JWST Low-resolution MIRI Spectral Observations of SN 2021aefx: High-density Burning in a Type Ia Supernova
We present a JWST/MIRI low-resolution mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopic observation of the normal Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) SN 2021aefx at +323 days past rest-frame B -band maximum light. The spectrum ranges from 4 to 14 μ m and shows many unique qualities, including a flat-topped [Ar iii ] 8.991 μ m...
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acb8a8 |
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| author | J. M. DerKacy C. Ashall P. Hoeflich E. Baron B. J. Shappee D. Baade J. Andrews K. A. Bostroem P. J. Brown C. R. Burns A. Burrow A. Cikota T. de Jaeger A. Do Y. Dong I. Dominguez L. Galbany E. Y. Hsiao E. Karamehmetoglu K. Krisciunas S. Kumar J. Lu T. B. Mera Evans J. R. Maund P. Mazzali K. Medler N. Morrell F. Patat M. M. Phillips M. Shahbandeh S. Stangl C. P. Stevens M. D. Stritzinger N. B. Suntzeff C. M. Telesco M. A. Tucker S. Valenti L. Wang Y. Yang S. W. Jha L. A. Kwok |
| author_facet | J. M. DerKacy C. Ashall P. Hoeflich E. Baron B. J. Shappee D. Baade J. Andrews K. A. Bostroem P. J. Brown C. R. Burns A. Burrow A. Cikota T. de Jaeger A. Do Y. Dong I. Dominguez L. Galbany E. Y. Hsiao E. Karamehmetoglu K. Krisciunas S. Kumar J. Lu T. B. Mera Evans J. R. Maund P. Mazzali K. Medler N. Morrell F. Patat M. M. Phillips M. Shahbandeh S. Stangl C. P. Stevens M. D. Stritzinger N. B. Suntzeff C. M. Telesco M. A. Tucker S. Valenti L. Wang Y. Yang S. W. Jha L. A. Kwok |
| author_sort | J. M. DerKacy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We present a JWST/MIRI low-resolution mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopic observation of the normal Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) SN 2021aefx at +323 days past rest-frame B -band maximum light. The spectrum ranges from 4 to 14 μ m and shows many unique qualities, including a flat-topped [Ar iii ] 8.991 μ m profile, a strongly tilted [Co iii ] 11.888 μ m feature, and multiple stable Ni lines. These features provide critical information about the physics of the explosion. The observations are compared to synthetic spectra from detailed non–local thermodynamic equilibrium multidimensional models. The results of the best-fitting model are used to identify the components of the spectral blends and provide a quantitative comparison to the explosion physics. Emission line profiles and the presence of electron capture elements are used to constrain the mass of the exploding white dwarf (WD) and the chemical asymmetries in the ejecta. We show that the observations of SN 2021aefx are consistent with an off-center delayed detonation explosion of a near–Chandrasekhar mass ( M _Ch ) WD at a viewing angle of −30° relative to the point of the deflagration to detonation transition. From the strengths of the stable Ni lines, we determine that there is little to no mixing in the central regions of the ejecta. Based on both the presence of stable Ni and the Ar velocity distributions, we obtain a strict lower limit of 1.2 M _⊙ for the initial WD, implying that most sub- M _Ch explosions models are not viable models for SN 2021aefx. The analysis here shows the crucial importance of MIR spectra in distinguishing between explosion scenarios for SNe Ia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:14:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-054259b4fccd4ad5ac8f58c5058a0907 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:14:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-054259b4fccd4ad5ac8f58c5058a09072023-09-03T14:11:18ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052023-01-019451L210.3847/2041-8213/acb8a8JWST Low-resolution MIRI Spectral Observations of SN 2021aefx: High-density Burning in a Type Ia SupernovaJ. M. DerKacy0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7566-6080C. Ashall1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5221-7557P. Hoeflich2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4338-6586E. Baron3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5393-1608B. J. Shappee4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4631-1149D. Baade5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1637-9679J. Andrews6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0123-0062K. A. Bostroem7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4924-444XP. J. Brown8https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6272-5507C. R. Burns9https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4625-6629A. Burrow10https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5380-0816A. Cikota11https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7101-9831T. de