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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Testing ΛCDM at the lowest redshifts with SN Ia and galaxy velocities

Peculiar velocities of objects in the nearby universe are correlated due to the gravitational pull of large-scale structure. By measuring these velocities, we have a unique opportunity to test the cosmological model at the lowest redshifts. We perform this test, using current data to constrain the amplitude of the "signal" covariance matrix describing the velocities and their correlations. We consider a new, well-calibrated "Supercal" set of low-redshift SNe Ia as well as a set of distances derived from the fundamental plane relation of 6dFGS galaxies. Here, analyzing the SN and galaxy data separately, both results are consistent with the peculiar velocity signal of our fiducial ΛCDM model, ruling out the noise-only model with zero peculiar velocities at greater than 7σ (SNe) and 8σ (galaxies). When the two data sets are combined appropriately, the precision of the test increases slightly, resulting in a constraint on the signal amplitude of A = 1.05 -0.21 +0.25 where A = 1 corresponds to our fiducial model. Equivalently, we report an 11% measurement of the product of the growth rate and amplitude of mass fluctuations evaluated at z eff = 0.02, f σ 8 = 0.428 -0.045 +0.048 , valid for our fiducial ΛCDM model. Here, we explore the robustness of the results to a number of conceivable variations in the analysis and find that individual variations shift the preferred signal amplitude by less than ~0.5σ. We briefly discuss our Supercal SN Ia results in comparison with our previous results using the JLA compilation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

HOW TO FIND GRAVITATIONALLY LENSED TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) that are multiply imaged by gravitational lensing can extend the SN Ia Hubble diagram to very high redshifts ( z ≳ 2), probe potential SN Ia evolution, and deliver high-precision constraints on H {sub 0}, w , and Ω{sub m} via time delays. However, only one, iPTF16geu, has been found to date, and many more are needed to achieve these goals. To increase the multiply imaged SN Ia discovery rate, we present a simple algorithm for identifying gravitationally lensed SN Ia candidates in cadenced, wide-field optical imaging surveys. The technique is to look for supernovae that appear to be hosted by elliptical galaxies, but that have absolute magnitudes implied by the apparent hosts’ photometric redshifts that are far brighter than the absolute magnitudes of normal SNe Ia (the brightest type of supernovae found in elliptical galaxies). Importantly, this purely photometric method does not require the ability to resolve the lensed images for discovery. Active galactic nuclei, the primary sources of contamination that affect the method, can be controlled using catalog cross-matches and color cuts. Highly magnified core-collapse SNe will also be discovered as a byproduct of the method. Using a Monte Carlo simulation, we forecast that the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope can discover up to 500 multiply imaged SNe Ia using this technique in a 10 year z -band search, more than an order of magnitude improvement over previous estimates. We also predict that the Zwicky Transient Facility should find up to 10 multiply imaged SNe Ia using this technique in a 3 year R -band search—despite the fact that this survey will not resolve a single system.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

ZTF SN Ia DR2 follow-up: Exploring the origin of the Type Ia supernova host galaxy step through Si II velocities

The relation between Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and the stellar masses of their host galaxy is well documented. In particular, Hubble residuals display a distinct luminosity shift based on host mass. This is known as the mass step. This effect is widely used as an additional correction factor in the standardisation of SN Ia luminosities. We investigate the Hubble residuals and the mass step of normal SNe Ia in the context of Si IIλ6355 velocities based on 277 normal SNe Ia that are near their peak in the second data release (DR2) of the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF). We divided the sample into high-velocity (HV) and normal-velocity (NV) SNe Ia, separated at 12,000 km s −1 . This produced a sample of 70 HV and 207 NV objects. We then explored potential environment- and/or progenitor-related effects by investigating the Si IIλ6355 velocities with parameters such as the light-curve stretch x 1 , the colour c, and the host galaxy properties. Although we only find a marginal difference between the Hubble residuals of HV and NV SNe Ia, the NV mass step is 0.149 ± 0.024 mag (6.3σ). The HV mass step is smaller, 0.046 ± 0.041 mag (1.1σ), and is consistent with zero. The difference between the NV and HV mass steps is modest, at ∼2.2σ. Moreover, the clearest subtype difference appears for SNe in central regions (d DLR < 1), where NV SNe Ia show a large mass step, whereas HV SNe Ia are consistent with no step, yielding a difference of 3.1–3.6σ between NV and HV SNe Ia. We observe a host-colour step for both subtypes. NV SNe Ia show a step of 0.142 ± 0.024 mag (5.9σ), while HV SNe Ia show a step of 0.158 ± 0.042 mag (3.8σ), where the HV SNe Ia step appears to be larger, but the significance is lower because the sample size is smaller. Overall, the NV and HV colour steps are statistically consistent. HV SNe Ia also show modest (∼2.5–3σ) steps in certain subsets, such as those in outer regions (d DLR > 1), whereas NV SNe display stronger environmental trends. Our results indicate that NV SNe Ia appear to be more environmentally sensitive, particularly in central likely metal-rich and older regions, while HV SNe Ia show weaker and subset-dependent trends. This suggests that applying a universal mass-step correction might introduce biases, and that incorporating refined classifications and/or environment-dependent factors, such as the location within the host, might improve future cosmological analyses beyond the standard x 1 and c cuts.

