[en] We present radio and X-ray observations of the nearby SN IIb 2013df in NGC 4414 from 10 to 250 days after the explosion. The radio emission showed a peculiar steep-to-shallow spectral evolution. We present a model in which inverse Compton cooling of synchrotron emitting electrons can account for the observed spectral and light curve evolution. A significant mass-loss rate, $\stackrel{\dot{}<!--\; ??\; -->}{M}\approx <!--\; ???\; -->8\times <!--\; ??\; -->{10}^{-<!--\; ???\; -->5}{M}_{\odot <!--\; ???\; -->}$ yr⁻¹ for a wind velocity of 10 km s⁻¹, is estimated from the detailed modeling of radio and X-ray emission, which are primarily due to synchrotron and bremsstrahlung, respectively. We show that SN 2013df is similar to SN 1993J in various ways. The shock wave speed of SN 2013df was found to be average among the radio supernovae; $v_{\mathrm{s}\mathrm{h}}/c\sim <!--\; ???\; -->0.07$. We did not find any significant deviation from smooth decline in the light curve of SN 2013df. One of the main results of our self-consistent multiband modeling is the significant deviation from energy equipartition between magnetic fields and relativistic electrons behind the shock. We estimate ${\mathrm{ϵ<!--\; ??\; -->}}_e=200{\mathrm{ϵ<!--\; ??\; -->}}_B$. In general for SNe IIb, we find that the presence of bright optical cooling envelope emission is linked with free–free radio absorption and bright thermal X-ray emission. This finding suggests that more extended progenitors, similar to that of SN 2013df, suffer from substantial mass loss in the years before the supernova.

[en] GRB 030329 displayed one of the brightest optical afterglows ever. We have followed the radio afterglow of GRB 030329 for over 5 years using the GMRT and WSRT at low radio frequencies. This is the longest as well as the lowest frequency follow up of any GRB afterglow ever.Radio observations of a GRB afterglow provide a unique probe of the physics of the blast wave at late times, when the expansion of the fireball slows down to non-relativistic speeds. Our GMRT-WSRT observations suggest that the afterglow of GRB030329 entered the non-relativistic phase around 60 days after the burst. The estimate of the fireball energy content, ∼10⁵¹ erg, in this near-isotropic phase is much less susceptible to the collimation-related uncertainties arising in the relativistic phase. We have also been closely monitoring the evolution of the afterglow to look for possible signatures of emission from a counter jet, but no conclusive evidence has so far been found.

[en] We present optical and near-infrared observations of SN 2012au, a slow-evolving supernova (SN) with properties that suggest a link between subsets of energetic and H-poor SNe and superluminous SNe. SN 2012au exhibited conspicuous Type-Ib-like He I lines and other absorption features at velocities reaching ≈2 × 10⁴ km s^–1 in its early spectra, and a broad light curve that peaked at M_B = –18.1 mag. Models of these data indicate a large explosion kinetic energy of ∼10⁵² erg and ⁵⁶Ni mass ejection of M_Ni ≈ 0.3 M_☉ on par with SN 1998bw. SN 2012au's spectra almost one year after explosion show a blend of persistent Fe II P-Cyg absorptions and nebular emissions originating from two distinct velocity regions. These late-time emissions include strong [Fe II], [Ca II], [O I], Mg I], and Na I lines at velocities ∼> 4500 km s^–1, as well as O I and Mg I lines at noticeably smaller velocities ∼< 2000 km s^–1. Many of the late-time properties of SN 2012au are similar to the slow-evolving hypernovae SN 1997dq and SN 1997ef, and the superluminous SN 2007bi. Our observations suggest that a single explosion mechanism may unify all of these events that span –21 ∼< M_B ∼< –17 mag. The aspherical and possibly jetted explosion was most likely initiated by the core collapse of a massive progenitor star and created substantial high-density, low-velocity Ni-rich material.