Jaeger12https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6069-1139A. Do13https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3429-7845Y. Dong14https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7937-6371I. Dominguez15https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3827-4731L. Galbany16https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1296-6887E. Y. Hsiao17https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1039-2928E. Karamehmetoglu18https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6209-838XK. Krisciunas19https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6650-694XS. Kumar20https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8367-7591J. Lu21https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3900-1452T. B. Mera Evans22https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5888-2542J. R. Maund23https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0733-7215P. Mazzali24https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-8284K. Medler25https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7186-105XN. Morrell26https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2535-3091F. Patat27https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0537-3573M. M. Phillips28https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2734-0796M. Shahbandeh29https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9301-5302S. Stangl30https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5570-6666C. P. Stevens31https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0763-6004M. D. Stritzinger32https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5571-1833N. B. Suntzeff33https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8102-181XC. M. Telesco34https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0036-9292M. A. Tucker35https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2471-8442S. Valenti36https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8818-0795L. Wang37https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7092-9374Y. Yang38https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6535-8500S. W. Jha39https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8738-6011L. A. Kwok40https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3108-1328Department of Physics, Virginia Tech , Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA ; jmderkacy@vt.eduDepartment of Physics, Virginia Tech , Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA ; jmderkacy@vt.eduDepartment of Physics, Florida State University , 77 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USAHomer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma , 440 W. Brooks, Rm 100, Norman, OK 73019-2061, USA; Hamburger Sternwarte , Gojenbergsweg 112, D-21029 Hamburg, GermanyInstitute for Astronomy, University of Hawai’i at Manoa , 2680 Woodlawn Dr., Hawai’i, HI 96822, USAEuropean Organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) , Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, D-85748 Garching b. München, GermanyGemini Observatory/NSF’s NOIRLab , 670 North A‘ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720-2700, USASteward Observatory, University of Arizona , 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721-0065, USAGeorge P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University , Department of Physics and Astronomy, College Station, TX 77843, USAObservatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science , 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101, USAHomer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma , 440 W. Brooks, Rm 100, Norman, OK 73019-2061, USAGemini Observatory/NSF’s NOIRLab , Casilla 603, La Serena, ChileInstitute for Astronomy, University of Hawai’i at Manoa , 2680 Woodlawn Dr., Hawai’i, HI 96822, USAInstitute for Astronomy, University of Hawai’i at Manoa , 2680 Woodlawn Dr., Hawai’i, HI 96822, USADepartment of Physics, University of California , 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USAUniversidad de Granada , E-18071, Granada, SpainInstitute of Space Sciences (ICE, CSIC) , Campus UAB, Carrer de Can Magrans, s/n, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain; Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC) , E-08034 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Physics, Florida State University , 77 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University , Ny Munkegade 120, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkGeorge P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University , Department of Physics and Astronomy, College Station, TX 77843, USADepartment of Physics, Florida State University , 77 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USADepartment of Physics, Florida State University , 77 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USADepartment of Physics, Florida State University , 77 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield , Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield, S3 7RH, UKAstrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University , UK; Max-Planck Institute for Astrophysics , Garching, GermanyAstrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University , UK; Max-Planck Institute for Astrophysics , Garching, GermanyLas