supernovae: general↗
DOE OSTI2025

ZTF SN Ia DR2: An environmental study of Type Ia supernovae using host galaxy image decomposition

The second data release of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) observed by the Zwicky Transient Facility has provided a homogeneous sample of 3628 SNe Ia with photometric and spectral information. This unprecedented sample size enables us to better explore our currently tentative understanding of the dependence of the host environment on SN Ia properties. In this paper, we make use of two-dimensional image decomposition to model the host galaxies of SNe Ia. We model elliptical galaxies as well as disc and spiral galaxies with or without central bulges and bars. This allows for the categorisation of SN Ia based on their morphological host environment, as well as the extraction of intrinsic galaxy properties corrected for both cosmological and atmospheric effects, through point-spread-function (PSF) convolution. We find that although this image decomposition technique leads to a significant bias towards elliptical galaxies in our final sample of processed galaxies, the overall results are still robust. By successfully modelling 728 host galaxies, we find that the photometric properties of SNe Ia found in discs and in elliptical galaxies correlate fundamentally differently with their host environment. We identified strong linear relations between light-curve stretch and our model-derived galaxy colour for both the elliptical (16.8σ) and disc (5.1σ) subpopulations of SNe Ia. Lower-stretch SNe Ia are found in redder environments, which we identify as an age and/or metallicity effect. Within the subpopulation of SNe Ia found in disc-containing galaxies, we find a significant linear trend (6.1σ) between light-curve stretch and model-derived local r-band surface brightness, which we link to the age and metallicity gradients found in disc galaxies. SN Ia colour shows little correlation with the host environment, as is seen in the literature. We do identify a possible dust effect in our model-derived surface brightness (3.3σ) for SNe Ia in disc galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Type Ia supernovae from merging white dwarfs. I. Prompt detonations

Merging white dwarfs are a possible progenitor of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). Numerical models suggest that a detonation might be initiated before the stars have coalesced to form a single compact object. Here we study such prompt detonations by means of numerical simulations, modeling the disruption and nucleosynthesis of the stars until the ejecta reach the coasting phase, and generating synthetic light curves and spectra. Three models are considered with primary masses 0.96 M {sub ☉}, 1.06 M {sub ☉}, and 1.20 M {sub ☉}. Of these, the 0.96 M {sub ☉} dwarf merging with a 0.81 M {sub ☉} companion, with an {sup 56}Ni yield of 0.58 M {sub ☉}, is the most promising candidate for reproducing common SNe Ia. The more massive mergers produce unusually luminous SNe Ia with peak luminosities approaching those attributed to 'super-Chandrasekhar' mass SNe Ia. While the synthetic light curves and spectra of some of the models resemble observed SNe Ia, the significant asymmetry of the ejecta leads to large orientation effects. The peak bolometric luminosity varies by more than a factor of two with the viewing angle, and the velocities of the spectral absorption features are lower when observed from angles where the light curve is brightest. The largest orientation effects are seen in the ultraviolet, where the flux varies by more than an order of magnitude. The set of three models roughly obeys a width-luminosity relation, with the brighter light curves declining more slowly in the B band. Spectral features due to unburned carbon from the secondary star are also seen in some cases.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Cosmological parameter uncertainties from SALT-II type Ia supernova light curve models

