SN 2015bn: A Detailed Multi-wavelength View of a Nearby Superluminous Supernova

M. Nicholl; E. Berger; S. J. Smartt; R. Margutti; A. Kamble; K. D. Alexander; T. -W. Chen; C. Inserra; Iair Arcavi; P. K. Blanchard; R. Cartier; K. C. Chambers; M. J. Childress; R. Chornock; P. S. Cowperthwaite; M. Drout; H. A. Flewelling; M. Fraser; Avishay Gal-Yam; L. Galbany; J. Harmanen; T. W. -S. Holoien; G. Hosseinzadeh; D. A. Howell; M. E. Huber; A. Jerkstrand; E. Kankare; C. S. Kochanek; Z. -Y. Lin; R. Lunnan; E. A. Magnier; K. Maguire; C. McCully; M. McDonald; B. D. Metzger; D. Milisavljevic; A. Mitra; T. Reynolds; J. Saario; B. J. Shappee; K. W. Smith; S. Valenti; V. A. Villar; C. Waters; D. R. Young

doi:10.3847/0004-637X/826/1/39

SN 2015bn: A Detailed Multi-wavelength View of a Nearby Superluminous Supernova

M. Nicholl, E. Berger, S. J. Smartt, R. Margutti, A. Kamble, K. D. Alexander, T. -W. Chen, C. Inserra, Iair Arcavi, P. K. Blanchard, R. Cartier, K. C. Chambers, M. J. Childress, R. Chornock, P. S. Cowperthwaite, M. Drout, H. A. Flewelling, M. Fraser, Avishay Gal-Yam, L. GalbanyJ. Harmanen, T. W. -S. Holoien, G. Hosseinzadeh, D. A. Howell, M. E. Huber, A. Jerkstrand, E. Kankare, C. S. Kochanek, Z. -Y. Lin, R. Lunnan, E. A. Magnier, K. Maguire, C. McCully, M. McDonald, B. D. Metzger, D. Milisavljevic, A. Mitra, T. Reynolds, J. Saario, B. J. Shappee, K. W. Smith, S. Valenti, V. A. Villar, C. Waters, D. R. Young

Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

134 Citations (Scopus)

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 ≈ -23.1) and in a fainter galaxy (M_B ≈ -16.0) than other SLSNe at . 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 ≳ 10 M_⊙ stripped progenitor exploding with 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_⊙ of dense, inhomogeneous circumstellar material - can be tested with continuing radio follow-up.

Original language	English
Article number	39
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	826
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/826/1/39
Publication status	Published - 20 Jul 2016

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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Nicholl, M., Berger, E., Smartt, S. J., Margutti, R., Kamble, A., Alexander, K. D., Chen, T. .-W., Inserra, C., Arcavi, I., Blanchard, P. K., Cartier, R., Chambers, K. C., Childress, M. J., Chornock, R., Cowperthwaite, P. S., Drout, M., Flewelling, H. A., Fraser, M., Gal-Yam, A., ... Young, D. R. (2016). SN 2015bn: A Detailed Multi-wavelength View of a Nearby Superluminous Supernova. Astrophysical Journal, 826(1), Article 39. https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/826/1/39

@article{92a2853a637745beb89d2092d4496641,

title = "SN 2015bn: A Detailed Multi-wavelength View of a Nearby Superluminous Supernova",

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 (MU ≈ -23.1) and in a fainter galaxy (MB ≈ -16.0) than other SLSNe at . 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 ≳ 10 M⊙ stripped progenitor exploding with 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⊙ of dense, inhomogeneous circumstellar material - can be tested with continuing radio follow-up.",

author = "M. Nicholl and E. Berger and Smartt, {S. J.} and R. Margutti and A. Kamble and Alexander, {K. D.} and Chen, {T. -W.} and C. Inserra and Iair Arcavi and Blanchard, {P. K.} and R. Cartier and Chambers, {K. C.} and Childress, {M. J.} and R. Chornock and Cowperthwaite, {P. S.} and M. Drout and Flewelling, {H. A.} and M. Fraser and Avishay Gal-Yam and L. Galbany and J. Harmanen and Holoien, {T. W. -S.} and G. Hosseinzadeh and Howell, {D. A.} and Huber, {M. E.} and A. Jerkstrand and E. Kankare and Kochanek, {C. S.} and Lin, {Z. -Y.} and R. Lunnan and Magnier, {E. A.} and K. Maguire and C. McCully and M. McDonald and Metzger, {B. D.} and D. Milisavljevic and A. Mitra and T. Reynolds and J. Saario and Shappee, {B. J.} and Smith, {K. W.} and S. Valenti and Villar, {V. A.} and C. Waters and Young, {D. R.}",

year = "2016",

month = jul,

day = "20",

doi = "10.3847/0004-637X/826/1/39",

language = "English",

volume = "826",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "Institute of Physics Publishing",

number = "1",

}

Nicholl, M, Berger, E, Smartt, SJ, Margutti, R, Kamble, A, Alexander, KD, Chen, T-W, Inserra, C, Arcavi, I, Blanchard, PK, Cartier, R, Chambers, KC, Childress, MJ, Chornock, R, Cowperthwaite, PS, Drout, M, Flewelling, HA, Fraser, M, Gal-Yam, A, Galbany, L, Harmanen, J, Holoien, TW-S, Hosseinzadeh, G, Howell, DA, Huber, ME, Jerkstrand, A, Kankare, E, Kochanek, CS, Lin, Z-Y, Lunnan, R, Magnier, EA, Maguire, K, McCully, C, McDonald, M, Metzger, BD, Milisavljevic, D, Mitra, A, Reynolds, T, Saario, J, Shappee, BJ, Smith, KW, Valenti, S, Villar, VA, Waters, C & Young, DR 2016, 'SN 2015bn: A Detailed Multi-wavelength View of a Nearby Superluminous Supernova', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 826, no. 1, 39. https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/826/1/39

TY - JOUR

T1 - SN 2015bn

T2 - A Detailed Multi-wavelength View of a Nearby Superluminous Supernova

AU - Nicholl, M.

AU - Berger, E.

AU - Smartt, S. J.

AU - Margutti, R.

AU - Kamble, A.

AU - Alexander, K. D.

AU - Chen, T. -W.

AU - Inserra, C.

AU - Arcavi, Iair

AU - Blanchard, P. K.

AU - Cartier, R.

AU - Chambers, K. C.

AU - Childress, M. J.

AU - Chornock, R.

AU - Cowperthwaite, P. S.

AU - Drout, M.

AU - Flewelling, H. A.

AU - Fraser, M.

AU - Gal-Yam, Avishay

AU - Galbany, L.

AU - Harmanen, J.

AU - Holoien, T. W. -S.

AU - Hosseinzadeh, G.

AU - Howell, D. A.

AU - Huber, M. E.

AU - Jerkstrand, A.

AU - Kankare, E.

AU - Kochanek, C. S.

AU - Lin, Z. -Y.

AU - Lunnan, R.

AU - Magnier, E. A.

AU - Maguire, K.

AU - McCully, C.

AU - McDonald, M.

AU - Metzger, B. D.

AU - Milisavljevic, D.

AU - Mitra, A.

AU - Reynolds, T.

AU - Saario, J.

AU - Shappee, B. J.

AU - Smith, K. W.

AU - Valenti, S.

AU - Villar, V. A.

AU - Waters, C.

AU - Young, D. R.

PY - 2016/7/20

Y1 - 2016/7/20

N2 - 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 (MU ≈ -23.1) and in a fainter galaxy (MB ≈ -16.0) than other SLSNe at . 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 ≳ 10 M⊙ stripped progenitor exploding with 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⊙ of dense, inhomogeneous circumstellar material - can be tested with continuing radio follow-up.

AB - 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 (MU ≈ -23.1) and in a fainter galaxy (MB ≈ -16.0) than other SLSNe at . 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 ≳ 10 M⊙ stripped progenitor exploding with 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⊙ of dense, inhomogeneous circumstellar material - can be tested with continuing radio follow-up.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84979231274&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3847/0004-637X/826/1/39

DO - 10.3847/0004-637X/826/1/39

M3 - Review article

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 826

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

M1 - 39

ER -

SN 2015bn: A Detailed Multi-wavelength View of a Nearby Superluminous Supernova

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