Radioactively-Powered Rising Lightcurves of Type Ia Supernovae

Abstract

The rising luminosity of the recent, nearby supernova 2011fe shows a quadratic dependence with time during the first 0.5-4 days. In addition, the composite lightcurves formed from stacking together many Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) show a similar power-law index of 1.8+-0.2 with time. I explore what range of power-law rises are possible due to the presence of radioactive material near the surface of the exploding white dwarf (WD). I summarize what constraints such a model places on the structure of the progenitor and the distribution and velocity of ejecta. My main conclusion is that the rise of SN 2011fe requires a mass fraction 0.03 of 56Ni (or some other heating source like 48Cr) distributed between a depth of ~0.004-0.1Msun below the WD's surface. Radioactive elements this shallow are not found in simulations of a single C/O detonation. Scenarios that may produce this material include helium-shell burning during a double-detonation ignition, a gravitationally confined detonation, and a subset of deflagration to detonation transition models. In general, the power-law rise can differ from quadratic depending on the details of the event, so comparisons of this work with observed bolometric rises of SNe Ia would place strong constraints on the distribution of shallow radioactive material, providing important clues for identifying the elusive progenitors of SNe Ia.

7 pages, 4 figures, submitted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

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• Constraints on the explosion mechanism and progenitors of type Ia supernovae
• Constraints on Shallow 56Ni from the Early Lightcurves of Type Ia Supernovae
• A review of type Ia supernova spectra
• Constraints on the origin of the first light from SN2014J
• Type Ia Supernovae in the First Few Days: Signatures of Helium Detonation versus Interaction
• The UV/optical spectra of the Type Ia supernova SN 2010jn: a bright supernova with outer layers rich in iron-group elements
• Supernova Ejecta in the Youngest Galactic Supernova Remnant G1.9+0.3
• Determining the ${}^{56}$Ni distribution of type Ia supernovae from observations within days of explosion
• Early Time Light Curves of Type Ia Supernovae Observed with TESS
• Numerical Modeling of the Early Light Curves of Type IIP Supernovae
• Twins for life? A comparative analysis of the Type Ia supernovae 2011fe and 2011by
• A Carbon/Oxygen-dominated Atmosphere Days After Explosion for the "Super-Chandrasekhar" Type Ia SN 2020esm
• SN2019yvq Does Not Conform to SN Ia Explosion Models
• SN 2011fe: A Laboratory for Testing Models of Type Ia Supernovae
• An Intermediate Type Ia Supernova Between Normal And Super-Chandrasekhar
• Nebular-Phase Spectra of Type Ia Supernovae from the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Supernova Project
• Turbulent Mixing on Helium-Accreting White Dwarfs
• Giant Primeval Magnetic Dipoles
• An Empirical Fitting Method for Type Ia Supernova Light Curves: A Case Study of SN 2011fe
• Spectral Models for Early Time SN 2011fe Observations
• Ultraviolet Line Identifications and Spectral Formation Near Max-Light in Type Ia Supernovae 2011fe