We use simulated type Ia supernova (SN Ia) samples, including both photometry and spectra, to perform the first direct validation of cosmology analysis using the SALT-II light curve model. This validation includes residuals from the light curve training process, systematic biases in SN Ia distance measurements, and a bias on the dark energy equation of state parameter w. Using the SN-analysis package SNANA, we simulate and analyze realistic samples corresponding to the data samples used in the SNLS3 analysis: ∼120 low-redshift (z < 0.1) SNe Ia, ∼255 Sloan Digital Sky Survey SNe Ia (z < 0.4), and ∼290 SNLS SNe Ia (z ≤ 1). To probe systematic uncertainties in detail, we vary the input spectral model, the model of intrinsic scatter, and the smoothing (i.e., regularization) parameters used during the SALT-II model training. Using realistic intrinsic scatter models results in a slight bias in the ultraviolet portion of the trained SALT-II model, and w biases (w {sub input} – w {sub recovered}) ranging from –0.005 ± 0.012 to –0.024 ± 0.010. These biases are indistinguishable from each other within the uncertainty; the average bias on w is –0.014 ± 0.007.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

First Cosmology Results using Type Ia Supernovae from the Dark Energy Survey: Constraints on Cosmological Parameters

We present the first cosmological parameter constraints using measurements of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the Dark Energy Survey Supernova Program (DES-SN). The analysis uses a subsample of 207 spectroscopically confirmed SNe. Ia from the first three years of DES-SN, combined with a low-redshift sample of 122 SNe from the literature. Our "DES-SN3YR" result from these 329 SNe. Ia is based on a series of companion analyses and improvements covering SN. Ia discovery, spectroscopic selection, photometry, calibration, distance bias corrections, and evaluation of systematic uncertainties. For a flat Lambda CDM model we find a matter density Omega(m) = 0.331 +/- 0.038. For a flat wCDM model, and combining our SN. Ia constraints with those from the cosmic microwave background (CMB), we find a dark energy equation of state w = -0.978 +/- 0.059, and Omega(m) = 0.321 +/- 0.018. For a flat w(0)w(a)CDM model, and combining probes from SN. Ia, CMB and baryon acoustic oscillations, we find w(0) = -0.885 +/- 0.114 and w(a) = -0.387 +/- 0.430. These results are in agreement with a cosmological constant and with previous constraints using SNe. Ia (Pantheon, JLA).

dark energy↗
DOE OSTI2014

Type Ia supernovae from merging white dwarfs. II. Post-merger detonations

Merging carbon-oxygen (CO) white dwarfs are a promising progenitor system for Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), but the underlying physics and timing of the detonation are still debated. If an explosion occurs after the secondary star is fully disrupted, the exploding primary will expand into a dense CO medium that may still have a disk-like structure. This interaction will decelerate and distort the ejecta. Here we carry out multidimensional simulations of 'tamped' SN Ia models, using both particle and grid-based codes to study the merger and explosion dynamics and a radiative transfer code to calculate synthetic spectra and light curves. We find that post-merger explosions exhibit an hourglass-shaped asymmetry, leading to strong variations in the light curves with viewing angle. The two most important factors affecting the outcome are the scale height of the disk, which depends sensitively on the binary mass ratio, and the total {sup 56}Ni yield, which is governed by the central density of the remnant core. The synthetic broadband light curves rise and decline very slowly, and the spectra generally look peculiar, with weak features from intermediate mass elements but relatively strong carbon absorption. We also consider the effects of the viscous evolution of the remnant and show that a longer time delay between merger and explosion probably leads to larger {sup 56}Ni yields and more symmetrical remnants. We discuss the relevance of this class of aspherical 'tamped' SN Ia for explaining the class of 'super-Chandrasekhar' SN Ia.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

SDSS-II SUPERNOVA SURVEY: AN ANALYSIS OF THE LARGEST SAMPLE OF TYPE IA SUPERNOVAE AND CORRELATIONS WITH HOST-GALAXY SPECTRAL PROPERTIES

