Search

© 2019. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.. We present the analysis underpinning the measurement of cosmological parameters from 207 spectroscopically classified SNe Ia from the first 3 years of the Dark Energy Survey Supernova Program (DES-SN), spanning a redshift range of 0.017 < z < 0.849. We combine the DES-SN sample with an external sample of 122 low-redshift (z < 0.1) SNe Ia, resulting in a "DES-SN3YR" sample of 329 SNe Ia. Our cosmological analyses are blinded: after combining our DES-SN3YR distances with constraints from the Cosmic Microwave Background, our uncertainties in the measurement of the dark energy equation-of-state parameter, w, are 0.042 (stat) and 0.059 (stat+syst) at 68% confidence. We provide a detailed systematic uncertainty budget, which has nearly equal contributions from photometric calibration, astrophysical bias corrections, and instrumental bias corrections. We also include several new sources of systematic uncertainty. While our sample is less than one-third the size of the Pantheon sample, our constraints on w are only larger by 1.4×, showing the impact of the DES-SN Ia light-curve quality. We find that the traditional stretch and color standardization parameters of the DES-SNe Ia are in agreement with earlier SN Ia samples such as Pan-STARRS1 and the Supernova Legacy Survey. However, we find smaller intrinsic scatter about the Hubble diagram (0.077 mag). Interestingly, we find no evidence for a Hubble residual step (0.007 ± 0.018 mag) as a function of host-galaxy mass for the DES subset, in 2.4σ tension with previous measurements. We also present novel validation methods of our sample using simulated SNe Ia inserted in DECam images and using large catalog-level simulations to test for biases in our analysis pipelines.

We present optical light curves, redshifts, and classifications for 365 spectroscopically confirmed Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) discovered by the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) Medium Deep Survey. We detail improvements to the PS1 SN photometry, astrometry and calibration that reduce the systematic uncertainties in the PS1 SN Ia distances. We combine the subset of 279 PS1 SN Ia ($0.03 < z < 0.68$) with useful distance estimates of SN Ia from SDSS, SNLS, various low-z and HST samples to form the largest combined sample of SN Ia consisting of a total of 1048 SN Ia ranging from $0.01 < z < 2.3$, which we call the `Pantheon Sample'. When combining Planck 2015 CMB measurements with the Pantheon SN sample, we find $��_m=0.307\pm0.012$ and $w = -1.026\pm0.041$ for the wCDM model. When the SN and CMB constraints are combined with constraints from BAO and local H0 measurements, the analysis yields the most precise measurement of dark energy to date: $w0 = -1.007\pm 0.089$ and $wa = -0.222 \pm0.407$ for the w0waCDM model. Tension with a cosmological constant previously seen in an analysis of PS1 and low-z SNe has diminished after an increase of $2\times$ in the statistics of the PS1 sample, improved calibration and photometry, and stricter light-curve quality cuts. We find the systematic uncertainties in our measurements of dark energy are almost as large as the statistical uncertainties, primarily due to limitations of modeling the low-redshift sample. This must be addressed for future progress in using SN Ia to measure dark energy., Accepted by ApJ. Data can be found here: http://dx.DOI.org/10.17909/T95Q4X

We present multi-wavelength observations of SN2014C during the first 500 days. These observations represent the first solid detection of a young extragalactic stripped-envelope SN out to high-energy X-rays. SN2014C was the explosion of an H-stripped progenitor star with ordinary explosion parameters. However, over the time scale of ~1yr, SN2014C experienced a complete metamorphosis and evolved from an ordinary H-poor supernova of type Ib into a strongly interacting, H-rich supernova of type IIn. Signatures of the SN shock interacting with a dense medium are observed across the spectrum. Coordinated observations with Swift, Chandra and NuSTAR have captured the evolution in detail and revealed the presence of a massive shell of ~1 Msun of hydrogen-rich material at ~6d16 cm from the explosion site. We estimate that the shell was ejected by the progenitor star in the decades to centuries before core collapse. This result poses significant challenges to current theories of massive star evolution, as it requires a physical mechanism responsible for the ejection of the deepest hydrogen layer of H-poor SN progenitors synchronized with the onset of stellar collapse. Theoretical investigations point at binary interactions and/or instabilities during the last stages of nuclear burning in massive stars as potential triggers of the time-dependent mass loss. We constrain these scenarios utilizing the sample of 183 SNe Ib/c with public radio observations. Our analysis identifies SN2014C-like signatures in ~10% of SNe with constraining radio data. This fraction is somewhat larger but reasonably consistent with the expectation from the theory of recent envelope ejection due to binary evolution IF the ejected material can survive in the close environment for 1000-10000 yrs. Alternatively, nuclear burning instabilities extending all the way to the core C-burning phase might also play a critical role., Submitted

