We present comprehensive photometric and spectroscopic observations of the faint transient SN 2008S discovered in the nearby galaxy NGC 6946. SN 2008S exhibited slow photometric evolution and almost no spectral variability during the first nine months, implying a long photon diffusion time and a high-density circumstellar medium. Its bolometric luminosity (≃10^(41) erg s^(−)1 at peak) is low with respect to most core-collapse supernovae but is comparable to the faintest Type II-P events. Our quasi-bolometric light curve extends to 300 d and shows a tail phase decay rate consistent with that of ^(56)Co. We propose that this is evidence for an explosion and formation of ^(56)Ni (0.0014 ± 0.0003 M_⊙). Spectra of SN 2008S show intense emission lines of Hα, [Ca ii] doublet and Ca ii near-infrared (NIR) triplet, all without obvious P-Cygni absorption troughs. The large mid-infrared (MIR) flux detected shortly after explosion can be explained by a light echo from pre-existing dust. The late NIR flux excess is plausibly due to a combination of warm newly formed ejecta dust together with shock-heated dust in the circumstellar environment. We reassess the progenitor object detected previously in Spitzer archive images, supplementing this discussion with a model of the MIR spectral energy distribution. This supports the idea of a dusty, optically thick shell around SN 2008S with an inner radius of nearly 90 au and outer radius of 450 au, and an inferred heating source of 3000 K. The luminosity of the central star is L ≃ 10^(4.6) L_⊙ . All the nearby progenitor dust was likely evaporated in the explosion leaving only the much older dust lying further out in the circumstellar environment. The combination of our long-term multiwavelength monitoring data and the evidence from the progenitor analysis leads us to support the scenario of a weak electron-capture supernova explosion in a super-asymptotic giant branch progenitor star (of initial mass 6–8 M_⊙ ) embedded within a thick circumstellar gaseous envelope. We suggest that all of main properties of the electron-capture SN phenomenon are observed in SN 2008S and future observations may allow a definitive answer.

https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/30866/1/Botticella_MonNotRAstronSoc_2009_AM_V.pdf

SN 2008S: An electron-capture SN from a super-AGB progenitor?

We present ultraviolet (UV) observations of supernovae (SNe) obtained with the UltraViolet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) on board the Swift spacecraft. This is the largest sample of UV light curves from any single instrument and covers all major SN types and most subtypes. The UV light curves of SNe Ia are fairly homogenous, while SNe Ib/c and IIP show more variety in their light-curve shapes. The UV-optical colors clearly differentiate SNe Ia and IIP, particularly at early times. The color evolution of SNe IIP, however, makes their colors similar to SNe Ia at about 20 days after explosion. SNe Ib/c are shown to have varied UV-optical colors. The use of UV colors to help type SNe will be important for high-redshift SNe discovered in optical observations. These data can be added to ground-based optical and near infrared data to create bolometric light curves of individual objects and as checks on generic bolometric corrections used in the absence of UV data. This sample can also be compared with rest-frame UV observations of high-redshift SNe observed at optical wavelengths.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0004-6256/137/5/4517/pdf

Ultraviolet light curves of supernovae with the swift ultraviolet/optical telescope

We report on our early photometric and spectroscopic observations of the extremely luminous Type II supernova (SN) 2008es. SN 2008es, with an observed peak optical magnitude of mV = 17.8 and at a redshift z = 0.213, has a peak absolute magnitude of MV = -22.3, making it the second most luminous SN ever observed. The photometric evolution of SN 2008es exhibits a fast decline rate ( 0.042 mag d-1), similar to the extremely luminous Type II-Linear (II-L) SN 2005ap. We show that SN 2008es spectroscopically resembles the luminous Type II-L SN 1979C. Although the spectra of SN 2008es lack the narrow and intermediate-width line emission typically associated with the interaction of an SN with the circumstellar medium of its progenitor star, we argue that the extreme luminosity of SN 2008es is powered via strong interaction with a dense, optically thick circumstellar medium. The integrated bolometric luminosity of SN 2008es yields a total radiated energy at ultraviolet and optical wavelengths of ≳ 1051 erg. Finally, we examine the apparently anomalous rate at which the Texas Supernova Search has discovered rare kinds of SNe, including the five most luminous SNe observed to date, and find that their results are consistent with those of other modern SN searches. © 2009. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

