be a Type II SN. Here, we present multi-color ultraviolet through infrared photometry which is used to calculate the bolometric luminosity and a series of spectra. Our early-time observations indicate that SN 2011dh resulted from the explosion of a relatively compact progenitor star. Rapid shock-breakout cooling leads to relatively low temperatures in early-time spectra, compared to explosions of red supergiant stars, as well as a rapid early light curve decline. Optical spectra of SN 2011dh are dominated by H lines out to day 10 after explosion, after which He I lines develop. This SN is likely a member of the cIIb (compact IIb) class, with progenitor radius larger than that of SN 2008ax and smaller than the eIIb (extended IIb) SN 1993J progenitor. Our data imply that the object identified in pre-explosion Hubble Space Telescope images at the SN location is possibly a companion to the progenitor or a blended source, and not the progenitor star itself, as its radius (∼1013cm) would be highly inconsistent with constraints from our post-explosion spectra.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=81155123628&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/2041-8205/742/2/L18

DO - 10.1088/2041-8205/742/2/L18

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 742

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 2

M1 - L18

ER -

SN 2011dh: Discovery of a type IIb supernova from a compact progenitor in the nearby galaxy M51

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