SN 2000cx and SN 2013bh: Extremely rare, nearly twin type ia supernovae

Jeffrey M. Silverman, Jozsef Vinko, Mansi M. Kasliwal, Ori D. Fox, Yi Cao, Joel Johansson, Daniel A. Perley, David Tal, J. Craig Wheeler, Rahman Amanullah, Iair Arcavi, Joshua S. Bloom, Avishay Gal-Yam, Ariel Goobar, Shrinivas R. Kulkarni, Russ Laher, William H. Lee, G. H. Marion, Peter E. Nugent, Isaac Shivvers

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) SN 2000cx was one of the most peculiar transients ever discovered, with a rise to maximum brightness typical of a SN Ia, but a slower decline and a higher photospheric temperature. 13 yr later SN 2013bh (also known as iPTF13abc), a near identical twin, was discovered and we obtained optical and near-infrared photometry and low-resolution optical spectroscopy from discovery until about 1 month past r-band maximum brightness. The spectra of both objects show iron-group elements [Co II, Ni II, FeII, Fe III and high-velocity features (HVFs) of Ti II], intermediate-mass elements (Si II, Si III and S II) and separate normal velocity features (~12 000 km s-1) and HVFs (~24 000 km s-1) of Ca II. Persistent absorption from Fe III and Si III, along with the colour evolution, implies high blackbody temperatures for SNe 2013bh and 2000cx (~12 000 K). Both objects lack narrow Na I D absorption and exploded in the outskirts of their hosts, indicating that the SN environments were relatively free of interstellar or circumstellar material and may imply that the progenitors came from a relatively old and low-metallicity stellar population. Models of SN 2000cx, seemingly applicable to SN 2013bh, imply the production of up to 1 M of 56Ni and (4.3-5.5) × 10-3 M⊙ of fast-moving Ca ejecta.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1225-1237
Number of pages13
JournalMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
Volume436
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2013

Keywords

  • Supernovae:general
  • Supernovae:individual:SN 2000cx
  • Supernovae:individual:SN 2013bh

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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