/pdf/the-exceptionally-luminous-type-ii-linear-supernova-2008es-t917n9rta6.pdf

THE EXCEPTIONALLY LUMINOUS TYPE II-LINEAR SUPERNOVA 2008es

The interaction between supernova ejecta and circumstellar matter, arising from previous episodes of mass loss, provides us with a means of constraining the progenitors of supernovae. Radio observations of a number of supernovae show quasi-periodic deviations from a strict power-law decline at late times. Although several possibilities have been put forward to explain these modulations, no single explanation has proven to be entirely satisfactory. Here we suggest that Luminous blue variables undergoing S-Doradus type variations give rise to enhanced phases of mass loss that are imprinted on the immediate environment of the exploding star as a series of density enhancements. The variations in mass loss arise from changes in the ionization balance of Fe, the dominant ion that drives the wind. With this idea, we find that both the recurrence timescale of the variability and the amplitude of the modulations are in line with the observations. Our scenario thus provides a natural, single-star explanation for the observed behaviour that is, in fact, expected on theoretical grounds.

/pdf/luminous-blue-variables-as-the-progenitors-of-supernovae-2zif8w0iju.pdf

Luminous blue variables as the progenitors of supernovae with quasi-periodic radio modulations

We present late-time near-infrared (NIR) and optical observations of the Type IIn SN 1998S. The NIR photometry spans 333-1242 d after explosion, while the NIR and optical spectra cover 333-1191 and 305-1093 d, respectively. The NIR photometry extends to the M' band (4.7 mum), making SN 1998S only the second ever supernova for which such a long IR wavelength has been detected. The shape and evolution of the H and He I 1.083-mum line profiles indicate a powerful interaction with a progenitor wind, as well as providing evidence of dust condensation within the ejecta. The latest optical spectrum suggests that the wind had been flowing for at least 430 yr. The intensity and rise of the HK continuum towards longer wavelengths together with the relatively bright L' and M' magnitudes show that the NIR emission was due to hot dust newly formed in the ejecta and/or pre-existing dust in the progenitor circumstellar medium (CSM). The NIR spectral energy distribution (SED) at about 1 yr is well described by a single-temperature blackbody spectrum at about 1200 K. The temperature declines over subsequent epochs. After similar to2 yr, the blackbody matches are less successful, probably indicating an increasing range of temperatures in the emission regions. Fits to the SEDs achieved with blackbodies weighted with lambda(-1) or lambda(-2) emissivity are almost always less successful. Possible origins for the NIR emission are considered. Significant radioactive heating of ejecta dust is ruled out, as is shock X-ray-precursor heating of CSM dust. More plausible sources are (a) an IR echo from CSM dust driven by the ultraviolet/optical peak luminosity, and (b) emission from newly-condensed dust which formed within a cool, dense shell produced by the ejecta shock/CSM interaction. We argue that the evidence favours the condensing dust hypothesis, although an IR echo is not ruled out. Within the condensing-dust scenario, the IR luminosity indicates the presence of at least 10(-3) M. of dust in the ejecta, and probably considerably more. Finally, we show that the late-time (K-L')(0) evolution of Type II supernovae may provide a useful tool for determining the presence or absence of a massive CSM around their progenitor stars.

/pdf/on-the-source-of-the-late-time-infrared-luminosity-of-sn-4smisckq05.pdf

G. S. W. Pollard

Papers

Coordinated optical, ultraviolet, radio and X-ray observations of SN 1979c in M 100.