Swift and Chandra detections of supernova 2006jc: evidence for interaction of the supernova shock with a circumstellar shell
Creators
- Immler, S.1, 2
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Modjaz, M.3
- Landsman, W.
- Bufano, F.
- Brown, P. J.4
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Milne, P.5
- Dessart, L.5
- Holland, S. T.1, 6
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Koss, M.2
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Pooley, D.7
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Kirshner, R. P.3
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Filippenko, A. V.7
- Panagia, N.8
- Chevalier, R. A.9
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Mazzali, P. A.10, 11
- Gehrels, N.
- Petre, R.
- Burrows, D. N.4
- Nousek, J. A.4
- Roming, P. W. A.4
- Pian, E.10
- Soderberg, A. M.12
- Greiner, J.13
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1.
Goddard Space Flight Center
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2.
University of Maryland, College Park
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3.
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
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4.
Pennsylvania State University
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5.
University of Arizona
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6.
Universities Space Research Association
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7.
University of California, Berkeley
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8.
Space Telescope Science Institute
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9.
University of Virginia
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10.
Trieste Astronomical Observatory
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11.
Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
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12.
California Institute of Technology
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13.
Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Abstract
The peculiar Type Ib supernova (SN) 2006jc has been observed with the UV/Optical Telescope (UVOT) and X-Ray Telescope (XRT) on board the Swift observatory over a period of 19-183 days after the explosion. Signatures of interaction of the outgoing SN shock with dense circumstellar material (CSM) are detected, such as strong X-ray emission (L_(0.2–10) > 10^39 erg s^−1) and the presence of Mg II 2800 Å line emission visible in the UV spectra. In combination with a Chandra observation obtained on day 40 after the explosion, the X-ray light curve is constructed, which shows a unique rise of the X-ray emission by a factor of ~5 over a period of ~4 months, followed by a rapid decline. We interpret the unique X-ray and UV properties as a result of the SN shock interacting with a shell of material that was deposited by an outburst of the SN progenitor 2 years prior to the explosion. Our results are consistent with the explosion of a Wolf-Rayet star that underwent an episodic mass ejection qualitatively similar to those of luminous blue variable stars prior to its explosion. This led to the formation of a dense (~10^7 cm^−3) shell at a distance of ~10^16 cm from the site of the explosion, which expands with the WR wind at a velocity of 1300 ± 300 km s^−1.
Additional Information
© 2008 The American Astronomical Society. Received 2007 July 12; accepted 2008 January 9; published 2008 January 22. We gratefully acknowledge financial support of the NSF and NASA, especially the Swift and Chandra Guest Investigator Programs.Attached Files
Published - IMMapjl08.pdf
Files
IMMapjl08.pdf
Additional details
Identifiers
- Eprint ID
- 14304
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20090526-144731613
Funding
- NSF
- NASA
Dates
- Created
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2009-05-27Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2021-11-08Created from EPrint's last_modified field