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We study the sudden optical and ultraviolet (UV) brightening of 1ES 1927+654, which until now was known as a narrow-line active galactic nucleus (AGN). 1ES 1927+654 was part of the small and peculiar class of “true Type-2” AGNs that lack broad emission lines and line-of-sight obscuration. Our high-cadence spectroscopic monitoring captures the appearance of a blue, featureless continuum, followed several weeks later by the appearance of broad Balmer emission lines. This timescale is generally consistent with the expected light travel time between the central engine and the broadline emission region in (persistent) broadline AGN. Hubble Space Telescope spectroscopy reveals no evidence for broad UV emission lines (e.g., C iv λ1549, C iii] λ1909, Mg ii λ2798), probably owing to dust in the broadline emission region. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case where the lag between the change in continuum and in broadline emission of a “changing look” AGN has been temporally resolved. The nature and timescales of the photometric and spectral evolution disfavor both a change in line-of-sight obscuration and a change of the overall rate of gas inflow as driving the drastic spectral transformations seen in this AGN. Although the peak luminosity and timescales are consistent with those of tidal disruption events seen in inactive galaxies, the spectral properties are not. The X-ray emission displays a markedly different behavior, with frequent flares on timescales of hours to days, and will be presented in a companion publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How an otherwise inert carbon–oxygen white dwarf can be made to explode as an SN Ia remains unknown. A promising test of theoretical models is to constrain the distribution of material that is left unburned, carbon in particular. So far, most investigations have used line identification codes to detect carbon in the ejecta, a method that cannot be readily compared against model predictions because it requires assumed opacities and temperatures. Here, we instead use tomographic techniques to investigate the amount of carbon in the inner layers of SN 2011fe, starting from the previously published tomographic analysis of Mazzali et al. From the presence of the carbon feature in the optical at early epochs and its disappearance later on, we derive an average carbon mass fraction between 0.001 and 0.05 for velocities in the range , and an upper limit of 0.005 inside that region. Based on our models and the assumed density profile, only small amounts of carbon should be in the neutral state, too little to be responsible for features seen in near-infrared spectra that were previously identified as due to neutral carbon. We discuss possible reasons for this discrepancy and compare our results against a suite of explosion models, although uncertainties in both the models and our simulations make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The jet compositions, central engines, and progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) remain open questions in GRB physics. Applying broadband observations, including GRB prompt emission and afterglow properties derived from Fermi and Swift data, as well as from Keck host-galaxy observations, we address these questions for the peculiar, bright GRB 110731A. By using the pair-opacity method, we derive Γ0 > 190 during the prompt emission phase. Alternatively, we derive Γ0 ≈ 580 and Γ0 ≈ 154 by invoking the early-afterglow phase within the homogeneous density and wind cases, respectively. On the other hand, nondetection of a thermal component in the spectra suggests that the prompt emission is likely powered by dissipation of a Poynting-flux-dominated jet leading to synchrotron radiation in an optically thin region. The nondetection of a jet break in the X-ray and optical bands allows us to place a lower limit on the jet opening angle θj > 5.°5. Within a millisecond magnetar central engine scenario, we derive the period P0 and polar magnetic field strength Bp, which have extreme (but still allowed) values. The moderately short observed duration (7.3 s) and relatively large redshift (z = 2.83) place the burst as a “rest-frame short” GRB, so the progenitor of the burst is subject to debate. Its relatively large parameter (ratio of the 1 s peak flux of a pseudo-GRB and the background flux) and a large physical offset from a potential host galaxy suggest that the progenitor of GRB 110731A may be a compact-star merger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) 2016coj in NGC 4125 (redshift z = 0.00452 ± 0.00006) was discovered by the Lick Observatory Supernova Search 4.9 days after the fitted first-light time (FFLT; 11.1 days before B-band maximum). Our first detection (prediscovery) is merely 0.6 ± 0.5 days after the FFLT, making SN 2016coj one of the earliest known detections of an SN Ia. A spectrum was taken only 3.7 hr after discovery (5.0 days after the FFLT) and classified as