A comprehensive analysis of Spitzer supernovae

Abstract

The mid-infrared (mid-IR) wavelength regime offers several advantages for following the late-time evolution of supernovae (SNe). First, the peaks of the SN spectral energy distributions shift toward longer wavelengths, following the photospheric phase. Second, mid-IR observations suffer less from effects of interstellar extinction. Third, and perhaps most important, the mid-IR traces dust formation and circumstellar interaction at late times (>100 days) after the radioactive ejecta component fades. The Spitzer Space Telescope has provided substantial mid-IR observations of SNe since its launch in 2003. More than 200 SNe have been targeted, but there are even more SNe that have been observed serendipitously. Here we present the results of a comprehensive study based on archival Spitzer/IRAC images of more than 1100 SN positions; from this sample, 119 SNe of various subclasses have been detected, including 45 SNe with previously unpublished mid-IR photometry. The photometry reveals significant amounts of warm dust in some cases. We perform an in-depth analysis to constrain the origin and heating mechanism of the dust, and present the resulting statistics.

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