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PS1-10afx at z = 1.388: Pan-STARRS1 discovery of a new type of superluminous supernova

Publication ,  Journal Article
Chornock, R; Berger, E; Rest, A; Milisavljevic, D; Lunnan, R; Foley, RJ; Soderberg, AM; Smartt, SJ; Burgasser, AJ; Challis, P; Chomiuk, L ...
Published in: Astrophysical Journal
April 20, 2013

We present the Pan-STARRS1 discovery of PS1-10afx, a unique hydrogen-deficient superluminous supernova (SLSN) at redshift z = 1.388. The light curve peaked at z P1 = 21.7 mag, making PS1-10afx comparable to the most luminous known SNe, with Mu = -22.3 mag. Our extensive optical and near-infrared observations indicate that the bolometric light curve of PS1-10afx rose on the unusually fast timescale of 12 days to the extraordinary peak luminosity of 4.1 × 1044 erg s-1 (M bol = -22.8 mag) and subsequently faded rapidly. Equally important, the spectral energy distribution is unusually red for an SLSN, with a color temperature of 6800 K near maximum light, in contrast to previous hydrogen-poor SLSNe, which are bright in the ultraviolet (UV). The spectra more closely resemble those of a normal SN Ic than any known SLSN, with a photospheric velocity of 11, 000 km s-1 and evidence for line blanketing in the rest-frame UV. Despite the fast rise, these parameters imply a very large emitting radius (≳ 5 × 1015 cm). We demonstrate that no existing theoretical model can satisfactorily explain this combination of properties: (1) a nickel-powered light curve cannot match the combination of high peak luminosity with the fast timescale; (2) models powered by the spindown energy of a rapidly rotating magnetar predict significantly hotter and faster ejecta; and (3) models invoking shock breakout through a dense circumstellar medium cannot explain the observed spectra or color evolution. The host galaxy is well detected in pre-explosion imaging with a luminosity near L*, a star formation rate of 15 M yr-1, and is fairly massive (2 × 1010 M), with a stellar population age of 108 yr, also in contrast to the young dwarf hosts of known hydrogen-poor SLSNe. PS1-10afx is distinct from known examples of SLSNe in its spectra, colors, light-curve shape, and host galaxy properties, suggesting that it resulted from a different channel than other hydrogen-poor SLSNe. © 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

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Published In

Astrophysical Journal

DOI

EISSN

1538-4357

ISSN

0004-637X

Publication Date

April 20, 2013

Volume

767

Issue

2

Related Subject Headings

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics
  • 5109 Space sciences
  • 5107 Particle and high energy physics
  • 5101 Astronomical sciences
  • 0306 Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
  • 0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
  • 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences
 

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Chornock, R., Berger, E., Rest, A., Milisavljevic, D., Lunnan, R., Foley, R. J., … Price, P. A. (2013). PS1-10afx at z = 1.388: Pan-STARRS1 discovery of a new type of superluminous supernova. Astrophysical Journal, 767(2). https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/767/2/162
Chornock, R., E. Berger, A. Rest, D. Milisavljevic, R. Lunnan, R. J. Foley, A. M. Soderberg, et al. “PS1-10afx at z = 1.388: Pan-STARRS1 discovery of a new type of superluminous supernova.” Astrophysical Journal 767, no. 2 (April 20, 2013). https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/767/2/162.
Chornock R, Berger E, Rest A, Milisavljevic D, Lunnan R, Foley RJ, et al. PS1-10afx at z = 1.388: Pan-STARRS1 discovery of a new type of superluminous supernova. Astrophysical Journal. 2013 Apr 20;767(2).
Chornock, R., et al. “PS1-10afx at z = 1.388: Pan-STARRS1 discovery of a new type of superluminous supernova.” Astrophysical Journal, vol. 767, no. 2, Apr. 2013. Scopus, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/767/2/162.
Chornock R, Berger E, Rest A, Milisavljevic D, Lunnan R, Foley RJ, Soderberg AM, Smartt SJ, Burgasser AJ, Challis P, Chomiuk L, Czekala I, Drout M, Fong W, Huber ME, Kirshner RP, Leibler C, McLeod B, Marion GH, Narayan G, Riess AG, Roth KC, Sanders NE, Scolnic D, Smith K, Stubbs CW, Tonry JL, Valenti S, Burgett WS, Chambers KC, Hodapp KW, Kaiser N, Kudritzki RP, Magnier EA, Price PA. PS1-10afx at z = 1.388: Pan-STARRS1 discovery of a new type of superluminous supernova. Astrophysical Journal. 2013 Apr 20;767(2).
Journal cover image

Published In

Astrophysical Journal

DOI

EISSN

1538-4357

ISSN

0004-637X

Publication Date

April 20, 2013

Volume

767

Issue

2

Related Subject Headings

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics
  • 5109 Space sciences
  • 5107 Particle and high energy physics
  • 5101 Astronomical sciences
  • 0306 Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
  • 0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
  • 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences