We present results based on follow-up observations of the Type II-plateau supernova (II-P SN) 2013ej at six epochs spanning a total duration of ∼37 d. The R
C-band linear polarimetric observations ...were carried out between the end of the plateau and the beginning of the nebular phase, as demarcated in the photometric light-curve. The contribution arising from interstellar polarization (ISP) was constrained using two approaches, namely based on observations of foreground stars lying within a 5-arcmin and a 10
$\deg$
radius of the SN location, and by investigating the extinction arising from the Milky Way and host galaxy in the direction of the SN. Our analysis revealed that in general the intrinsic polarization of the SN was higher than the polarization values for the foreground stars and exhibited an increasing trend during our observations. After correcting for the ISP of ∼0.6 per cent,the maximum intrinsic polarization of SN 2013ej was found to be 2.14 ± 0.57 per cent. Such a strong polarization has rarely been seen in II-P SNe. If this procedure is justified (i.e. the ‘polarization bias’ effect is indeed negligible) the polarization could be caused by the asymmetry of the inner ejecta of the SN, because the ISP towards the SN location is estimated to be, at most, 0.6 per cent.
Context. Spectropolarimetry is a powerful technique for investigating the physical properties of gas and solid materials in cometary comae without mutual contamination, but only a few ...spectropolarimetric studies have been conducted to extract each component. Aims. We attempt to derive the continuum (i.e., scattered light from dust coma) polarization degree of comet 2P/Encke, free of the influence of molecular emissions. The target is unique in that its orbit is dynamically decoupled from Jupiter, like the main-belt asteroids, but it ejects gas and dust like ordinary comets. Methods. We observed the comet using the Hiroshima Optical and Near-Infrared Camera attached to the Cassegrain focus of the 150 cm Kanata telescope on UT 2017 February 21 when the comet was at the solar phase angle of α = 75°.7. Results. We find that the continuum polarization degree with respect to the scattering plane is Pcont, r = 33.8 ± 2.7% at the effective wavelength of 0.82 μm, which is significantly higher than those of cometary dust in a high-Pmax group at similar phase angles. Assuming that an ensemble polarimetric response of the dust of 2P/Encke as a function of phase angle is morphologically similar with those of other comets, its maximum polarization degree is estimated to Pmax ≳ 40% at αmax ≈ 100°. In addition, we obtain the polarization degrees of the C2 swan bands (0.51–0.56 μm), the NH2 α bands (0.62–0.69 μm), and the CN-red system (0.78–0.94 μm) in a range of 3–19%, which depend on the molecular species and rotational quantum numbers of each branch. The polarization vector is aligned nearly perpendicularly to the scattering plane with an average of 0°.4 over a wavelength range of 0.50–0.97 μm. Conclusions. From the observational evidence, we conjecture that the high polarization degree of 2P/Encke might be attributable to a dominance of large dust particles around the nucleus, which have remained after frequent perihelion passages near the Sun.
We report the late-time evolution of Type IIb supernova (SN IIb) 2013df. SN 2013df showed a dramatic change in its spectral features at ~ 1 yr after the explosion. Early on it showed typical ...characteristics shared by SNe IIb/Ib/Ic dominated by metal emission lines, while later on it was dominated by broad and flat-topped H alpha and He I emissions. The late-time spectra are strikingly similar to SN IIb 1993J, which is the only previous example clearly showing the same transition. This late-time evolution is fully explained by a change in the energy input from the super(56)Co decay to the interaction between the SN ejecta and dense circumstellar matter (CSM). The mass-loss rate is derived to be ~(5.4 + or - 3.2) x 10 super(-5) M sub(midoot in circle) yr super(-1) (for the wind velocity of ~20 km s super(-1)), similar to SN 1993J but larger than SN IIb 2011 dh by an order of magnitude. The striking similarity between SNe IIb 2013df and 1993J in the (candidate) progenitors and the CSM environments and the contrast in these natures to SN 2011 dh infer that there is a link between the natures of the progenitor and the mass loss: SNe IIb with a more extended progenitor have experienced a much stronger mass loss in the final centuries toward the explosion. It might indicate that SNe IIb from a more extended progenitor are the explosions during a strong binary interaction phase, while those from a less extended progenitor have a delay between the strong binary interaction and the explosion.
The prompt γ-ray emission from γ-ray bursts (GRBs) should be detectable out to distances of z > 10 (ref. 1), and should therefore provide an excellent probe of the evolution of cosmic star formation, ...reionization of the intergalactic medium, and the metal enrichment history of the Universe. Hitherto, the highest measured redshift for a GRB has been z = 4.50 (ref. 5). Here we report the optical spectrum of the afterglow of GRB 050904 obtained 3.4 days after the burst; the spectrum shows a clear continuum at the long-wavelength end of the spectrum with a sharp cut-off at around 9,000 Å due to Lyman α absorption at z 6.3 (with a damping wing). A system of absorption lines of heavy elements at z = 6.295 ± 0.002 was also detected, yielding the precise measurement of the redshift. The Si ii fine-structure lines suggest a dense, metal-enriched environment around the progenitor of the GRB.
