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W Li,
J ~S Bloom,
P Podsiadlowski,
A ~A Miller,
S ~B Cenko,
S ~W Jha,
M Sullivan,
D ~A Howell,
P ~E Nugent,
N ~R Butler, [......],
M Ganeshalingam,
J ~M Silverman,
S ~R Kulkarni,
N ~M Law,
D Poznanski,
R ~M Quimby,
C McCully,
B Patel,
K Maguire, K ~J Shen
Nature 12/2011; 480:348-350. · 36.28 Impact Factor
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E. O. Ofek,
I. Rabinak,
J. D. Neill,
I. Arcavi,
S. B. Cenko,
E. Waxman,
S. R. Kulkarni,
A. Gal-Yam,
P. E. Nugent,
L. Bildsten, [......],
R. Dekany,
G. Rahmer,
D. Hale,
R. Smith,
J. Zolkower,
V. Velur,
R. Walters,
J. Henning,
K. Bui,
and D. McKenna
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Type-IIn supernovae (SNe IIn), which are characterized by strong interaction of their ejecta with the surrounding circumstellar matter (CSM), provide a unique opportunity to study the mass-loss history of massive stars shortly before their explosive death. We present the discovery and follow-up observations of an SN IIn, PTF 09uj, detected by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF). Serendipitous observations by Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) at ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths detected the rise of the SN light curve prior to the PTF discovery. The UV light curve of the SN rose fast, with a timescale of a few days, to a UV absolute AB magnitude of about –19.5. Modeling our observations, we suggest that the fast rise of the UV light curve is due to the breakout of the SN shock through the dense CSM (n 1010 cm–3). Furthermore, we find that prior to the explosion the progenitor went through a phase of high mass-loss rate (~0.1 M ☉ yr–1) that lasted for a few years. The decay rate of this SN was fast relative to that of other SNe IIn.
The Astrophysical Journal 11/2010; 724(2):1396. · 6.02 Impact Factor
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H B Perets,
A Gal-Yam,
P A Mazzali,
D Arnett,
D Kagan,
A V Filippenko,
W Li,
I Arcavi,
S B Cenko,
D B Fox, [......],
E O Ofek,
L Bildsten,
G Nelemans, K J Shen,
N N Weinberg,
B D Metzger,
A L Piro,
E Quataert,
M Kiewe,
D Poznanski
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Supernovae are thought to arise from two different physical processes. The cores of massive, short-lived stars undergo gravitational core collapse and typically eject a few solar masses during their explosion. These are thought to appear as type Ib/c and type II supernovae, and are associated with young stellar populations. In contrast, the thermonuclear detonation of a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, whose mass approaches the Chandrasekhar limit, is thought to produce type Ia supernovae. Such supernovae are observed in both young and old stellar environments. Here we report a faint type Ib supernova, SN 2005E, in the halo of the nearby isolated galaxy, NGC 1032. The 'old' environment near the supernova location, and the very low derived ejected mass ( approximately 0.3 solar masses), argue strongly against a core-collapse origin. Spectroscopic observations and analysis reveal high ejecta velocities, dominated by helium-burning products, probably excluding this as a subluminous or a regular type Ia supernova. We conclude that it arises from a low-mass, old progenitor, likely to have been a helium-accreting white dwarf in a binary. The ejecta contain more calcium than observed in other types of supernovae and probably large amounts of radioactive (44)Ti.
Nature 05/2010; 465(7296):322-5. · 36.28 Impact Factor