The velocity of the inner ejecta of stripped-envelope core-collapse supernovae (CC-SNe) is studied by means of an analysis of their nebular spectra. Stripped-envelope CC-SNe are the result of the explosion of bare cores of massive stars ($\geq 8$ M$_{\odot}$), and their late-time spectra are typically dominated by a strong [O {\sc i}] $\lambda\lambda$6300, 6363 emission line produced by the innermost, slow-moving ejecta which are not visible at earlier times as they are located below the photosphere. A characteristic velocity of the inner ejecta is obtained for a sample of 56 stripped-envelope CC-SNe of different spectral types (IIb, Ib, Ic) using direct measurements of the line width as well as spectral fitting. For most SNe, this value shows a small scatter around 4500 km s$^{-1}$. Observations ($< 100$ days) of stripped-envelope CC-SNe have revealed a subclass of very energetic SNe, termed broad-lined SNe (BL-SNe) or hypernovae, which are characterised by broad absorption lines in the early-time spectra, indicative of outer ejecta moving at very high velocity ($v \geq 0.1 c$). SNe identified as BL in the early phase show large variations of core velocities at late phases, with some having much higher and some having similar velocities with respect to regular CC-SNe. This might indicate asphericity of the inner ejecta of BL-SNe, a possibility we investigate using synthetic three-dimensional nebular spectra.

(Original) Recent high-resolution spectra of the Type Ia SN 2006X have revealed the presence of time-variable and blueshifted Na I D features, interpreted by Patat et al. as originating in circumstellar material within the progenitor system. The variation seen in SN 2006X induces relatively large changes in the total Na I D equivalent width ($\Delta\rm{EW}\approx 0.5 \unicode{x212B}$ in just over two weeks), that would be detectable at lower resolutions. We have used a large data set comprising 2400 low-resolution spectra of 450 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) obtained by the CfA Supernova Program to search for variable Na I D features. Out of the 31 SNe Ia (including SN 2006X) in which we could have detected similar EW variations, only one other (SN 1999cl) shows variable Na I D features, with an even larger change over a similar ~10-day timescale ($\Delta\rm{EW} = 1.66 \pm 0.21 \unicode{x212B}$). Interestingly, both SN 1999cl and SN 2006X are the two most highly-reddened objects in our sample, raising the possibility that the variability is connected to dusty environments. (Erratum) The large variation in the Na I D equivalent width observed in SN 1999cl results in fact from a measurement error. Our new measurements show that the EW variation is significantly lower, at $0.43 \pm 0.14 \unicode{x212B}$. While the EW variation remains statistically significant (3.1$\sigma$ different from zero), it is now below the detection threshold of 0.5 $\unicode{x212B}$ derived from the Monte Carlo simulations published in the original paper. As a result, SN 1999cl should no longer be considered as an object displaying variable Na I D lines in our study. The fraction of SNe Ia in our sample displaying Na I D lines thus goes from $\sim$6% (2/31) in the original study to $\sim$3% (1/31) in the revised analysis, SN 2006X being the only SN Ia in our sample with variable Na I D lines.

