Luminosity distributions of Type Ia Supernovae

Abstract

We have assembled a dataset of 165 low redshift, $z<$0.06, publicly available type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). We produce maximum light magnitude ($M_B$ and $M_V$) distributions of SNe Ia to explore the diversity of parameter space that they can fill. Before correction for host galaxy extinction we find that the mean $M_B$ and $M_V$ of SNe Ia are $-18.58\pm 0.07$mag and $-18.72\pm 0.05$mag respectively. Host galaxy extinction is corrected using a new method based on the SN spectrum. After correction, the mean values of $M_B$ and $M_V$ of SNe Ia are $-19.10\pm 0.06$ and $-19.10\pm 0.05$mag respectively. After correction for host galaxy extinction, `normal' SNeIa ($\hat{I}”m_{15}(B)<1.6$mag) fill a larger parameter space in the Width-Luminosity Relation (WLR) than previously suggested, and there is evidence for luminous SNe Ia with large $\hat{I}”m_{15}(B)$. We find a bimodal distribution in $\hat{I}”m_{15}(B)$, with a pronounced lack of transitional events at $\hat{I}”m_{15}(B)$=1.6 mag. We confirm that faster, low-luminosity SNe tend to come from passive galaxies. Dividing the sample by host galaxy type, SNe Ia from star-forming (S-F) galaxies have a mean $M_B=-19.20\pm 0.05$ mag, while SNe Ia from passive galaxies have a mean $M_B=-18.57\pm 0.24$ mag. Even excluding fast declining SNe, `normal' ($M_B<-18$ mag) SNe Ia from S-F and passive galaxies are distinct. In the $V$-band, there is a difference of 0.4$\pm$0.13 mag between the median ($M_V$) values of the `normal' SN Ia population from passive and S-F galaxies. This is consistent with ($\sim 15\pm$10)% of `normal' SNe Ia from S-F galaxies coming from an old stellar population.

Accepted for publication in MNRAS