Campanas Observatory, Carnegie Observatories , Casilla 601, La Serena, ChileEuropean Organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) , Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, D-85748 Garching b. München, GermanyLas Campanas Observatory, Carnegie Observatories , Casilla 601, La Serena, ChileSpace Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218-2410, USAHomer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma , 440 W. Brooks, Rm 100, Norman, OK 73019-2061, USADepartment of Physics, Virginia Tech , Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA ; jmderkacy@vt.eduDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University , Ny Munkegade 120, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkGeorge P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University , Department of Physics and Astronomy, College Station, TX 77843, USADepartment of Astronomy, University of Florida , Gainesville, FL 32611 USACenter for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics, The Ohio State University , 191 W. Woodruff Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, USADepartment of Physics, University of California , 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University , College Station, TX 77843, USADepartment of Astronomy, University of California , Berkeley, CA 94720-3411, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey , 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8019, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey , 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8019, USAWe present a JWST/MIRI low-resolution mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopic observation of the normal Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) SN 2021aefx at +323 days past rest-frame B -band maximum light. The spectrum ranges from 4 to 14 μ m and shows many unique qualities, including a flat-topped [Ar iii ] 8.991 μ m profile, a strongly tilted [Co iii ] 11.888 μ m feature, and multiple stable Ni lines. These features provide critical information about the physics of the explosion. The observations are compared to synthetic spectra from detailed non–local thermodynamic equilibrium multidimensional models. The results of the best-fitting model are used to identify the components of the spectral blends and provide a quantitative comparison to the explosion physics. Emission line profiles and the presence of electron capture elements are used to constrain the mass of the exploding white dwarf (WD) and the chemical asymmetries in the ejecta. We show that the observations of SN 2021aefx are consistent with an off-center delayed detonation explosion of a near–Chandrasekhar mass ( M _Ch ) WD at a viewing angle of −30° relative to the point of the deflagration to detonation transition. From the strengths of the stable Ni lines, we determine that there is little to no mixing in the central regions of the ejecta. Based on both the presence of stable Ni and the Ar velocity distributions, we obtain a strict lower limit of 1.2 M _⊙ for the initial WD, implying that most sub- M _Ch explosions models are not viable models for SN 2021aefx. The analysis here shows the crucial importance of MIR spectra in distinguishing between explosion scenarios for SNe Ia.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acb8a8SupernovaeType Ia supernovaeJames Webb Space Telescope |
| spellingShingle | J. M. DerKacy C. Ashall P. Hoeflich E. Baron B. J. Shappee D. Baade J. Andrews K. A. Bostroem P. J. Brown C. R. Burns A. Burrow A. Cikota T. de Jaeger A. Do Y. Dong I. Dominguez L. Galbany E. Y. Hsiao E. Karamehmetoglu K. Krisciunas S. Kumar J. Lu T. B. Mera Evans J. R. Maund P. Mazzali K. Medler N. Morrell F. Patat M. M. Phillips M. Shahbandeh S. Stangl C. P. Stevens M. D. Stritzinger N. B. Suntzeff C. M. Telesco M. A. Tucker S. Valenti L. Wang Y. Yang S. W. Jha L. A. Kwok JWST Low-resolution MIRI Spectral Observations of SN 2021aefx: High-density Burning in a Type Ia Supernova The Astrophysical Journal Letters Supernovae Type Ia supernovae James Webb Space Telescope |
| title | JWST Low-resolution MIRI Spectral Observations of SN 2021aefx: High-density Burning in a Type Ia Supernova |
| title_full | JWST Low-resolution MIRI Spectral Observations of SN 2021aefx: High-density Burning in a Type Ia Supernova |
| title_fullStr | JWST Low-resolution MIRI Spectral Observations of SN 2021aefx: High-density Burning in a Type Ia Supernova |
| title_full_unstemmed | JWST Low-resolution MIRI Spectral Observations of SN 2021aefx: High-density Burning in a Type Ia Supernova |
| title_short | JWST Low-resolution MIRI Spectral Observations of SN 2021aefx: High-density Burning in a Type Ia Supernova |
| title_sort | jwst low resolution miri spectral observations of sn 2021aefx high density burning in a type ia supernova |
| topic | Supernovae Type Ia supernovae James Webb Space Telescope |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acb8a8 |
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