We present the first large-scale effort of creating composite spectra of high-redshift type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and comparing them to low-redshift counterparts. Through the ESSENCE project, we have obtained 107 spectra of 88 high-redshift SNe Ia with excellent light-curve information. In addition, we have obtained 397 spectra of low-redshift SNe through a multiple-decade effort at Lick and Keck Observatories, and we have used 45 UV spectra obtained by HST/IUE. The low-redshift spectra act as a control sample when comparing to the ESSENCE spectra. In all instances, the ESSENCE and Lick composite spectra appear very similar. The addition of galaxy light to the Lick composite spectra allows a nearly perfect match of the overall spectral-energy distribution with the ESSENCE composite spectra, indicating that the high-redshift SNe are more contaminated with host-galaxy light than their low-redshift counterparts. This is caused by observing objects at all redshifts with the same slit width, which corresponds to different projected distances. After correcting for the galaxy-light contamination, subtle differences in the spectra remain. We have estimated the systematic errors when using current spectral templates for K-corrections to be ~0.02 mag. The variance in the composite spectra give an estimate of the intrinsic variance in low-redshift maximum-light SN spectra of ~3% in the optical and growing toward the UV. The difference between the maximum light low and high-redshift spectra constrain SN evolution between our samples to be < 10% in the rest-frame optical., 22 pages, 22 figures, submitted to ApJ. Composite spectra can be downloaded from http://astro.berkeley.edu/~rfoley/composite/

The results of a world-wide coordinated observational campaign on the broad-lined Type Ic SN 2003jd are presented. In total, 74 photometric data points and 26 spectra were collected using 11 different telescopes. SN 2003jd is one of the most luminous SN Ic ever observed. A comparison with other Type Ic supernovae (SNe Ic) confirms that SN 2003jd represents an intermediate case between broad-line events (2002ap, 2006aj), and highly energetic SNe (1997ef, 1998bw, 2003dh, 2003lw), with an ejected mass of M_{ej} = 3.0 +/- 1 Mo and a kinetic energy of E_{k}(tot) = 7_{-2}^{+3} 10^{51} erg. SN 2003jd is similar to SN 1998bw in terms of overall luminosity, but it is closer to SNe 2006aj and 2002ap in terms of light-curve shape and spectral evolution. The comparison with other SNe Ic, suggests that the V-band light curves of SNe Ic can be partially homogenized by introducing a time stretch factor. Finally, due to the similarity of SN 2003jd to the SN 2006aj/XRF 060218 event, we discuss the possible connection of SN 2003jd with a GRB.

We present griz light curves of 146 spectroscopically confirmed Type Ia Supernovae ($0.03 < z, Comment: 38 pages, 16 figures, 14 tables, ApJ in press

We study the effect of environment on the properties of type Ia supernovae by analyzing the integrated spectra of 57 local type Ia supernova host galaxies. We deduce from the spectra the metallicity, current star formation rate, and star formation history of the host and compare these to the supernova decline rates. Additionally, we compare the host properties to the Hubble residuals for each SN. Our results indicate a statistically insignificant correlation in the direction higher metallicity spiral galaxies host fainter type Ia supernovae. However, we present qualitative evidence suggesting progenitor age is more likely than metallicity to be the source of variability in supernova peak luminosities. We do not find a correlation between the supernova decline rate and both host galaxy absolute B magnitude and current/past host galaxy star formation rate. A tenuous correlation is observed between the supernova Hubble residuals and host galaxy metallicities. Finally, we characterize the environmental property distributions for type Ia supernova host galaxies through a comparison with two larger, more general galaxy distributions using Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. The results show the host galaxy metallicity distribution to be similar to the metallicity distributions of the galaxies of the NFGS and SDSS. Significant differences are observed between the SN Ia distributions of absolute B magnitude and star formation histories and the corresponding distributions of galaxies in the NFGS and SDSS. Among these is an abrupt upper limit observed in the distribution of star formation histories of the host galaxy sample suggesting a type Ia supernovae characteristic delay time lower limit of approximately 2.0 Gyrs. Other distribution discrepancies are investigated and the effect on the supernova properties are discussed., Comment: 28 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

to the plane of the sky. We also demonstratethat the polarization represents a prolate geometry with the same position angleand axis as the early speckle data and the late-time image and hence that thegeometry has been fixed in time and throughout the ejecta. The Bochum eventand the Doppler kinematics of the [Ca II]/[O II] emission in spatially resolvedHST spectra of the ejecta can be consistently integrated into this geometry. Theradioactive clump is deduced to fall approximately along the axis of the innercircumstellar ring and therefore to be redshifted in the North whereas the [CaII]/[O II] 7300 ˚A emission is redshifted in the South. We present a jet-induc edmodel for the explosion and argue that such a model can account for many of

The diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) are absorption features observed in optical and near-infrared spectra that are thought to be associated with carbon-rich polyatomic molecules in interstellar gas. However, because the central wavelengths of these bands do not correspond with electronic transitions of any known atomic or molecular species, their nature has remained uncertain since their discovery almost a century ago. Here we report on unusually strong DIBs in optical spectra of the broad-lined Type Ic supernova SN 2012ap that exhibit changes in equivalent width over short (~30 days) timescales. The 4428 and 6283 Angstrom DIB features get weaker with time, whereas the 5780 Angstrom feature shows a marginal increase. These nonuniform changes suggest that the supernova is interacting with a nearby source of the DIBs and that the DIB carriers possess high ionization potentials, such as small cations or charged fullerenes. We conclude that moderate-resolution spectra of supernovae with DIB absorptions obtained within weeks of outburst could reveal unique information about the mass-loss environment of their progenitor systems and provide new constraints on the properties of DIB carriers., 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJL

Deep X-ray observations of the post-explosion environment around the very nearby Type Ia SN\,2014J (Dl=3.5 Mpc) reveal no X-ray emission down to a luminosity L, 9 pages, Submitted to ApJ

We present spectral analysis of early observations of the Type IIn supernova 1998S using the general non-local thermodynamic equilibrium atmosphere code \tt PHOENIX}. We model both the underlying supernova spectrum and the overlying circumstellar interaction region and produce spectra in good agreement with observations. The early spectra are well fit by lines produced primarily in the circumstellar region itself, and later spectra are due primarily to the supernova ejecta. Intermediate spectra are affected by both regions. A mass-loss rate of order $\dot M \sim 0.0001-0.001$\msol yr$^{-1}$ is inferred for a wind speed of 100-1000 \kmps. We discuss how future self-consistent models will better clarify the underlying progenitor structure.

Nature 502, 346–349 (2013); doi:10.1038/nature12569 In this Letter, we have identified an important error affecting Fig. 4 and Extended Data Fig. 6, as well as the values of some parameters derived from our model fits. We stress that this error in no way affects the discussion or the conclusions. Inbuilding the bolometric light curve of the superluminous supernova PTF 12dam, our code assumed that photometry from the Swift satellite was calibrated in the Vega magnitude system.

We probe the systematic uncertainties from 113 Type Ia supernovae (SNIa) in the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) sample along with 197 SN Ia from a combination of low-redshift surveys. The companion paper by Rest et al. (2013) describes the photometric measurements and cosmological inferences from the PS1 sample. The largest systematic uncertainty stems from the photometric calibration of the PS1 and low-z samples. We increase the sample of observed Calspec standards from 7 to 10 used to define the PS1 calibration system. The PS1 and SDSS-II calibration systems are compared and discrepancies up to ~0.02 mag are recovered. We find uncertainties in the proper way to treat intrinsic colors and reddening produce differences in the recovered value of w up to 3%. We estimate masses of host galaxies of PS1 supernovae and detect an insignificant difference in distance residuals of the full sample of 0.037\pm0.031 mag for host galaxies with high and low masses. Assuming flatness in our analysis of only SNe measurements, we find $w = {-1.120^{+0.360}_{-0.206}\textrm{(Stat)} ^{+0.269}_{-0.291}\textrm{(Sys)}}$. With additional constraints from BAO, CMB(Planck) and H0 measurements, we find $w = -1.166^{+0.072}_{-0.069}$ and $\Omega_M=0.280^{+0.013}_{-0.012}$ (statistical and systematic errors added in quadrature). Significance of the inconsistency with $w=-1$ depends on whether we use Planck or WMAP measurements of the CMB: $w_{\textrm{BAO+H0+SN+WMAP}}=-1.124^{+0.083}_{-0.065}$., Comment: 24 pages, 20 figures. Accepted by ApJ

