A Polarization Sequence for Type Ia Supernovae?

Abstract

Early polarization observations on Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) may reveal the geometry of supernova ejecta, and then put constraints on their explosion mechanism and their progenitor model. We performed a literature search of SNe Ia with polarization measurements and determined the polarization and relative equivalent width (REW) of Si II 635.5-nm absorption feature at -5 days after the maximum light. We found that either the distribution of observed polarization degree is bimodal, i.e. the broad line SNe Ia have systematically higher polarization than all other SNe Ia, or all kind of SNe Ia share the same polarization sequence, i.e. the polarization of Si II 635.5-nm absorption feature increases with the REW. We also discussed the potential meaning of the discovery on the explosion mechanism and progenitor model of SNe Ia.

4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

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• On the Progenitors of Type Ia Supernovae
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• Mass-accreting white dwarfs and type Ia supernovae
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• Supernovae Ia in 2019 (review): a rising demand for spherical explosions
• Polarization signatures of the head-on collision model for Type Ia supernovae: How much asymmetry is too much?
• High-velocity feature as the indicator of the stellar population of Type Ia supernovae
• The environments of Type Ia supernovae with different relative equivalent width of Si II feature in their spectra