[en] SN 2007it is a bright, Type IIP supernova which shows indications of both pre-existing and newly formed dust. The visible photometry shows a bright late-time luminosity, powered by the 0.09 M_sun of ⁵⁶Ni present in the ejecta. There is also a sudden drop in optical brightness after day 339, and a corresponding brightening in the IR due to new dust forming in the ejecta. CO and SiO emission, generally thought to be precursors to dust formation, may have been detected in the mid-IR photometry of SN 2007it. The optical spectra show stronger than average [O I] emission lines and weaker than average [Ca II] lines, which may indicate a 16-27 M_sun progenitor, on the higher end of expected Type IIP masses. Multi-component [O I] lines are also seen in the optical spectra, most likely caused by an asymmetric blob or a torus of oxygen core material being ejected during the SN explosion. Interaction with circumstellar material prior to day 540 may have created a cool dense shell between the forward and reverse shocks where new dust is condensing. At late times there is also a flattening of the visible light curve as the ejecta luminosity fades and a surrounding light echo becomes visible. Radiative transfer models of SN 2007it spectral energy distributions indicate that up to 10^-4 M_sun of new dust has formed in the ejecta, which is consistent with the amount of dust formed in other core-collapse supernovae.

[en] SN 2010jl was an extremely bright, Type IIn supernova (SN) which showed a significant infrared (IR) excess no later than 90 days after explosion. We have obtained Spitzer 3.6 and 4.5 μm and JHK observations of SN 2010jl ∼90 days post-explosion. Little to no reddening in the host galaxy indicated that the circumstellar material lost from the progenitor must lie in a torus inclined out of the plane of the sky. The likely cause of the high mid-IR flux is the reprocessing of the initial flash of the SN by pre-existing circumstellar dust. Using a three-dimensional Monte Carlo radiative-transfer code, we have estimated that between 0.03 and 0.35 M_sun of dust exists in a circumstellar torus around the SN located 6 x 10¹⁷ cm away from the SN and inclined between 60 deg. and 80 deg. to the plane of the sky. On day 90, we are only seeing the illumination of approximately 5% of this torus, and expect to see an elevated IR flux from this material up until day ∼ 450. It is likely this dust was created in a luminous blue variable (LBV) like mass-loss event of more than 3 M_sun, which is large but consistent with other LBV progenitors such as η Carinae.

[en] We have examined the distribution of individual Pu isotopes (239Pu, 240Pu, and 241Pu) in seawater from the Gulf of Maine (GOM). Samples were size-fractionated with a 1 kD cross-flow ultrafiltration (CFF) membrane. Subfractioned samples were radiochemically purified and Pu isotopes were analyzed using a three-stage thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS). To our knowledge, this is the first time that both size class and Pu isotopic data have been obtained for sea water samples. Within measurement uncertainties a single 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio of about 0.18 was found for all sample collection depths and sample size fractions. This signifies a current, single Pu source in GOM waters, namely global fallout, and suggests that no measurable isotopic fractionation occurred during CFF processing. The majority of Pu was found in the low molecular weight fraction (< 1 kD). Colloidal Pu varied from 8% of the total in surface waters to < 1% in the deepest (250m) seawater sample. Evidence suggests that the vertical distribution of Pu in GOM is primarily controlled by conservative mixing processes. The high Pu fraction found in the low molecular size fraction implies that most of the Pu is in the non-particle-reactive oxidized fraction, and is consistent with the conservative Pu behavior. The activity levels are in agreement with other studies which show a slow decrease in Pu with time due to continued mixing and relatively slow particle removal