We present optical and near-infrared multi-band linear polarimetry of the highly reddened Type Ia supernova (SN) 2014J that appeared in M82. SN 2014J exhibits large polarization at shorter ...wavelengths, e.g., 4.8% in the B band, which decreases rapidly at longer wavelengths, while the position angle of the polarization remains at approximately 40degrees over the observed wavelength range. These polarimetric properties suggest that the observed polarization is likely predominantly caused by the interstellar dust within M82. Further analysis shows that the polarization peaks at a wavelengths much shorter than those obtained for the Galactic dust. The wavelength dependence of the polarization can be better described by an inverse power law rather than by the Serkowski law for Galactic interstellar polarization. These points suggest that the nature of the dust in M82 may be different from that in our Galaxy, with polarizing dust grains having a mean radius of <0.1 mum.
The unusual helium-rich (type Ib) supernova SN 2005E is distinguished from all supernovae hitherto observed by its faint and rapidly fading light curve, prominent calcium lines in late-phase spectra ...and lack of any mark of recent star formation near the supernova location. These properties are claimed to be explained by a helium detonation in a thin surface layer of an accreting white dwarf. Here we report that the observed properties of SN 2005cz, which appeared in an elliptical galaxy, resemble those of SN 2005E. We argue that these properties are best explained by a core-collapse supernova at the low-mass end (8–12 solar masses) of the range of massive stars that explode. Such a low-mass progenitor lost its hydrogen-rich envelope through binary interaction, had very thin oxygen-rich and silicon-rich layers above the collapsing core, and accordingly ejected a very small amount of radioactive 56Ni and oxygen. Although the host galaxy NGC 4589 is an elliptical, some studies have revealed evidence of recent star-formation activity, consistent with the core-collapse model.
ABSTRACT
We present the results based on photometric (Swift UVOT), broad-band polarimetric (V and Rbands) and optical spectroscopic observations of the Type IIn supernova (SN) 2017hcc. Our study is ...supplemented with spectropolarimetric data available in literature for this event. The post-peak light-curve evolution is slow (∼0.2 mag 100 d−1 in b band). The spectrum of ∼+27 d shows a blue continuum with narrow emission lines, typical of a Type IIn SN. Archival polarization data along with the Gaia DR2 distances have been utilized to evaluate the interstellar polarization (ISP) towards the SN direction which is found to be PISP = 0.17 ± 0.02 per cent and θISP = 140° ± 3°. To extract the intrinsic polarization of SN 2017hcc, both the observed and the literature polarization measurements were corrected for ISP. We noticed a significant decline of ∼3.5 per cent (V band) in the intrinsic level of polarization spanning a period of ∼2 months. In contrast, the intrinsic polarization angles remain nearly constant at all epochs. Our study indicates a substantial variation in the degree of asymmetry in either the ejecta and/or the surrounding medium of SN 2017hcc. We also estimate a mass-loss rate of $\dot{M}$ = 0.12 M⊙ yr−1 (for v$\mathrm{ w}$ = 20 km s−1) which suggests that the progenitor of SN 2017hcc is most likely a luminous blue variable.
Previous detections of individual astrophysical sources of neutrinos are limited to the Sun and the supernova 1987A, whereas the origins of the diffuse flux of high-energy cosmic neutrinos remain ...unidentified. On 22 September 2017, we detected a high-energy neutrino, IceCube-170922A, with an energy of ~290 tera-electron volts. Its arrival direction was consistent with the location of a known γ-ray blazar, TXS 0506+056, observed to be in a flaring state. An extensive multiwavelength campaign followed, ranging from radio frequencies to γ-rays. These observations characterize the variability and energetics of the blazar and include the detection of TXS 0506+056 in very-high-energy γ-rays. This observation of a neutrino in spatial coincidence with a γ-ray-emitting blazar during an active phase suggests that blazars may be a source of high-energy neutrinos.
Early-time optical observations of supernova (SN) 2005cs in the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) are reported. Photometric data suggest that SN 2005cs is a moderately underluminous Type II plateau SN (SN IIP). ...The SN was unusually blue at early epochs (U−B≈−0.9 about three days after explosion) which indicates very high continuum temperatures. The spectra show relatively narrow P Cygni features, suggesting ejecta velocities lower than observed in more typical SNe IIP. The earliest spectra show weak absorption features in the blue wing of the He i 5876-Å absorption component and, less clearly, of Hβ and Hα. Based on spectral modelling, two different interpretations can be proposed: these features may either be due to high-velocity H and He i components, or (more likely) be produced by different ions (N ii, Si ii). Analogies with the low-luminosity, 56Ni-poor, low-velocity SNe IIP are also discussed. While a more extended spectral coverage is necessary in order to determine accurately the properties of the progenitor star, published estimates of the progenitor mass seem not to be consistent with stellar evolution models.
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