[en] We present extensive radio and X-ray observations of SN 2012au, an energetic, radio-luminous supernova of Type Ib that exhibits multi-wavelength properties bridging subsets of hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae, hypernovae, and normal core-collapse supernovae. The observations closely follow models of synchrotron emission from a shock-heated circumburst medium that has a wind density profile (ρ∝r ^–2). We infer a sub-relativistic velocity for the shock wave v ≈ 0.2 c and a radius of r ≈ 1.4 × 10¹⁶cm at 25 days after the estimated date of explosion. For a wind velocity of 1000 km s^–1, we determine the mass-loss rate of the progenitor to be M-dot =3.6×10⁻⁶ M_⊙ yr⁻¹, consistent with the estimates from X-ray observations. We estimate the total internal energy of the radio-emitting material to be E ≈ 10⁴⁷ erg, which is intermediate to SN 1998bw and SN 2002ap. The evolution of the radio light curve of SN 2012au is in agreement with its interaction with a smoothly distributed circumburst medium and the absence of stellar shells ejected from previous outbursts out to r ≈ 10¹⁷ cm from the supernova site. We conclude that the bright radio emission from SN 2012au was not dissimilar from other core-collapse supernovae despite its extraordinary optical properties, and that the evolution of the SN 2012au progenitor star was relatively quiet, marked with a steady mass loss, during the final years preceding explosion.

[en] The nearby dwarf galaxy NGC 404 harbors a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus powered by the lowest-mass (<150,000 M _⊙) central massive black hole (MBH), with a dynamical mass constraint, currently known, thus providing a rare low-redshift analog to the MBH “seeds” that formed in the early universe. Here, we present new imaging of the nucleus of NGC 404 at 12–18 GHz with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and observations of the CO(2–1) line with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA). For the first time, we have successfully resolved the nuclear radio emission, revealing a centrally peaked, extended source spanning 17 pc. Combined with previous VLA observations, our new data place a tight constraint on the radio spectral index and indicate an optically thin synchrotron origin for the emission. The peak of the resolved radio source coincides with the dynamical center of NGC 404, the center of a rotating disk of molecular gas, and the position of a compact, hard X-ray source. We also present evidence for shocks in the NGC 404 nucleus from archival narrowband HST imaging, Chandra X-ray data, and Spitzer mid-infrared spectroscopy, and discuss possible origins for the shock excitation. Given the morphology, location, and steep spectral index of the resolved radio source, as well as constraints on nuclear star formation from the ALMA CO(2–1) data, we find the most likely scenario for the origin of the radio source in the center of NGC 404 to be a radio outflow associated with a confined jet driven by the active nucleus.

[en] Searches for circumstellar material around Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are some of the most powerful tests of the nature of SN Ia progenitors, and radio observations provide a particularly sensitive probe of this material. Here, we report radio observations for SNe Ia and their lower-luminosity thermonuclear cousins. We present the largest, most sensitive, and spectroscopically diverse study of prompt ($\mathrm{\Delta <!--\; ??\; -->}t\lesssim <!--\; ???\; -->1$ years) radio observations of 85 thermonuclear SNe, including 25 obtained by our team with the unprecedented depth of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. With these observations, SN 2012cg joins SN 2011fe and SN 2014J as an SN Ia with remarkably deep radio limits and excellent temporal coverage (six epochs, spanning 5–216 days after explosion, implying $\stackrel{\dot{}<!--\; ??\; -->}{M}/v_w\lesssim <!--\; ???\; -->5\times <!--\; ??\; -->{10}^{-<!--\; ???\; -->9}\frac{M_{\odot <!--\; ???\; -->}{\mathrm{y}\mathrm{r}}^{-<!--\; ???\; -->1}}{100\mathrm{k}\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-<!--\; ???\; -->1}}$, assuming ${\mathrm{ϵ<!--\; ??\; -->}}_B=0.1$ and ${\mathrm{ϵ<!--\; ??\; -->}}_e=0.1$). All observations yield non-detections, placing strong constraints on the presence of circumstellar material. We present analytical models for the temporal and spectral evolution of prompt radio emission from thermonuclear SNe as expected from interaction with either wind-stratified or uniform density media. These models allow us to constrain the progenitor mass loss rates, with limits in the range of $\stackrel{\dot{}<!--\; ??\; -->}{M}\lesssim <!--\; ???\; -->{10}^{-<!--\; ???\; -->9}-<!--\; ???\; -->{10}^{-<!--\; ???\; -->4}$ $M_{\odot <!--\; ???\; -->}$ yr⁻¹, assuming a wind velocity of v_w = 100 km s⁻¹. We compare our radio constraints with measurements of Galactic symbiotic binaries to conclude that ≲10% of thermonuclear SNe have red giant companions.