a normal SN Ia. We performed high-quality photometry, low- and high-resolution spectroscopy, and spectropolarimetry, finding that SN 2016coj is a spectroscopically normal SN Ia, but the velocity of Si ii λ6355 around peak brightness (∼12,600 ) is a bit higher than that of typical normal SNe. The Si ii λ6355 velocity evolution can be well fit by a broken-power-law function for up to a month after the FFLT. SN 2016coj has a normal peak luminosity ( mag), and it reaches a B-band maximum ∼16.0 days after the FFLT. We estimate there to be low host-galaxy extinction based on the absence of Na i D absorption lines in our low- and high-resolution spectra. The spectropolarimetric data exhibit weak polarization in the continuum, but the Si ii line polarization is quite strong (∼0.9% ± 0.1%) at peak brightness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SN 2013ej is a well-studied core-collapse supernova (SN) that stemmed from a directly identified red supergiant (RSG) progenitor in galaxy M74. The source exhibits signs of substantial geometric asphericity, X-rays from persistent interaction with circumstellar material (CSM), thermal emission from warm dust, and a light curve that appears intermediate between supernovae of Types II-P and II-L. The proximity of this source motivates a close inspection of these physical characteristics and their potential interconnection. We present multiepoch spectropolarimetry of SN 2013ej during the first 107 days and deep optical spectroscopy and ultraviolet through infrared photometry past ∼800 days. SN 2013ej exhibits the strongest and most persistent continuum and line polarization ever observed for a SN of its class during the recombination phase. Modeling indicates that the data are consistent with an oblate ellipsoidal photosphere, viewed nearly edge-on and probably augmented by optical scattering from circumstellar dust. We suggest that interaction with an equatorial distribution of CSM, perhaps the result of binary evolution, is responsible for generating the photospheric asphericity. Relatedly, our late-time optical imaging and spectroscopy show that asymmetric CSM interaction is ongoing, and the morphology of broad Hα emission from shock-excited ejecta provides additional evidence that the geometry of the interaction region is ellipsoidal. Alternatively, a prolate ellipsoidal geometry from an intrinsically bipolar explosion is also a plausible interpretation of the data but would probably require a ballistic jet of radioactive material capable of penetrating the hydrogen envelope early in the recombination phase. Finally, our latest space-based optical imaging confirms that the late interaction-powered light curve dropped below the stellar progenitor level, confirming the RSG star’s association with the explosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) in a galaxy depends not only on stellar mass, but also on star formation history (SFH). Here we show that two simple observational quantities (g − r or u − r host galaxy color, and r-band luminosity), coupled with an assumed delay time distribution (DTD) (the rate of SNe Ia as a function of time for an instantaneous burst of star formation), are sufficient to accurately determine a galaxy’s SN Ia rate, with very little sensitivity to the precise details of the SFH. Using this result, we compare observed and predicted color distributions of SN Ia hosts for the MENeaCS cluster supernova survey, and for the SDSS Stripe 82 supernova survey. The observations are consistent with a continuous DTD, without any cutoff. For old progenitor systems, the power-law slope for the DTD is found to be . This result favors the double degenerate scenario for SN Ia, though other interpretations are possible. We find that the late-time slopes of the DTD are different at the 1σ level for low and high stretch supernova, which suggest a single degenerate (SD) scenario for the latter. However, due to ambiguity in the current models’ DTD predictions, SD progenitors can neither be confirmed as causing high stretch supernovae nor ruled out from contributing to the overall sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have obtained spectroscopic measurements of the Ps = 1.8 ms, PB = 6.5 hr black-widow (BW) pulsar PSR J1301+0833 as part of a program to investigate optical companions of wind-shrouded pulsars. The derived radial-velocity amplitude () and inclination () imply a neutron star mass , smaller (for similar fit assumptions) than that of the well-studied original BW pulsar PSR J1959+2048, which shares similar values of Ps and PB. This fit, which assumes , indicates a small heated region on the (anomalously faint) companion. With a free distance and full surface heating the best fit is statistically acceptable, but the large inferred is inconsistent with the observed pulsar proper motion. Improved photometry and heating models will be needed to refine these measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the second multi-frequency radio detection of a reverse