Observational signatures of the circumstellar material (CSM) around Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) provide a unique perspective to the progenitor systems. The pre-supernova evolution of the SN progenitors may naturally eject CSM in most of the popular s
cenarios of SN Ia explosions. In this study, we investigate the influence of dust scattering on the light curves and polarizations of SNe Ia. A Monte Carlo method is constructed to numerically solve the radiative transfer process through the CSM. Three types of geometric distributions of the CSM are considered: spherical shell, axisymmetric disk, and axisymmetric shell. We show that both the distance of the dust to the SNe and the geometric distribution of the dust affect the light curve and color evolutions of SNe. Contrary to previous studies, we found that the geometric location of the hypothetical CS dust cannot be reliably constrained based on photometric data alone even for the best observed cases such as SN 2006X and SN~2014J, and time dependent polarimetry is an inimitable way to establish the geometric location of any dusty CSM. Our model results show that time sequence of broad-band polarimetry with appropriate time coverage from a months to about one year after explosion can provide unambiguous limits on the presence of CS dust around SNe Ia.
As an emerging technique for confidential computing, trusted execution environment (TEE) receives a lot of attention. To better develop, deploy, and run secure applications on a TEE platform such as Intels SGX, both academic and industrial teams have
devoted much effort to developing reliable and convenient TEE containers. In this paper, we studied the isolation strategies of 15 existing TEE containers to protect secure applications from potentially malicious operating systems (OS) or untrusted applications, using a semi-automatic approach combining a feedback-guided analyzer with manual code review. Our analysis reveals the isolation protection each of these TEE containers enforces, and their security weaknesses. We observe that none of the existing TEE containers can fulfill the goal they set, due to various pitfalls in their design and implementation. We report the lessons learnt from our study for guiding the development of more secure containers, and further discuss the trend of TEE container designs. We also release our analyzer that helps evaluate the container middleware both from the enclave and from the kernel.
As a new type of e-commerce platform developed in recent years, local consumer service platform provides users with software to consume service to the nearby store or to the home, such as Groupon and Koubei. Different from other common e-commerce pla
tforms, the behavior of users on the local consumer service platform is closely related to their real-time local context information. Therefore, building a context-aware user behavior prediction system is able to provide both merchants and users better service in local consumer service platforms. However, most of the previous work just treats the contextual information as an ordinary feature into the prediction model to obtain the prediction list under a specific context, which ignores the fact that the interest of a user in different contexts is often significantly different. Hence, in this paper, we propose a context-aware heterogeneous graph attention network (CHGAT) to dynamically generate the representation of the user and to estimate the probability for future behavior. Specifically, we first construct the meta-path based heterogeneous graphs with the historical behaviors from multiple sources and comprehend heterogeneous vertices in the graph with a novel unified knowledge representing approach. Next, a multi-level attention mechanism is introduced for context-aware aggregation with graph vertices, which contains the vertex-level attention network and the path-level attention network. Both of them aim to capture the semantic correlation between information contained in the graph and the outside real-time contextual information in the search system. Then the model proposed in this paper aggregates specific graphs with their corresponding context features and obtains the representation of user interest under a specific context and input it into the prediction network to finally obtain the predicted probability of user behavior.
We present extensive optical photometric and spectroscopic observations of the high-velocity (HV) Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) 2017fgc, covering the phase from $sim$ 12 d before to $sim 389$ d after maximum brightness. SN 2017fgc is similar to normal SN
e Ia, with an absolute peak magnitude of $M_{rm max}^{B} approx$ $-19.32 pm 0.13$ mag and a post-peak decline of ${Delta}m_{15}(B)$ = $1.05 pm 0.07$ mag. Its peak bolometric luminosity is derived as $1.32 pm 0.13) times 10^{43} $erg s$^{-1}$, corresponding to a $^{56}$Ni mass of $0.51 pm 0.03 M_{odot}$. The light curves of SN 2017fgc are found to exhibit excess emission in the $UBV$ bands in the early nebular phase and pronounced secondary shoulder/maximum features in the $RrIi$ bands. Its spectral evolution is similar to that of HV SNe Ia, with a maximum-light Si II velocity of $15,000 pm 150 $km s$^{-1}$ and a post-peak velocity gradient of $sim$ $120 pm 10 $km s$^{-1} $d$^{-1}$. The Fe II and Mg II lines blended near 4300 {AA} and the Fe II, Si II, and Fe III lines blended near 4800 {AA} are obviously stronger than those of normal SNe Ia. Inspecting a large sample reveals that the strength of the two blends in the spectra, and the secondary peak in the $i/r$-band light curves, are found to be positively correlated with the maximum-light Si II velocity. Such correlations indicate that HV SNe~Ia may experience more complete burning in the ejecta and/or that their progenitors have higher metallicity. Examining the birthplace environment of SN 2017fgc suggests that it likely arose from a stellar environment with young and high-metallicity populations.
ASASSN-14ms may represent the most luminous Type Ibn supernova (SN~Ibn) ever detected, with an absolute U-band magnitude brighter than -22.0 mag and a total bolometric luminosity >1.0x10^{44} erg/s near maximum light. The early-time spectra of this S
N are characterized by a blue continuum on which are superimposed narrow P~Cygni profile lines of He I, suggesting the presence of slowly moving (~1000 km/s), He-rich circumstellar material (CSM). At 1--2 months after maximum brightness, the He I line profiles become only slightly broader, with blueshifted velocities of 2000--3000 km/s, consistent with the CSM shell being continuously accelerated by the SN light and ejecta. Like most SNe~Ibn, the light curves of ASASSN-14ms show rapid post-peak evolution, dropping by ~7 mag in the V band over three months. Such a rapid post-peak decline and high luminosity can be explained with interaction between SN ejecta and helium-rich CSM of 0.9~M_{odot} at a distance of~10^{15} cm. The CSM around ASASSN-14ms is estimated to originate from a pre-explosion event with a mass-loss rate of 6.7~M_odot /yr (assuming a velocity of ~1000 km/s), which is consistent with abundant He-rich material violently ejected during the late Wolf-Rayet (WN9-11 or Opfe) stage. After examining the light curves for a sample of SNe~Ibn, we find that the more luminous ones tend to have slower post-peak decline rates, reflecting that the observed differences may arise primarily from discrepancies in the CSM distribution around the massive progenitors.
We present optical and ultraviolet photometry, as well as optical spectra, for the type II supernova (SN) 2015bf. Our observations cover the phases from $sim 2$ to $sim 200$ d after explosion. The first spectrum is characterised by a blue continuum w
ith a blackbody temperature of $sim 24,000$K and flash-ionised emission lines. After about one week, the spectra of SN 2015bf evolve like those of a regular SN II. From the luminosity of the narrow emission component of H$alpha$, we deduce that the mass-loss rate is larger than $sim 3.7times10^{-3},{rm M_odot,yr^{-1}}$. The disappearance of the flash features in the first week after explosion indicates that the circumstellar material is confined within $sim 6 times 10^{14}$ cm. Thus, we suggest that the progenitor of SN 2015bf experienced violent mass loss shortly before the supernova explosion. The multiband light curves show that SN 2015bf has a high peak luminosity with an absolute visual magnitude $M_V = -18.11 pm 0.08$ mag and a fast post-peak decline with a $V$-band decay of $1.22 pm 0.09$ mag within $sim 50$ d after maximum light. Moreover, the $R$-band tail luminosity of SN 2015bf is fainter than that of SNe~II with similar peak by 1--2 mag, suggesting a small amount of ${rm ^{56}Ni}$ ($sim 0.009,{rm M_odot}$) synthesised during the explosion. Such a low nickel mass indicates that the progenitor of SN 2015bf could be a super-asymptotic-giant-branch star that collapsed owing to electron capture.
Magnetars are one of the potential power sources for some energetic supernova explosions such as type I superluminous supernovae (SLSNe I) and broad-lined type Ic supernovae (SNe Ic-BL). In order to explore the possible link between these two subclas
ses of supernovae (SNe), we study the effect of fallback accretion disk on magnetar evolution and magnetar-powered SNe. In this scenario, the interaction between a magnetar and a fallback accretion disk would accelerate the spin of the magnetar in the accretion regime but could result in substantial spin-down of the magnetars in the propeller regime. Thus, the initial rotation of the magnetar plays a less significant role in the spin evolution. Such a magnetar-disk interaction scenario can explain well the light curves of both SNe Ic-BL and SLSNe I, for which the observed differences are sensitive to the initial magnetic field of the magnetar and the fallback mass and timescale for the disk. Compared to the magnetars powering the SNe Ic-BL, those accounting for more luminous SNe usually maintain faster rotation and have relatively lower effective magnetic fields around peak time. In addition, the association between SLSNe I and long gamma-ray bursts, if observed in the future, could be explained in the context of magnetar-disk system.