We have coordinated Hubble Space Telescope photometry with ground-based discovery for three supernovae: two SN Ia near z~0.5 (SN 1997ce, SN 1997cj) and a third event at z=0.97 (SN 1997ck). The superb spatial resolution of HST separates each supernova from its host galaxy and leads to good precision in the light curves. The HST data combined with ground-based photometry provide good temporal coverage. We use these light curves and relations between luminosity, light curve shape, and color calibrated from low-z samples to derive relative luminosity distances which are accurate to 10% at z~0.5 and 20% at z=1. The redshift-distance relation is used to place constraints on the global mean matter density, Omega_matter, and the normalized cosmological constant, Omega_Lambda. When the HST sample is combined with the distance to SN 1995K (z=0.48), analyzed by the same precepts, it suggests that matter alone is insufficient to produce a flat Universe. Specifically, for Omega_matter+Omega_Lambda=1, Omega_matter is less than 1 with >95% confidence, and our best estimate of Omega_matter is -0.1 +/- 0.5 if Omega_Lambda=0. Although the present result is based on a very small sample whose systematics remain to be explored, it demonstrates the power of HST measurements for high redshift supernovae.

We present the Pan-STARRS1 discovery and light curves, and follow-up MMT and Gemini spectroscopy of an ultra-luminous supernova (ULSN; dubbed PS1-11bam) at a redshift of z=1.566 with a peak brightness of M_UV=-22.3 mag. PS1-11bam is one of the highest redshift spectroscopically-confirmed SNe known to date. The spectrum is characterized by broad absorption features typical of previous ULSNe (e.g., CII, SiIII), and by strong and narrow MgII and FeII absorption lines from the interstellar medium (ISM) of the host galaxy, confirmed by an [OII]3727 emission line at the same redshift. The equivalent widths of the FeII2600 and MgII2803 lines are in the top quartile of the quasar intervening absorption system distribution, but are weaker than those of gamma-ray burst intrinsic absorbers (i.e., GRB host galaxies). We also detect the host galaxy in pre-explosion Pan-STARRS1 data and find that its UV spectral energy distribution is best fit with a young stellar population age of tau~15-45 Myr and a stellar mass of M \sim (1.1-2.6)x10^9 M_sun (for Z=0.05-1 Z_sun). The star formation rate inferred from the UV continuum and [OII]3727 emission line is ~10 M_sun/yr, higher than in any previous ULSN host. PS1-11bam provides the first direct demonstration that ULSNe can serve as probes of the interstellar medium in distant galaxies. At the present, the depth and red sensitivity of PS1 are uniquely suited to finding such events at cosmologically interesting redshifts (z~1-2); the future combination of LSST and 30-m class telescopes promises to extend this technique to z~4., Comment: Submitted to ApJL; 9 pages; 4 figures; 1 table

We present the discovery of two ultra-luminous supernovae (SNe) at z ~ 0.9 with the Pan-STARRS1 Medium-Deep Survey. These SNe, PS1-10ky and PS1-10awh, are amongst the most luminous SNe ever discovered, comparable to the unusual transients SN 2005ap and SCP 06F6. Like SN 2005ap and SCP 06F6, they show characteristic high luminosities (M_bol ~ -22.5 mag), blue spectra with a few broad absorption lines, and no evidence for H or He. We have constructed a full multi-color light curve sensitive to the peak of the spectral energy distribution in the rest-frame ultraviolet, and we have obtained time-series spectroscopy for these SNe. Given the similarities between the SNe, we combine their light curves to estimate a total radiated energy over the course of explosion of (0.9-1.4) x 10^51 erg. We find photospheric velocities of 12,000-19,000 km/s with no evidence for deceleration measured across ~3 rest-frame weeks around light-curve peak, consistent with the expansion of an optically-thick massive shell of material. We show that, consistent with findings for other ultra-luminous SNe in this class, radioactive decay is not sufficient to power PS1-10ky, and we discuss two plausible origins for these events: the initial spin-down of a newborn magnetar in a core-collapse SN, or SN shock breakout from the dense circumstellar wind surrounding a Wolf-Rayet star., Comment: Re-Submitted to ApJ

We present the late-time optical light curve of the ejecta of SN 1987A measured from HST imaging observations spanning the past 17 years. We find that the flux from the ejecta declined up to around year 2001, powered by the radioactive decay of 44Ti. Then the flux started to increase, more than doubling by the end of 2009. We show that the increase is the result of energy deposited by X-rays produced in the interaction with the circumstellar medium. We suggest that the change of the dominant energy input to the ejecta, from internal to external, marks the transition from supernova to supernova remnant. The details of the observations and the modelling are described in the accompanying supplementary information., To appear in Nature on 23 June 2011 (already available online). 39 pages with 10 figures

