Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21543019c&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #430.19; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.359
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We discuss our observations and preliminary results on the recent Type IIn supernova SN 2008am discovered by the ROTSE RSVP program. SN 2008am peaked at MR=-22.3 at a redshift of z=0.234, approximately 50 rest-frame days after the explosion, making it one of the most luminous supernovae ever observed. We obtained photometric observations all the way from the ultraviolet (Swift UVOT) to the optical (P60) and infrared bands (J,H,K PAIRITEL) which helped us constrain the SED evolution of the supernova. We also obtained five Keck and HET-LRS optical spectra within the first year after maxmimum. The optical light curve of SN 2008am shows a very slow decay at late times ( 0.006 mag/d), which is slightly slower than the expected decay of cobalt (0.01 mag/d). The spectrum of SN 2008am shows strong narrow hydrogen features in emission as well as helium (He I 5876A) emission in the first 40 rest frame days after optical maximum. These features suggest an ejecta-circumstellar matter (CSM) interaction interpretation to account for the large total radiated energy ( 2 x1051 ergs). Models in which the supernova is powered only by the radioactive decay of nickel or by a progenitor that suffered pair-instability in its core are inconsistent. We propose a model for SN 2008am in which the pseudo-bolometric light curve is powered by the interaction of the ejecta the CSM envelope.
Akerlof Carl
Bloom Josh S.
Chatzopoulos Emmanouil
Foley Ryan J.
Miller Alexander
No associations
LandOfFree
SN2008am: An over Luminous Type-IIn Supernova at a Redshift of 0.234 does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with SN2008am: An over Luminous Type-IIn Supernova at a Redshift of 0.234, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and SN2008am: An over Luminous Type-IIn Supernova at a Redshift of 0.234 will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-968096