Ultraluminous supernovae as a new probe of the interstellar medium in distant galaxies

E. Berger; R. Chornock; R. Lunnan; R. Foley; I. Czekala; A. Rest; C. Leibler; A. M. Soderberg; K. Roth; G. Narayan; M. E. Huber; D. Milisavljevic; N. E. Sanders; M. Drout; R. Margutti; R. P. Kirshner; G. H. Marion; P. J. Challis; A. G. Riess; S. J. Smartt; W. S. Burgett; K. W. Hodapp; J. N. Heasley; N. Kaiser; R. P. Kudritzki; E. A. Magnier; M. McCrum; P. A. Price; K. Smith; J. L. Tonry; R. J. Wainscoat

doi:10.1088/2041-8205/755/2/L29

Ultraluminous supernovae as a new probe of the interstellar medium in distant galaxies

E. Berger^*, R. Chornock, R. Lunnan, R. Foley, I. Czekala, A. Rest, C. Leibler, A. M. Soderberg, K. Roth, G. Narayan, M. E. Huber, D. Milisavljevic, N. E. Sanders, M. Drout, R. Margutti, R. P. Kirshner, G. H. Marion, P. J. Challis, A. G. Riess, S. J. SmarttW. S. Burgett, K. W. Hodapp, J. N. Heasley, N. Kaiser, R. P. Kudritzki, E. A. Magnier, M. McCrum, P. A. Price, K. Smith, J. L. Tonry, R. J. Wainscoat

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physics and Astronomy

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Abstract

We present the Pan-STARRS1 discovery and light curves, and follow-up MMT and Gemini spectroscopy of an ultraluminous supernova (ULSN; dubbed PS1-11bam) at a redshift of z = 1.566 with a peak brightness of M _UV ≈ -22.3mag. PS1-11bam is one of the highest redshift spectroscopically confirmed SNe known to date. The spectrum exhibits broad absorption features typical of previous ULSNe (e.g., C II, Si III), and strong and narrow Mg II and Fe II absorption lines from the interstellar medium (ISM) of the host galaxy, confirmed by an [O II]λ3727 emission line at the same redshift. The equivalent widths of the Fe II λ2600 and Mg II λ2803 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 τ_* 15-45Myr and a stellar mass of M _* ≈ (1.1-2.6) × 10⁹ M _⊙ (for Z = 0.05-1 Z _⊙). The star formation rate inferred from the UV continuum and [O II]λ3727 emission line is ≈10 M _⊙yr^-1, higher than in previous ULSN hosts. PS1-11bam provides the first direct demonstration that ULSNe can serve as probes of the ISM in distant galaxies. 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 30m class telescopes promises to extend this technique to z ∼ 4.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	L29
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	755
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/755/2/L29
State	Published - Aug 20 2012

Keywords

galaxies: ISM
supernovae: individual (PS1-11bam)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1088/2041-8205/755/2/L29

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Berger, E., Chornock, R., Lunnan, R., Foley, R., Czekala, I., Rest, A., Leibler, C., Soderberg, A. M., Roth, K., Narayan, G., Huber, M. E., Milisavljevic, D., Sanders, N. E., Drout, M., Margutti, R., Kirshner, R. P., Marion, G. H., Challis, P. J., Riess, A. G., ... Wainscoat, R. J. (2012). Ultraluminous supernovae as a new probe of the interstellar medium in distant galaxies. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 755(2), Article L29. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/755/2/L29

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title = "Ultraluminous supernovae as a new probe of the interstellar medium in distant galaxies",

abstract = "We present the Pan-STARRS1 discovery and light curves, and follow-up MMT and Gemini spectroscopy of an ultraluminous supernova (ULSN; dubbed PS1-11bam) at a redshift of z = 1.566 with a peak brightness of M UV ≈ -22.3mag. PS1-11bam is one of the highest redshift spectroscopically confirmed SNe known to date. The spectrum exhibits broad absorption features typical of previous ULSNe (e.g., C II, Si III), and strong and narrow Mg II and Fe II absorption lines from the interstellar medium (ISM) of the host galaxy, confirmed by an [O II]λ3727 emission line at the same redshift. The equivalent widths of the Fe II λ2600 and Mg II λ2803 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 τ* 15-45Myr and a stellar mass of M * ≈ (1.1-2.6) × 109 M ⊙ (for Z = 0.05-1 Z ⊙). The star formation rate inferred from the UV continuum and [O II]λ3727 emission line is ≈10 M ⊙yr-1, higher than in previous ULSN hosts. PS1-11bam provides the first direct demonstration that ULSNe can serve as probes of the ISM in distant galaxies. 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 30m class telescopes promises to extend this technique to z ∼ 4.",

keywords = "galaxies: ISM, supernovae: individual (PS1-11bam)",

author = "E. Berger and R. Chornock and R. Lunnan and R. Foley and I. Czekala and A. Rest and C. Leibler and Soderberg, {A. M.} and K. Roth and G. Narayan and Huber, {M. E.} and D. Milisavljevic and Sanders, {N. E.} and M. Drout and R. Margutti and Kirshner, {R. P.} and Marion, {G. H.} and Challis, {P. J.} and Riess, {A. G.} and Smartt, {S. J.} and Burgett, {W. S.} and Hodapp, {K. W.} and Heasley, {J. N.} and N. Kaiser and Kudritzki, {R. P.} and Magnier, {E. A.} and M. McCrum and Price, {P. A.} and K. Smith and Tonry, {J. L.} and Wainscoat, {R. J.}",

year = "2012",

month = aug,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1088/2041-8205/755/2/L29",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "755",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "2",