[en] SN 2007od exhibits characteristics that have rarely been seen in a Type IIP supernova (SN). Optical V-band photometry reveals a very steep brightness decline between the plateau and nebular phases of ∼4.5 mag, likely due to SN 2007od containing a low mass of ⁵⁶Ni. The optical spectra show an evolution from normal Type IIP with broad Hα emission, to a complex, four-component Hα emission profile exhibiting asymmetries caused by dust extinction after day 232. This is similar to the spectral evolution of the Type IIn SN 1998S, although no early-time narrow (∼200 km s^-1) Hα component was present in SN 2007od. In both SNe, the intermediate-width Hα emission components are thought to arise in the interaction between the ejecta and its circumstellar medium (CSM). SN 2007od also shows a mid-infrared excess due to new dust. The evolution of the Hα profile and the presence of the mid-IR excess provide strong evidence that SN 2007od formed new dust before day 232. Late-time observations reveal a flattening of the visible light curve. This flattening is a strong indication of the presence of a light echo, which likely accounts for much of the broad, underlying Hα component seen at late times. We believe that the multi-peaked Hα emission is consistent with the interaction of the ejecta with a circumstellar ring or torus (for the inner components at ±1500 km s^-1) and a single blob or cloud of circumstellar material out of the plane of the CSM ring (for the outer component at -5000 km s^-1). The most probable location for the formation of new dust is in the cool dense shell created by the interaction between the expanding ejecta and its CSM. Monte Carlo radiative transfer modeling of the dust emission from SN 2007od implies that up to ∼4 x 10^-4 M_sun of new dust has formed. This is similar to the amounts of dust formed in other core-collapse supernovae such as SNe 1999em, 2004et, and 2006jc.

[en] We present nebular phase optical imaging and spectroscopy and near/mid-IR imaging of the Type II SN 2006bc. Observations reveal the central wavelength of the symmetric Hα line profile to be redshifted with respect to the host galaxy Hα emission by day 325. Such a phenomenon has been argued to result from an asymmetric explosion in the iron-peak elements resulting in a larger mass of ⁵⁶Ni and higher excitation of hydrogen on the far side of the supernova (SN) explosion. We also observe a gradual blueshifting of this Hα peak which is indicative of dust formation in the ejecta. Although showing a normal peak brightness, V ∼ –17.2, for a core-collapse SN, 2006bc fades by ∼6 mag during the first 400 days suggesting either a relatively low ⁵⁶Ni yield, an increase in extinction due to new dust, or both. A short-duration flattening of the light curve is observed from day 416 to day 541 suggesting an optical light echo. Based on the narrow time window of this echo, we discuss implications on the location and geometry of the reflecting interstellar medium. With our radiative transfer models, we find an upper limit of 2 × 10^–3 M_☉ of dust around SN 2006bc. In the event that all of this dust were formed during the SN explosion, this quantity of dust is still several orders of magnitude lower than that needed to explain the large quantities of dust observed in the early universe.

[en] The luminous Type IIn SN 2010jl shows strong signs of interaction between the SN ejecta and dense circumstellar material. Dust may be present in the unshocked ejecta; the cool, dense shell (CDS) between the shocks in the interaction region; or in the circumstellar medium (CSM). We present and model new optical and infrared photometry and spectroscopy of SN 2010jl from 82 to 1367 days since explosion. We evaluate the photometric and spectroscopic evolution using the radiative transfer codes mocassin and damocles, respectively. We propose an interaction scenario and investigate the resulting dust formation scenarios and dust masses. We find that SN 2010jl has been continuously forming dust based on the evolution of its infrared emission and optical spectra. There is evidence for preexisting dust in the CSM as well as new dust formation in the CDS and/or ejecta. We estimate that 0.005–0.01 M _⊙ of predominantly carbon dust grains has formed in SN 2010jl by ∼1400 days post-outburst.