shock in a γ-ray burst. By combining our extensive radio observations of the Fermi-Large Area Telescope γ-ray burst 160509A at z = 1.17 up to 20 days after the burst with Swift X-ray observations and ground-based optical and near-infrared data, we show that the afterglow emission comprises distinct reverse shock and forward shock contributions: the reverse shock emission dominates in the radio band at ≲10 days, while the forward shock emission dominates in the X-ray, optical, and near-infrared bands. Through multi-wavelength modeling, we determine a circumburst density of , supporting our previous suggestion that a low-density circumburst environment is conducive to the production of long-lasting reverse shock radiation in the radio band. We infer the presence of a large excess X-ray absorption column, NH ≈ 1.5 × 1022 , and a high rest-frame optical extinction, AV ≈ 3.4 mag. We identify a jet break in the X-ray light curve at , and thus derive a jet opening angle of , yielding a beaming-corrected kinetic energy and radiated γ-ray energy of erg and erg (1–104 keV, rest frame), respectively. Consistency arguments connecting the forward shocks and reverse shocks suggest a deceleration time of s ≈ T90, a Lorentz factor of , and a reverse-shock-to-forward-shock fractional magnetic energy density ratio of . Our study highlights the power of rapid-response radio observations in the study of the properties and dynamics of γ-ray burst ejecta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive photometric and spectroscopic observations are presented for SN 2014cx, a Type IIP supernova (SN) exploding in the nearby galaxy NGC 337. The observations are performed in optical and ultraviolet bands, covering from −20 to +400 days from the peak light. The stringent detection limit from prediscovery images suggests that this supernova was actually detected within about one day after explosion. Evolution of the very early time light curve of SN 2014cx is similar to that predicted from a shock breakout and post-shock cooling decline before reaching the optical peak. Our photometric observations show that SN 2014cx has a plateau duration of ∼100 days, an absolute V-band magnitude of mag at days, and a nickel mass of 0.056 ± 0.008 . The spectral evolution of SN 2014cx resembles that of normal SNe IIP like SN 1999em and SN 2004et, except that it has a slightly higher expansion velocity (∼4200 at 50 days). From the cooling curve of photospheric temperature, we derive that the progenitor has a pre-explosion radius of ∼640 R , consistent with those obtained from SuperNova Explosion Code modeling (∼620 R ) and hydrodynamical modeling of the observables (∼570 R ). Moreover, the hydrodynamical simulations yield a total explosion energy of erg, and an ejected mass of ∼8 . These results indicate that the immediate progenitor of SN 2014cx is likely a red supergiant star with a mass of ∼10 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a high-precision measurement of the parallax for the 12-day Cepheid SS Canis Majoris, obtained via spatial scanning with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Spatial scanning enables astrometric measurements with a precision of 20–40 μas, an order of magnitude better than pointed observations. SS CMa is the second Cepheid targeted for parallax measurement with HST and is the first of a sample of 18 long-period (≳10 days) Cepheids selected in order to improve the calibration of their period–luminosity relation and eventually permit a determination of the Hubble constant H0 to better than 2%. The parallax of SS CMa is found to be 348 ± 38 μas, corresponding to a distance of 2.9 ± 0.3 kpc. We also present a refinement of the static geometric distortion of WFC3 obtained using spatial scanning observations of calibration fields, with a typical magnitude ≲0.01 pixels on scales of 100 pixels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report evidence for excess blue light from the Type Ia supernova (Sn Ia) SN 2012cg at 15 and 16 days before maximum B-band brightness. The emission is consistent with predictions for the impact of the supernova on a non-degenerate binary companion. This is the first evidence for emission from a companion to a normal SN Ia. Sixteen days before maximum light, the color of SN 2012cg is 0.2 mag bluer than for other normal SN Ia. At later times, this supernova has a typical SN Ia light curve, with extinction-corrected mag and . Our data set is extensive, with photometry in seven filters from five independent sources. Early spectra also show the effects of blue light, and high-velocity features are observed at early times. Near maximum, the spectra are normal with a silicon velocity vSi = −10,500 km s−1. Comparing the early data with models by Kasen favors a main-sequence companion of about six solar masses. It is possible that many other SN Ia have main-sequence companions that have eluded detection because the emission from the impact is fleeting and faint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]