Optical spectra of the bright Type II-L supernova SN 1979C obtained in April 2008 with the 6.5 m MMT telescope are compared with archival late-time spectra to follow the evolution of its optical emission over the age range of 11 to 29 years. We estimate an Halpha flux decrease of around 35% from 1993 to 2008 but noticeable increases in the strength of blueshifted emission of forbidden oxygen lines. While the maximum expansion of the broad ~6700 km/s Halpha emission appears largely unchanged from 1993, we find a significant narrowing of the double-peaked emission profiles in the [O I] 6300, 6364 and [O II] 7319, 7330 lines. A comparison of late-time optical spectra of a few other Type II supernovae which, like SN 1979C, exhibit bright late-time X-ray, optical, and radio emissions, suggests that blueshifted double-peaked oxygen emission profiles may be a common phenomenon. Finally, detection of a faint, broad emission bump centered around 5800 Angstroms suggests the presence of WC type Wolf-Rayet stars in the supernova's host star cluster., 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Matches version accepted by ApJ

In recent years, wide-field sky surveys providing deep multi-band imaging have presented a new path for indirectly characterizing the progenitor populations of core-collapse supernovae (SN): systematic light curve studies. We assemble a set of 76 grizy-band Type IIP SN light curves from Pan-STARRS1, obtained over a constant survey program of 4 years and classified using both spectroscopy and machine learning-based photometric techniques. We develop and apply a new Bayesian model for the full multi-band evolution of each light curve in the sample. We find no evidence of a sub-population of fast-declining explosions (historically referred to as "Type IIL" SNe). However, we identify a highly significant relation between the plateau phase decay rate and peak luminosity among our SNe IIP. These results argue in favor of a single parameter, likely determined by initial stellar mass, predominantly controlling the explosions of red supergiants. This relation could also be applied for supernova cosmology, offering a standardizable candle good to an intrinsic scatter of 0.2 mag. We compare each light curve to physical models from hydrodynamic simulations to estimate progenitor initial masses and other properties of the Pan-STARRS1 Type IIP SN sample. We show that correction of systematic discrepancies between modeled and observed SN IIP light curve properties and an expanded grid of progenitor properties, are needed to enable robust progenitor inferences from multi-band light curve samples of this kind. This work will serve as a pathfinder for photometric studies of core-collapse SNe to be conducted through future wide field transient searches., Comment: 25 pages plus tables, 19 figures, V2 matches version published in ApJ

We present deep optical photometry of the afterglow of gamma-ray burst (GRB) 041006 and its associated hypernova obtained over 65 days after detection (55 R-band epochs on 10 different nights). Our early data (t, ApJ Letters, accepted. Additional material available at ftp://cfa-ftp.harvard.edu/pub/kstanek/GRB041006/

We present the Pan-STARRS1 discovery of the long-lived and blue transient PS1-11af, which was also detected by GALEX with coordinated observations in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) band. PS1-11af is associated with the nucleus of an early-type galaxy at redshift z=0.4046 that exhibits no evidence for star formation or AGN activity. Four epochs of spectroscopy reveal a pair of transient broad absorption features in the UV on otherwise featureless spectra. Despite the superficial similarity of these features to P-Cygni absorptions of supernovae (SNe), we conclude that PS1-11af is not consistent with the properties of known types of SNe. Blackbody fits to the spectral energy distribution are inconsistent with the cooling, expanding ejecta of a SN, and the velocities of the absorption features are too high to represent material in homologous expansion near a SN photosphere. However, the constant blue colors and slow evolution of the luminosity are similar to previous optically-selected tidal disruption events (TDEs). The shape of the optical light curve is consistent with models for TDEs, but the minimum accreted mass necessary to power the observed luminosity is only ~0.002M_sun, which points to a partial disruption model. A full disruption model predicts higher bolometric luminosities, which would require most of the radiation to be emitted in a separate component at high energies where we lack observations. In addition, the observed temperature is lower than that predicted by pure accretion disk models for TDEs and requires reprocessing to a constant, lower temperature. Three deep non-detections in the radio with the VLA over the first two years after the event set strict limits on the production of any relativistic outflow comparable to Swift J1644+57, even if off-axis., Comment: submitted to ApJ, 22 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables

We present time-resolved spectroscopy and photometry of CSS 120422:111127+571239 (= SBS1108+574), a recently discovered SU UMa-type dwarf nova whose 55-minute orbital period is well below the CV period minimum of ~78 minutes. In contrast with most other known CVs, its spectrum features He I emission of comparable strength to the Balmer lines, implying a hydrogen abundance less than 0.1 of long period CVs---but still at least 10 times higher than than in AM CVn stars. Together, the short orbital period and remarkable helium-to-hydrogen ratio suggest that mass transfer in "CSS 1204" began near the end of the donor star's main-sequence lifetime, meaning that the system is probably an AM CVn progenitor as described by Podsiadlowski, Han, and Rappaport (2003). Moreover, a Doppler tomogram of the Halpha line reveals two distinct regions of enhanced emission. While one is the result of the stream-disk impact, the other is probably attributable to spiral disk structure generated when material in the outer disk achieves a 2:1 orbital resonance with respect to the donor.

The presence of narrow high-temperature emission lines from nitrogen-rich gas close to SN 1987A has been the principal observational constraint on the evolu- tionary status of the supernova's progenitor. A new analysis of the complete five-year set of low and high resolution IUE ultraviolet spectra of SN 1987A (1987.2--1992.3) provide fluxes for the N V 1240, N IV] 1486, He II 1640, OIII] 1665, NIII] 1751, and CIII] 1908 lines with significantly reduced random and systematic errors and reveals significant short-term fluctuations in the light curves. The N V, N IV] and N III] lines turn on sequentially over 15 to 20 days and show a progression from high to low ionization potential, implying an ioni- zation gradient in the emitting region. The line emission turns on suddenly at 83+/-4 days after the explosion, as defined by N IV]. The N III] line reaches peak luminosity at 399+/-15 days. A ring radius of (6.24+/-0.20)E{17} cm and inclination of 41.0+/-3.9 is derived from these times, assuming a circular ring. The probable role of resonant scattering in the N V light curve introduces systematic errors that leads us to exclude this line from the timing analysis. A new nebular analysis yields improved CNO abundance ratios N/C=6.1+/-1.1 and N/O=1.7+/-0.5, confirming the nitrogen enrichment found in our previous paper. From the late-time behavior of the light curves we find that the emission origi- nates from progressively lower density gas. We estimate the emitting mass near maximum (roughly 400 days) to be roughly 4.7E{-2} solar masses, assuming a filling factor of unity and an electron density of 2.6E4 cm^{-3}. These results are discussed in the context of current models for the emission and hydrodynamics of the ring., 38 pages, AASTeX v.4.0, 13 Postscript figures; ApJ, in press

SN2009ku, discovered by Pan-STARRS-1, is a Type Ia supernova (SNIa), and a member of the distinct SN2002cx-like class of SNeIa. Its light curves are similar to the prototypical SN2002cx, but are slightly broader and have a later rise to maximum in g. SN2009ku is brighter (~0.6 mag) than other SN2002cx-like objects, peaking at M_V = -18.4 mag - which is still significantly fainter than typical SNeIa. SN2009ku, which had an ejecta velocity of ~2000 kms^-1 at 18 days after maximum brightness is spectroscopically most similar to SN2008ha, which also had extremely low-velocity ejecta. However, SN2008ha had an exceedingly low luminosity, peaking at M_V = -14.2 mag, ~4 mag fainter than SN2009ku. The contrast of high luminosity and low ejecta velocity for SN2009ku is contrary to an emerging trend seen for the SN2002cx class. SN2009ku is a counter-example of a previously held belief that the class was more homogeneous than typical SNeIa, indicating that the class has a diverse progenitor population and/or complicated explosion physics. As the first example of a member of this class of objects from the new generation of transient surveys, SN2009ku is an indication of the potential for these surveys to find rare and interesting objects., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures

The first images of SN 1987A taken on day 1278 after outburst with the Faint Object Camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope are presented. The supernova is well detected and resolved spatially in three broadband ultraviolet exposures spanning the 1500-3800 A range and in a narrow-band image centered on the forbidden O III 5007 line. Simple uniform disk fits to the profiles of SN 1987A yield an average angular diameter of 170 + or - 30 mas, corresponding to an average expansion velocity of 6000 km/s. The derived broadband ultraviolet fluxes, when corrected for interstellar absorption, indicate a blue ultraviolet spectrum corresponding to a color temperature near 13,000 K.

