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Hubble Space Telescope spectra of the Type Ia supernova SN 2011fe: a tail of low-density, high-velocity material with Z <Z

Hubble Space Telescope spectra of the Type Ia supernova SN 2011fe: a tail of low-density, high-velocity material with Z <Z
Hubble Space Telescope spectra of the Type Ia supernova SN 2011fe: a tail of low-density, high-velocity material with Z <Z
Hubble Space Telescope spectroscopic observations of the nearby Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) SN 2011fe, taken on 10 epochs from ?13.1 to +40.8 d relative to B-band maximum light, and spanning the far-ultraviolet (UV) to the near-infrared (IR) are presented. This spectroscopic coverage makes SN 2011fe the best-studied local SN Ia to date. SN 2011fe is a typical moderately luminous SN Ia with no evidence for dust extinction. Its near-UV spectral properties are representative of a larger sample of local events (Maguire et al.). The near-UV to optical spectra of SN 2011fe are modelled with a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code using the technique of ‘abundance tomography’, constraining the density structure and the abundance stratification in the SN ejecta. SN 2011fe was a relatively weak explosion, with moderate Fe-group yields. The density structures of the classical model W7 and of a delayed detonation model were tested. Both have shortcomings. An ad hoc density distribution was developed which yields improved fits and is characterized by a high-velocity tail, which is absent in W7. However, this tail contains less mass than delayed detonation models. This improved model has a lower energy than one-dimensional explosion models matching typical SNe Ia (e.g. W7, WDD1; Iwamoto et al.). The derived Fe abundance in the outermost layer is consistent with the metallicity at the SN explosion site in M101 (?0.5?Z?). The spectroscopic rise-time (?19?d) is significantly longer than that measured from the early optical light curve, implying a ‘dark phase’ of ?1?d. A longer rise-time has significant implications when deducing the properties of the white dwarf and binary system from the early photometric behaviour.
1365-2966
1959-1979
Mazzali, P.A.
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Sullivan, M.
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Hachinger, S.
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Ellis, R.S.
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Nugent, P.E.
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Howell, D.A.
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Gal-Yam, A.
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Maguire, K.
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Cooke, J.
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Thomas, R.
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Nomoto, K.
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Walker, E.S.
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Mazzali, P.A.
8935b659-9ccd-40c9-bea3-82faf50115b5
Sullivan, M.
2f31f9fa-8e79-4b35-98e2-0cb38f503850
Hachinger, S.
049d43d7-bc8d-41b0-b259-29211cada631
Ellis, R.S.
bf153fc2-2ab9-495b-913c-2f849ad42225
Nugent, P.E.
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Howell, D.A.
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Gal-Yam, A.
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Maguire, K.
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Cooke, J.
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Thomas, R.
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Nomoto, K.
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Walker, E.S.
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Mazzali, P.A., Sullivan, M., Hachinger, S., Ellis, R.S., Nugent, P.E., Howell, D.A., Gal-Yam, A., Maguire, K., Cooke, J., Thomas, R., Nomoto, K. and Walker, E.S. (2014) Hubble Space Telescope spectra of the Type Ia supernova SN 2011fe: a tail of low-density, high-velocity material with Z <Z. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 439 (2), 1959-1979. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stu077).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Hubble Space Telescope spectroscopic observations of the nearby Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) SN 2011fe, taken on 10 epochs from ?13.1 to +40.8 d relative to B-band maximum light, and spanning the far-ultraviolet (UV) to the near-infrared (IR) are presented. This spectroscopic coverage makes SN 2011fe the best-studied local SN Ia to date. SN 2011fe is a typical moderately luminous SN Ia with no evidence for dust extinction. Its near-UV spectral properties are representative of a larger sample of local events (Maguire et al.). The near-UV to optical spectra of SN 2011fe are modelled with a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code using the technique of ‘abundance tomography’, constraining the density structure and the abundance stratification in the SN ejecta. SN 2011fe was a relatively weak explosion, with moderate Fe-group yields. The density structures of the classical model W7 and of a delayed detonation model were tested. Both have shortcomings. An ad hoc density distribution was developed which yields improved fits and is characterized by a high-velocity tail, which is absent in W7. However, this tail contains less mass than delayed detonation models. This improved model has a lower energy than one-dimensional explosion models matching typical SNe Ia (e.g. W7, WDD1; Iwamoto et al.). The derived Fe abundance in the outermost layer is consistent with the metallicity at the SN explosion site in M101 (?0.5?Z?). The spectroscopic rise-time (?19?d) is significantly longer than that measured from the early optical light curve, implying a ‘dark phase’ of ?1?d. A longer rise-time has significant implications when deducing the properties of the white dwarf and binary system from the early photometric behaviour.

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Accepted/In Press date: 12 January 2014
e-pub ahead of print date: 17 February 2014
Published date: 1 April 2014
Organisations: Astronomy Group

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 394579
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/394579
ISSN: 1365-2966
PURE UUID: 200078c3-339c-42c1-8fd6-f51981a72457
ORCID for M. Sullivan: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9053-4820

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Date deposited: 20 May 2016 13:39
Last modified: 18 May 2024 01:46

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Contributors

Author: P.A. Mazzali
Author: M. Sullivan ORCID iD
Author: S. Hachinger
Author: R.S. Ellis
Author: P.E. Nugent
Author: D.A. Howell
Author: A. Gal-Yam
Author: K. Maguire
Author: J. Cooke
Author: R. Thomas
Author: K. Nomoto
Author: E.S. Walker

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