Using the largest single-survey sample of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) to date, we study the relationship between properties of SNe Ia and those of their host galaxies, focusing primarily on correlations with Hubble residuals (HRs). Our sample consists of 345 photometrically classified or spectroscopically confirmed SNe Ia discovered as part of the SDSS-II Supernova Survey (SDSS-SNS). This analysis utilizes host-galaxy spectroscopy obtained during the SDSS-I/II spectroscopic survey and from an ancillary program on the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey that obtained spectra for nearly all host galaxies of SDSS-II SN candidates. In addition, we use photometric host-galaxy properties from the SDSS-SNS data release such as host stellar mass and star formation rate. We confirm the well-known relation between HR and host-galaxy mass and find a 3.6 σ significance of a nonzero linear slope. We also recover correlations between HR and host-galaxy gas-phase metallicity and specific star formation rate as they are reported in the literature. With our large data set, we examine correlations between HR and multiple host-galaxy properties simultaneously and find no evidence of a significant correlation. We also independently analyze our spectroscopically confirmed and photometrically classified SNe Ia and comment on the significance of similar combined data sets for future surveys.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

A Chandrasekhar mass progenitor for the Type Ia supernova remnant 3C 397 from the enhanced abundances of nickel and manganese

Despite decades of intense efforts, many fundamental aspects of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) remain elusive. One of the major open questions is whether the mass of an exploding white dwarf (WD) is close to the Chandrasekhar limit. Here, we report the detection of strong K-shell emission from stable Fe-peak elements in the Suzaku X-ray spectrum of the Type Ia supernova remnant (SNR) 3C 397. The high Ni/Fe and Mn/Fe mass ratios (0.11–0.24 and 0.018–0.033, respectively) in the hot plasma component that dominates the K-shell emission lines indicate a degree of neutronization in the supernova ejecta that can only be achieved by electron capture in the dense cores of exploding WDs with a near-Chandrasekhar mass. This suggests a single-degenerate origin for 3C 397, since Chandrasekhar mass progenitors are expected naturally if the WD accretes mass slowly from a companion. Altogether with other results supporting the double-degenerate scenario, our work adds to the mounting evidence that both progenitor channels make a significant contribution to the SN Ia rate in star-forming galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

AGAINST THE WIND: RADIO LIGHT CURVES OF TYPE IA SUPERNOVAE INTERACTING WITH LOW-DENSITY CIRCUMSTELLAR SHELLS

For decades a wide variety of observations spanning the radio through optical and on to the X-ray have attempted to uncover signs of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) interacting with a circumstellar medium (CSM). The goal of these studies is to constrain the nature of the hypothesized SN Ia mass-donor companion. A continuous CSM is typically assumed when interpreting observations of interaction. However, while such models have been successfully applied to core-collapse SNe, the assumption of continuity may not be accurate for SNe Ia, because shells of CSM could be formed by pre-supernova eruptions (novae). In this work, we model the interaction of SNe with a spherical, low-density, finite-extent CSM and create a suite of synthetic radio synchrotron light curves. We find that CSM shells produce sharply peaked light curves. We also identify a fiducial set of models that obey a common evolution and can be used to generate radio light curves for an interaction with an arbitrary shell. The relations obeyed by the fiducial models can be used to deduce CSM properties from radio observations; we demonstrate this by applying them to the nondetections of SN 2011fe and SN 2014J. Finally, we explore a multiple shell CSM configuration and describe its more complicated dynamics and the resultant radio light curves.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

First Cosmology Results Using SNe Ia from the Dark Energy Survey: Analysis, Systematic Uncertainties, and Validation [First Cosmology Results Using Type IA Supernovae from the Dark Energy Survey: Analysis, Systematic Uncertainties, and Validation]

We present the analysis underpinning the measurement of cosmological parameters from 207 spectroscopically classified SNe Ia from the first 3 years of the Dark Energy Survey Supernova Program (DES-SN), spanning a redshift range of 0.017 < z < 0.849. We combine the DES-SN sample with an external sample of 122 low-redshift (z < 0.1) SNe Ia, resulting in a "DES-SN3YR" sample of 329 SNe Ia. Our cosmological analyses are blinded: after combining our DES-SN3YR distances with constraints from the Cosmic Microwave Background, our uncertainties in the measurement of the dark energy equation-of-state parameter, w, are 0.042 (stat) and 0.059 (stat+syst) at 68% confidence. We provide a detailed systematic uncertainty budget, which has nearly equal contributions from photometric calibration, astrophysical bias corrections, and instrumental bias corrections. We also include several new sources of systematic uncertainty. While our sample is less than one-third the size of the Pantheon sample, our constraints on w are only larger by 1.4×, showing the impact of the DES-SN Ia light-curve quality. We find that the traditional stretch and color standardization parameters of the DES-SNe Ia are in agreement with earlier SN Ia samples such as Pan-STARRS1 and the Supernova Legacy Survey. However, we find smaller intrinsic scatter about the Hubble diagram (0.077 mag). Interestingly, we find no evidence for a Hubble residual step (0.007 ± 0.018 mag) as a function of host-galaxy mass for the DES subset, in 2.4σ tension with previous measurements. In conclusion, we also present novel validation methods of our sample using simulated SNe Ia inserted in DECam images and using large catalog-level simulations to test for biases in our analysis pipelines.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

