POSSIS: predicting spectra, light curves and polarization for multi-dimensional models of supernovae and kilonovae

Mattia Bulla

doi:10.1093/mnras/stz2495

paper

POSSIS: predicting spectra, light curves and polarization for multi-dimensional models of supernovae and kilonovae

arXiv:1906.04205 · doi:10.1093/mnras/stz2495

Abstract

We present POSSIS, a time-dependent three-dimensional Monte Carlo code for modelling radiation transport in supernovae and kilonovae. The code incorporates wavelength- and time-dependent opacities and predicts viewing-angle dependent spectra, light curves and polarization for both idealized and hydrodynamical explosion models. We apply the code to a kilonova model with two distinct ejecta components, one including lanthanide elements with relatively high opacities and the other devoid of lanthanides and characterized by lower opacities. We find that a model with total ejecta mass $M_{ej} = 0.04 M_{⊙}$ and half-opening angle of the lanthanide-rich component $Φ = 3 0^{\circ}$ provides a good match to GW 170817 / AT 2017gfo for orientations near the polar axis (i.e. for a system viewed close to face-on). We then show how crucial is the use of self-consistent multi-dimensional models in place of combining one-dimensional models to infer important parameters as the ejecta masses. We finally explore the impact of $M_{ej}$ and $Φ$ on the synthetic observables and highlight how the relatively fast computation times of POSSIS make it well-suited to perform parameter-space studies and extract key properties of supernovae and kilonovae. Spectra calculated with POSSIS in this and future studies will be made publicly available.

arXiv comment10 pages, 7 figures; accepted for publication in MNRAS; all modelled spectra are made available at https://github.com/mbulla/kilonova_models

POSSIS: predicting spectra, light curves and polarization for multi-dimensional models of supernovae and kilonovae

Abstract

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