}

Berger, E, Chornock, R, Lunnan, R, Foley, R, Czekala, I, Rest, A, Leibler, C, Soderberg, AM, Roth, K, Narayan, G, Huber, ME, Milisavljevic, D, Sanders, NE, Drout, M, Margutti, R, Kirshner, RP, Marion, GH, Challis, PJ, Riess, AG, Smartt, SJ, Burgett, WS, Hodapp, KW, Heasley, JN, Kaiser, N, Kudritzki, RP, Magnier, EA, McCrum, M, Price, PA, Smith, K, Tonry, JL & Wainscoat, RJ 2012, 'Ultraluminous supernovae as a new probe of the interstellar medium in distant galaxies', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 755, no. 2, L29. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/755/2/L29

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ultraluminous supernovae as a new probe of the interstellar medium in distant galaxies

AU - Berger, E.

AU - Chornock, R.

AU - Lunnan, R.

AU - Foley, R.

AU - Czekala, I.

AU - Rest, A.

AU - Leibler, C.

AU - Soderberg, A. M.

AU - Roth, K.

AU - Narayan, G.

AU - Huber, M. E.

AU - Milisavljevic, D.

AU - Sanders, N. E.

AU - Drout, M.

AU - Margutti, R.

AU - Kirshner, R. P.

AU - Marion, G. H.

AU - Challis, P. J.

AU - Riess, A. G.

AU - Smartt, S. J.

AU - Burgett, W. S.

AU - Hodapp, K. W.

AU - Heasley, J. N.

AU - Kaiser, N.

AU - Kudritzki, R. P.

AU - Magnier, E. A.

AU - McCrum, M.

AU - Price, P. A.

AU - Smith, K.

AU - Tonry, J. L.

AU - Wainscoat, R. J.

PY - 2012/8/20

Y1 - 2012/8/20

N2 - We present the Pan-STARRS1 discovery and light curves, and follow-up MMT and Gemini spectroscopy of an ultraluminous supernova (ULSN; dubbed PS1-11bam) at a redshift of z = 1.566 with a peak brightness of M UV ≈ -22.3mag. PS1-11bam is one of the highest redshift spectroscopically confirmed SNe known to date. The spectrum exhibits broad absorption features typical of previous ULSNe (e.g., C II, Si III), and strong and narrow Mg II and Fe II absorption lines from the interstellar medium (ISM) of the host galaxy, confirmed by an [O II]λ3727 emission line at the same redshift. The equivalent widths of the Fe II λ2600 and Mg II λ2803 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 τ* 15-45Myr and a stellar mass of M * ≈ (1.1-2.6) × 109 M ⊙ (for Z = 0.05-1 Z ⊙). The star formation rate inferred from the UV continuum and [O II]λ3727 emission line is ≈10 M ⊙yr-1, higher than in previous ULSN hosts. PS1-11bam provides the first direct demonstration that ULSNe can serve as probes of the ISM in distant galaxies. 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 30m class telescopes promises to extend this technique to z ∼ 4.

AB - We present the Pan-STARRS1 discovery and light curves, and follow-up MMT and Gemini spectroscopy of an ultraluminous supernova (ULSN; dubbed PS1-11bam) at a redshift of z = 1.566 with a peak brightness of M UV ≈ -22.3mag. PS1-11bam is one of the highest redshift spectroscopically confirmed SNe known to date. The spectrum exhibits broad absorption features typical of previous ULSNe (e.g., C II, Si III), and strong and narrow Mg II and Fe II absorption lines from the interstellar medium (ISM) of the host galaxy, confirmed by an [O II]λ3727 emission line at the same redshift. The equivalent widths of the Fe II λ2600 and Mg II λ2803 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 τ* 15-45Myr and a stellar mass of M * ≈ (1.1-2.6) × 109 M ⊙ (for Z = 0.05-1 Z ⊙). The star formation rate inferred from the UV continuum and [O II]λ3727 emission line is ≈10 M ⊙yr-1, higher than in previous ULSN hosts. PS1-11bam provides the first direct demonstration that ULSNe can serve as probes of the ISM in distant galaxies. 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 30m class telescopes promises to extend this technique to z ∼ 4.

KW - galaxies: ISM

KW - supernovae: individual (PS1-11bam)

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84865000895&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/2041-8205/755/2/L29

DO - 10.1088/2041-8205/755/2/L29

M3 - Article

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SN - 2041-8205

VL - 755

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 2

M1 - L29

ER -

Ultraluminous supernovae as a new probe of the interstellar medium in distant galaxies

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