[en] The progenitor systems of the class of “Ca-rich transients” is a key open issue in time domain astrophysics. These intriguing objects exhibit unusually strong calcium line emissions months after explosion, fall within an intermediate luminosity range, are often found at large projected distances from their host galaxies, and may play a vital role in enriching galaxies and the intergalactic medium. Here we present multiwavelength observations of iPTF15eqv in NGC 3430, which exhibits a unique combination of properties that bridge those observed in Ca-rich transients and SNe Ib/c. iPTF15eqv has among the highest [Ca ii]/[O i] emission line ratios observed to date, yet is more luminous and decays more slowly than other Ca-rich transients. Optical and near-infrared photometry and spectroscopy reveal signatures consistent with the supernova explosion of a $\lesssim <!--\; ???\; -->10M_{\odot <!--\; ???\; -->}$ star that was stripped of its H-rich envelope via binary interaction. Distinct chemical abundances and ejecta kinematics suggest that the core collapse occurred through electron-capture processes. Deep limits on possible radio emission made with the Jansky Very Large Array imply a clean environment (n ≲ 0.1 cm⁻³) within a radius of $\sim <!--\; ???\; -->{10}^{17}$ cm. Chandra X-ray Observatory observations rule out alternative scenarios involving the tidal disruption of a white dwarf (WD) by a black hole, for masses >100 M _⊙. Our results challenge the notion that spectroscopically classified Ca-rich transients only originate from WD progenitor systems, complicate the view that they are all associated with large ejection velocities, and indicate that their chemical abundances may vary widely between events.

[en] Diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) are absorption features observed in optical and near-infrared spectra that are thought to be associated with carbon-rich polyatomic molecules in interstellar gas. However, because the central wavelengths of these bands do not correspond to electronic transitions of any known atomic or molecular species, their nature has remained uncertain since their discovery almost a century ago. Here we report on unusually strong DIBs in optical spectra of the broad-lined Type Ic supernova SN 2012ap that exhibit changes in equivalent width over short (≲ 30 days) timescales. The 4428 Å and 6283 Å DIB features get weaker with time, whereas the 5780 Å feature shows a marginal increase. These nonuniform changes suggest that the supernova is interacting with a nearby source of DIBs and that the DIB carriers possess high ionization potentials, such as small cations or charged fullerenes. We conclude that moderate-resolution spectra of supernovae with DIB absorptions obtained within weeks of outburst could reveal unique information about the mass-loss environment of their progenitor systems and provide new constraints on the properties of DIB carriers

[en] Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are characterized by ultra-relativistic outflows, while supernovae are generally characterized by non-relativistic ejecta. GRB afterglows decelerate rapidly, usually within days, because their low-mass ejecta rapidly sweep up a comparatively larger mass of circumstellar material. However, supernovae with heavy ejecta can be in nearly free expansion for centuries. Supernovae were thought to have non-relativistic outflows except for a few relativistic ones accompanied by GRBs. This clear division was blurred by SN 2009bb, the first supernova with a relativistic outflow without an observed GRB. However, the ejecta from SN 2009bb was baryon loaded and in nearly free expansion for a year, unlike GRBs. We report the first supernova discovered without a GRB but with rapidly decelerating mildly relativistic ejecta, SN 2012ap. We discovered a bright and rapidly evolving radio counterpart driven by the circumstellar interaction of the relativistic ejecta. However, we did not find any coincident GRB with an isotropic fluence of more than one-sixth of the fluence from GRB 980425. This shows for the first time that central engines in SNe Ic, even without an observed GRB, can produce both relativistic and rapidly decelerating outflows like GRBs

[en] On 2011 August 24 (UT) the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) discovered PTF11kly (SN 2011fe), the youngest and most nearby Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) in decades. We followed this event up in the radio (centimeter and millimeter bands) and X-ray bands, starting about a day after the estimated explosion time. We present our analysis of the radio and X-ray observations, yielding the tightest constraints yet placed on the pre-explosion mass-loss rate from the progenitor system of this supernova. We find a robust limit of M-dot ∼<10^-8(w/100 km s^-1) M_sun yr^-1 from sensitive X-ray non-detections, as well as a similar limit from radio data, which depends, however, on assumptions about microphysical parameters. We discuss our results in the context of single-degenerate models for SNe Ia and find that our observations modestly disfavor symbiotic progenitor models involving a red giant donor, but cannot constrain systems accreting from main-sequence or sub-giant stars, including the popular supersoft channel. In view of the proximity of PTF11kly and the sensitivity of our prompt observations, we would have to wait for a long time (a decade or longer) in order to more meaningfully probe the circumstellar matter of SNe Ia.