First Cosmology Results using Supernovae Ia from the Dark Energy Survey: Survey Overview, Performance, and Supernova Spectroscopy

We present details on the observing strategy, data-processing techniques, and spectroscopic targeting algorithms for the first three years of operation for the Dark Energy Survey Supernova Program (DES-SN). This five-year program using the Dark Energy Camera mounted on the 4 m Blanco telescope in Chile was designed to discover and follow supernovae (SNe) Ia over a wide redshift range (0.05 < z < 1.2) to measure the equation-of-state parameter of dark energy. We describe the SN program in full: strategy, observations, data reduction, spectroscopic follow-up observations, and classification. From three seasons of data, we have discovered 12,015 likely SNe, 308 of which have been spectroscopically confirmed, including 251 SNe Ia over a redshift range of 0.017 < z < 0.85. We determine the effective spectroscopic selection function for our sample and use it to investigate the redshift-dependent bias on the distance moduli of SNe Ia we have classified. The data presented here are used for the first cosmology analysis by DES-SN (“DES-SN3YR”), the results of which are given in Dark Energy Survey Collaboration et al. The 489 spectra that are used to define the DES-SN3YR sample are publicly available at https://des.ncsa.illinois.edu/releases/sn.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

IMPROVING COSMOLOGICAL DISTANCE MEASUREMENTS USING TWIN TYPE IA SUPERNOVAE

We introduce a method for identifying “twin” Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and using them to improve distance measurements. This novel approach to SN Ia standardization is made possible by spectrophotometric time series observations from the Nearby Supernova Factory (SNfactory). We begin with a well-measured set of SNe, find pairs whose spectra match well across the entire optical window, and then test whether this leads to a smaller dispersion in their absolute brightnesses. This analysis is completed in a blinded fashion, ensuring that decisions made in implementing the method do not inadvertently bias the result. We find that pairs of SNe with more closely matched spectra indeed have reduced brightness dispersion. We are able to standardize this initial set of SNfactory SNe to 0.083 ± 0.012 mag, implying a dispersion of 0.072 ± 0.010 mag in the absence of peculiar velocities. We estimate that with larger numbers of comparison SNe, e.g., using the final SNfactory spectrophotometric data set as a reference, this method will be capable of standardizing high-redshift SNe to within 0.06–0.07 mag. These results imply that at least 3/4 of the variance in Hubble residuals in current SN cosmology analyses is due to previously unaccounted-for astrophysical differences among the SNe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

A UNIFORM CONTRIBUTION OF CORE-COLLAPSE AND TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE TO THE CHEMICAL ENRICHMENT PATTERN IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE VIRGO CLUSTER

We present the first measurements of the abundances of α-elements (Mg, Si, and S) extending out beyond the virial radius of a cluster of galaxies. Our results, based on Suzaku Key Project observations of the Virgo Cluster, show that the chemical composition of the intracluster medium is consistent with being constant on large scales, with a flat distribution of the Si/Fe, S/Fe, and Mg/Fe ratios as a function of radius and azimuth out to 1.4 Mpc (1.3 r{sub 200}). Chemical enrichment of the intergalactic medium due solely to core-collapse supernovae (SNcc) is excluded with very high significance; instead, the measured metal abundance ratios are generally consistent with the solar value. The uniform metal abundance ratios observed today are likely the result of an early phase of enrichment and mixing, with both SNcc and SNe Ia contributing to the metal budget during the period of peak star formation activity at redshifts of 2–3. We estimate the ratio between the number of SNe Ia and the total number of supernovae enriching the intergalactic medium to be between 12% and 37%, broadly consistent with the metal abundance patterns in our own Galaxy or with the SN Ia contribution estimated for the cluster cores.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Spectral Sequences of Type Ia Supernovae. I. Connecting Normal and Subluminous SNe Ia and the Presence of Unburned Carbon