MAXI J1820+070 is a low-mass black hole X-ray binary system with high luminosity in both optical and X-ray bands during the outburst periods. We present extensive photometry in X-ray, ultraviolet, and optical bands, as well as densely-cadenced optica
l spectra, covering the phase from the beginning of optical outburst to $sim$550 days. During the rebrightening process, the optical emission preceded the X-ray by 20.80 $pm$ 2.85 days. The spectra are characterized by blue continua and emission features of Balmer series, He I, He II lines and broad Bowen blend. The pseudo equivalent width (pEW) of emission lines are found to show anticorrelations with the X-ray flux measured at comparable phases, which is due to the increased suppression by the optical continuum. At around the X-ray peak, the full width at half maximums (FWHMs) of H$_{beta}$ and He II $lambda$4686 tend to stabilize at 19.4 Angstrom and 21.8 Angstrom, which corresponds to the line forming region at a radius of 1.7 and 1.3 R_sun within the disk. We further analyzed the absolute fluxes of the lines and found that the fluxes of H$_{beta}$ and He II $lambda$4686 show positive correlations with the X-ray flux, favoring that the irradiation model is responsible for the optical emission. However, the fact that X-ray emission experiences a dramatic flux drop at t$sim$200 days after the outburst, while the optical flux only shows little variations suggests that additional energy such as viscous energy may contribute to the optical radiation in addition to the X-ray irradiation.
The progenitor systems accounting for explosions of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) is still under debate. Symbiotic channel is one of the possible progenitor scenarios, in which the WDs in these systems increase in mass through wind accretion from their
red giant companions. The mass-loss processes of the giants in the symbiotic systems could produce amount of circumstellar medium (CSM), and the detections of the interaction signals between SN ejecta and CSM can be used as an ideal way to distinguish the different progenitor models. However, the density distribution and geometric structure of the CSM around the symbiotic systems remain highly uncertain. By assuming that the tidal torque from binary interaction can increase the mass-loss rate of the red giant and cause the stellar wind concentrate towards the equatorial plane, we provide a simplified method to estimate the density and the degree of deviation from spherical symmetry of the CSM. Based on the calculations of the binary evolutions of symbiotic systems using stellar evolution code MESA, we obtained the parameter space for producing SNe Ia. We found that SNe Ia could originate from symbiotic systems with massive carbon-oxygen white dwarfs (CO WDs), while the half-opening angle of the stellar wind from red giant towards the WD varies with the binary evolution, resulting in the formation of surrounding CSM with different geometric structures. The corresponding properties of ejecta-CSM interactions may be examined by the spectropolarimetry observations in the future, from which one may find additional relationship between circumstellar environment of SNe Ia and their progenitor systems.
We present extensive, well-sampled optical and ultraviolet photometry and optical spectra of the Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) 2017hpa. The light curves indicate that SN 2017hpa is a normal SN Ia with an absolute peak magnitude of $M_{rm max}^{B} approx$
-19.12$pm$0.11 mag and a post-peak decline rate mb = 1.02$pm$0.07 mag. According to the quasibolometric light curve, we derive a peak luminosity of 1.25$times$10$^{43}$ erg s$^{-1}$ and a $^{56}$Ni mass of 0.63$pm$0.02 $M_{odot}$. The spectral evolution of SN 2017hpa is similar to that of normal SNe Ia, while it exhibits unusually rapid velocity evolution resembling that of SN 1991bg-like SNe Ia or the high-velocity subclass of SNe Ia, with a post-peak velocity gradient of $sim$ 130$pm$7 km s$^{-1}$ d$^{-1}$. Moreover, its early spectra ($t < -7.9$ d) show prominent CII~$lambda$6580 absorption feature, which disappeared in near-maximum-light spectra but reemerged at phases from $t sim +8.7$ d to $t sim +11.7$ d after maximum light. This implies that some unburned carbon may mix deep into the inner layer, and is supported by the low CII~$lambda$6580 to SiII~$lambda$6355 velocity ratio ($sim 0.81$) observed in SN 2017hpa. The OI~$lambda$7774 line shows a velocity distribution like that of carbon. The prominent carbon feature, low velocity seen in carbon and oxygen, and large velocity gradient make SN 2017hpa stand out from other normal SNe Ia, and are more consistent with predictions from a violent merger of two white dwarfs. Detailed modelling is still needed to reveal the nature of SN 2017hpa.