We present extensive optical and infrared photometry of the afterglow of gamma-ray burst (GRB) 030329 and its associated supernova (SN) 2003dh over the first two months after detection (2003 March 30-May 29 UT). Optical spectroscopy from a variety of telescopes is shown and, when combined with the photometry, allows an unambiguous separation between the afterglow and supernova contributions. The optical afterglow of the GRB is initially a power-law continuum but shows significant color variations during the first week that are unrelated to the presence of a supernova. The early afterglow light curve also shows deviations from the typical power-law decay. A supernova spectrum is first detectable ~7 days after the burst and dominates the light after ~11 days. The spectral evolution and the light curve are shown to closely resemble those of SN 1998bw, a peculiar Type Ic SN associated with GRB 980425, and the time of the supernova explosion is close to the observed time of the GRB. It is now clear that at least some GRBs arise from core-collapse SNe., Comment: 57 pages, 13 figures, accepted by ApJ, revised per referee's comments, includes full photometry table. Data available at ftp://cfa-ftp.harvard.edu/pub/kstanek/GRB030329 or through WWW at http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/oir/Research/GRB/

High-resolution spectra of SN 1987A obtained with the IUE satellite show absorption features from the disk and halo of the Galaxy and the LMC. A rich variety of elements and ionization states is found, including allowed resonance lines of abundant elements with ionization states ranging from C I and O I to Al III, Si IV, and C IV. The Si IV and C IV absorption at LMC velocities is unusually strong toward the supernova as compared to most other stars in the LMC and SMC. The origin of these lines is discussed.

We have obtained velocity dispersions for 24 galaxies in the Virgo cluster to supplement our earlier results. A 2000 channel intensified Reticon scanner has again been used on the 1.3 m telescope of McGraw-Hill Observatory, and a Fourier quotient technique has been employed to yield dispersions. We have confirmed our earlier result that spiral bulges exhibit a relation between total luminosity and velocity dispersion with the form L proportional sigma/sup 4/, but with velocity dispersions that are 17 +- 8% smaller than elliptical galaxies at the same absolute magnitude. However, possible systematic errors may still affect the reality of this gap. The scatter in the L proportional sigma/sup 4/ relationship is substantially larger for the spiral bulges than for the elliptical galaxies. This larger scatter probably indicates that spiral bulges comprise a more heterogeneous sample than do elliptical galaxies. we also find that the bulge components of SO galaxies follow a L proportional sigma/sup 4/ relation with no gap with the ellipticals. The similarity in this relation for the spheroidal components of spiral, SO, and elliptical galaxies indicates that the systems are dynamically similar.

On a obtenu les dispersions des vitesses pour 46 galaxies et la photometrie de surface CCD pour 27 galaxies. Les membres les plus brillants des amas sont substantiellement plus brillants qu'on ne le prevoit a partir des dispersions des vitesses et de la relation Lασ 4 pour les galaxies elliptiques

Results from UV observations of SN 1987A with the IUE satellite are presented, showing that emission lines of He II, C III, N III, N IV, N V, and O III increase in strength with time after May 24, 1987. It is found that increased emission originated in a photoionized low-density circumstellar gas, lost by the progenitor in its red supergiant phase. A nebular analysis reveals a large nitrogen overabundance, indicating that the gas has undergone substantial CNO processing. This suggests that the progenitor of SN 1987A lost much of its hydrogen envelope before the explosion. The findings are consistent with models in which a red supergiant evolves to the blue supergiant stage before exploding.

Progress report on a continuing program of investigation into the nature of the spectra of supernovae. A description of these spectra is presented that is more quantitative and covers a wider wavelength range than heretofore published descriptions. Some preliminary conclusions are suggested in the light of the new data presented.