No Arabic abstract
The increase in the number of Type Ia supernovae (SNe,Ia) has demonstrated that the population shows larger diversity than has been assumed in the past. The reasons (e.g. parent population, explosion mechanism) for this diversity remain largely unknown. We have investigated a sample of SNe,Ia near-infrared light curves and have correlated the phase of the second maximum with the bolometric peak luminosity. The peak bolometric luminosity is related to the time of the second maximum (relative to the {it B} light curve maximum) as follows : $L_{max}(10^{43} erg s^{-1}) = (0.039 pm 0.004) times t_2(J)(days) + (0.013 pm 0.106)$. $^{56}$Ni masses can be derived from the peak luminosity based on Arnetts rule, which states that the luminosity at maximum is equal to instantaneous energy generated by the nickel decay. We check this assumption against recent radiative-transfer calculations of Chandrasekhar-mass delayed detonation models and find this assumption is valid to within 10% in recent radiative-transfer calculations of Chandrasekhar-mass delayed detonation models. The $L_{max}$ vs. $t_2$ relation is applied to a sample of 40 additional SNe,Ia with significant reddening ($E(B-V) >$ 0.1 mag) and a reddening-free bolometric luminosity function of SNe~Ia is established. The method is tested with the $^{56}$Ni mass measurement from the direct observation of $gamma-$rays in the heavily absorbed SN 2014J and found to be fully consistent. Super-Chandrasekhar-mass explosions, in particular SN,2007if, do not follow the relations between peak luminosity and second IR maximum. This may point to an additional energy source contributing at maximum light. The luminosity function of SNe,Ia is constructed and is shown to be asymmetric with a tail of low-luminosity objects and a rather sharp high-luminosity cutoff, although it might be influenced by selection effects.
We present (56)Ni mass estimates for seventeen well-observed type Ia supernovae determined by two independent methods. Estimates of the (56)Ni mass for each type Ia supernova are determined from (1) modeling of the late-time nebular spectrum and (2) through the combination of the peak bolometric luminosity with Arnetts rule. The attractiveness of this approach is that the comparison of estimated (56)Ni masses circumvents errors associated with the uncertainty in the adopted values of reddening and distance. We demonstrate that these two methods provide consistent estimates of the amount of (56)Ni synthesized. We also find a strong correlation between the derived (56)Ni mass and the absolute B-band magnitude (M(B)). Spectral synthesis can be used as a diagnostic to study the explosion mechanism. By obtaining more nebular spectra the Nif--M(B) correlation can be calibrated and can be used to investigate any potential systematic effects this relationship may have on the determination of cosmological parameters, and provide a new way to estimate extra-galactic distances of nearby type Ia supernovae.
Recent studies have demonstrated the diversity in type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) at early times and highlighted a need for a better understanding of the explosion physics as manifested by observations soon after explosion. To this end, we present a Monte Carlo code designed to model the light curves of radioactively driven, hydrogen-free transients from explosion to approximately maximum light. In this initial study, we have used a parametrised description of the ejecta in SNe Ia, and performed a parameter study of the effects of the $^{56}$Ni distribution on the observed colours and light curves for a fixed $^{56}$Ni mass of 0.6 $M_odot$. For a given density profile, we find that models with $^{56}$Ni extending throughout the entirety of the ejecta are typically brighter and bluer shortly after explosion. Additionally, the shape of the density profile itself also plays an important role in determining the shape, rise time, and colours of observed light curves. We find that the multi-band light curves of at least one SNe Ia (SN 2009ig) are inconsistent with less extended $^{56}$Ni distributions, but show good agreement with models that incorporate $^{56}$Ni throughout the entire ejecta. We further demonstrate that comparisons with full $UVOIR$ colour light curves are powerful tools in discriminating various $^{56}$Ni distributions, and hence explosion models.
We review all the models proposed for the progenitor systems of Type Ia supernovae and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each scenario when confronted with observations. We show that all scenarios encounter at least a few serious diffculties, if taken to represent a comprehensive model for the progenitors of all Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). Consequently, we tentatively conclude that there is probably more than one channel leading SNe Ia. While the single-degenerate scenario (in which a single white dwarf accretes mass from a normal stellar companion) has been studied in some detail, the other scenarios will need a similar level of scrutiny before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
Type Ia supernovae are bright stellar explosions distinguished by standardizable light curves that allow for their use as distance indicators for cosmological studies. Despite their highly successful use in this capacity, the progenitors of these events are incompletely understood. We describe simulating type Ia supernovae in the paradigm of a thermonuclear runaway occurring in a massive white dwarf star. We describe the multi-scale physical processes that realistic models must incorporate and the numerical models for these that we employ. In particular, we describe a flame-capturing scheme that addresses the problem of turbulent thermonuclear combustion on unresolved scales. We present the results of our study of the systematics of type Ia supernovae including trends in brightness following from properties of the host galaxy that agree with observations. We also present performance results from simulations on leadership-class architectures.
Recent studies have shown how the distribution of $^{56}$Ni within the ejecta of type Ia supernovae can have profound consequences on the observed light curves. Observations at early times can therefore provide important details on the explosion physics in thermonuclear supernovae. We present a series of radiative transfer calculations that explore variations in the $^{56}$Ni distribution. Our models also show the importance of the density profile in shaping the light curve, which is often neglected in the literature. Using our model set, we investigate the observations that are necessary to determine the $^{56}$Ni distribution as robustly as possible within the current model set. We find that this includes observations beginning at least $sim$14 days before $B$-band maximum, extending to approximately maximum light with a high ($lesssim$3 day) cadence, and in at least one blue and one red band are required (such as $B$ and $R$, or $g$ and $r$). We compare a number of well-observed type Ia supernovae that meet these criteria to our models and find that the light curves of $sim$70-80% of objects in our sample are consistent with being produced solely by variations in the $^{56}$Ni distributions. The remaining supernovae show an excess of flux at early times, indicating missing physics that is not accounted for within our model set, such as an interaction or the presence of short-lived radioactive isotopes. Comparing our model light curves and spectra to observations and delayed detonation models demonstrates that while a somewhat extended $^{56}$Ni distribution is necessary to reproduce the observed light curve shape, this does not negatively affect the spectra at maximum light. Investigating current explosion models shows that observations typically require a shallower decrease in the $^{56}$Ni mass towards the outer ejecta than is produced for models of a given $^{56}$Ni mass.