[en] We have used multi-wavelength Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 data of the starbursting spiral galaxy M83 in order to measure variations in the upper end of the stellar initial mass function (uIMF) using the production rate of ionizing photons in unresolved clusters with ages ≤ 8 Myr. As in earlier papers on M51 and NGC 4214, the uIMF in M83 is consistent with a universal IMF, and stochastic sampling of the stellar populations in the ∼<10³ M _☉ clusters are responsible for any deviations in this universality. The ensemble cluster population, as well as individual clusters, also imply that the most massive star in a cluster does not depend on the cluster mass. In fact, we have found that these small clusters seem to have an over-abundance of ionizing photons when compared to an expected universal or truncated IMF. This also suggests that the presence of massive stars in these clusters does not affect the star formation in a destructive way.

[en] With the conclusion of the third observing run for Advanced LIGO/Virgo (O3), we present a detailed analysis of both triggered and serendipitous observations of 17 gravitational-wave (GW) events (7 triggered and 10 purely serendipitous) from the Searches After Gravitational-waves Using ARizona Observatories (SAGUARO) program. We searched a total of 4935 deg² down to a median 5σ transient detection depth of 21.1 AB mag using the Mt. Lemmon 1.5 m telescope, the discovery engine for SAGUARO. In addition to triggered events within 24 hr, our transient search encompassed a time interval following GW events of <120 hr, providing observations on ∼1/2 of the events accessible to the Mt. Lemmon 1.5 m telescope. We covered 2.1%–86% of the LVC total probability (P _total) for individual events, with a median P _total ≈ 8% within <120 hr. Following improvements to our pipeline and the addition of serendipitous observations, we find a total of seven new optical candidates across five GW events, which we are unable to rule out after searching for additional information and comparing to kilonova models. Using both publicly available and our own late-time data, we investigated a total of 252 optical candidates for these 17 events, finding that only 65% were followed up in some capacity by the community. Of the total 252 candidates, we are able to rule out an additional 12 previously reported counterpart candidates. In light of these results, we discuss lessons learned from the SAGUARO GW counterpart search. We discuss how community coordination of observations and candidate follow-up, as well as the role of archival data, are crucial to improving the efficiency of follow-up efforts and preventing unnecessary duplication of effort with limited electromagnetic resources.

[en] We present multiwavelength photometric and spectroscopic observations of SN 2019ein, a high-velocity Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) discovered in the nearby galaxy NGC 5353 with a two-day nondetection limit. SN 2019ein exhibited some of the highest measured expansion velocities of any SN Ia, with a Si ii absorption minimum blueshifted by 24,000 km s⁻¹ at 14 days before peak brightness. More unusually, we observed the emission components of the P Cygni profiles to be blueshifted upward of 10,000 km s⁻¹ before B-band maximum light. This blueshift, among the highest in a sample of 28 other SNe Ia, is greatest at our earliest spectroscopic epoch and subsequently decreases toward maximum light. We discuss possible progenitor systems and explosion mechanisms that could explain these extreme absorption and emission velocities. Radio observations beginning 14 days before B-band maximum light yield nondetections at the position of SN 2019ein, which rules out symbiotic progenitor systems, most models of fast optically thick accretion winds, and optically thin shells of mass $\lesssim <!--\; ???\; -->{10}^{-<!--\; ???\; -->6}$ $M_{\odot <!--\; ???\; -->}$ at radii $<<!--\; <\; -->100\mathrm{a}\mathrm{u}$. Comparing our spectra to models and observations of other high-velocity SNe Ia, we find that SN 2019ein is well fit by a delayed-detonation explosion. We propose that the high emission velocities may be the result of abundance enhancements due to ejecta mixing in an asymmetric explosion, or optical depth effects in the photosphere of the ejecta at early times. These findings may provide evidence for common explosion mechanisms and ejecta geometries among high-velocity SNe Ia.

[en] The differential cross-section as a function of rapidity has been measured for the exclusive production of J/ψ and ψ(2S) mesons in proton–proton collisions at √s=7 TeV, using data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 930 pb⁻¹. The cross-sections times branching fractions to two muons having pseudorapidities between 2.0 and 4.5 are measured to be where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The measurements agree with next-to-leading order QCD predictions as well as with models that include saturation effects. (paper)