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are generally agreed to arise from thermonuclear explosions of carbon–oxygen white dwarfs. The actual path to explosion, however, remains elusive, with numerous plausible parent systems and explosion mechanisms suggested. Observationally, SNe Ia have multiple subclasses, distinguished by their light curves and spectra. This raises the question of whether these indicate that multiple mechanisms occur in nature or that explosions have a large but continuous range of physical properties. We revisit the idea that normal and 91bg-like SNe can be understood as part of a spectral sequence in which changes in temperature dominate. Specifically, we find that a single ejecta structure is sufficient to provide reasonable fits of both the normal SN Ia SN 2011fe and the 91bg-like SN 2005bl, provided that the luminosity and thus temperature of the ejecta are adjusted appropriately. This suggests that the outer layers of the ejecta are similar, thus providing some support for a common explosion mechanism. Our spectral sequence also helps to shed light on the conditions under which carbon can be detected in premaximum SN Ia spectra—we find that emission from iron can “fill in” the carbon trough in cool SNe Ia. This may indicate that the outer layers of the ejecta of events in which carbon is detected are relatively metal-poor compared to events in which carbon is not detected.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

ZTF SN Ia DR2: Improved SN Ia colors through expanded dimensionality with SALT3+

Context. Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are a key probe in modern cosmology, as they can be used to measure luminosity distances at gigaparsec scales. Models of their light curves are used to project heterogeneous observed data onto a common basis for analysis. Aims. The SALT model currently used for SN Ia cosmology describes SNe as having two sources of variability, accounted for by a color parameter c , and a “stretch” parameter x 1 . We extend the model to include an additional parameter we label x 2 , to investigate the cosmological impact of currently unaddressed light-curve variability. Methods. We constructed a new SALT model, that we dub “SALT3+”. This model was trained by an improved version of the SALTshaker code, using training data combining a selection of the second data release of cosmological SNe Ia from the Zwicky Transient Facility and the existing SALT3 training compilation. Results. We find additional, coherent variability in supernova light curves beyond SALT3. Most of this variation can be described as phase-dependent variation in g − r and r − i color curves, correlated with a boost in the height of the secondary maximum in i -band. These behaviors correlate with spectral differences, particularly in line velocity. We find that fits with the existing SALT3 model tend to address this excess variation with the color parameter, leading to less informative measurements of supernova color. We find that neglecting the new parameter in light-curve fits leads to a trend in Hubble residuals with x 2 of 0.039 ± 0.005 mag, representing a potential systematic uncertainty. However, we find no evidence of a bias in current cosmological measurements. Conclusions. We conclude that extended SN Ia light-curve models promise mild improvement in the accuracy of color measurements, and corresponding cosmological precision. However, models with more parameters are unlikely to substantially affect current cosmological results.

Kenworthy, W. D. (ORCID:0000000251535983)↗
DOE OSTI2017

PTF11kx: A Type Ia Supernova with Hydrogen Emission Persisting after 3.5 Years

The optical transient PTF11kx exhibited both the characteristic spectral features of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and the signature of ejecta interacting with circumstellar material (CSM) containing hydrogen, indicating the presence of a nondegenerate companion. In this paper, we present an optical spectrum at 1342 days after peak from Keck Observatory, in which the broad component of Hα emission persists with a similar profile as in early-time observations. We also present Spitzer IRAC detections obtained 1237 and 1818 days after peak, and an upper limit from Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet imaging at 2133 days. We interpret our late-time observations in the context of published results—and reinterpret the early-time observations—in order to constrain the CSM's physical parameters and to compare to theoretical predictions for recurrent-nova systems. We find that the CSM's radial extent may be several times the distance between the star and the CSM's inner edge, and that the CSM column density may be two orders of magnitude lower than previous estimates. We show that the Hα luminosity decline is similar to other SNe with CSM interaction and demonstrate how our infrared photometry is evidence for newly formed, collisionally heated dust. We create a model for PTF11kx's late-time CSM interaction and find that X-ray reprocessing by photoionization and recombination cannot reproduce the observed Hα luminosity, suggesting that the X-rays are thermalized and that Hα radiates from collisional excitation. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of our results regarding the progenitor scenario and the geometric properties of the CSM for the PTF11kx system.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