[en] We present a Spitzer IRAC and MIPS survey of NGC 2451A and B, two open clusters in the 50-80 Myr age range. We complement these data with extensive ground-based photometry and spectroscopy to identify the cluster members in the Spitzer survey field. We find only two members with 8 μm excesses. The incidence of excesses at 24 μm is much higher, i.e., 11 of 31 solar-like stars and 1 of 7 early-type (A) stars. This work nearly completes the debris disk surveys with Spitzer of clusters in the 30-130 Myr range. This range is of interest because it is when large planetesimal collisions may have still been relatively common (as indicated by the one that led to the formation of the Moon during this period of the evolution of the solar system). We review the full set of surveys and find that there are only three possible cases out of about 250 roughly solar-mass stars where very large excesses suggest that such collisions have occurred recently.

[en] One of the major differences between various explosion scenarios of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) is the remaining amount of unburned (C+O) material and its velocity distribution within the expanding ejecta. While oxygen absorption features are not uncommon in the spectra of SNe Ia before maximum light, the presence of strong carbon absorption has been reported only in a minority of objects, typically during the pre-maximum phase. The reported low frequency of carbon detections may be due to low signal-to-noise data, low abundance of unburned material, line blending between C II λ6580 and Si II λ6355, ejecta temperature differences, asymmetrical distribution effects, or a combination of these. However, a survey of published pre-maximum spectra reveals that more SNe Ia than previously thought may exhibit C II λ6580 absorption features and relics of line blending near ∼6300 A. Here we present new SN Ia observations where spectroscopic signatures of C II λ6580 are detected and investigate the presence of C II λ6580 in the optical spectra of 19 SNe Ia using the parameterized spectrum synthesis code, SYNOW. Most of the objects in our sample that exhibit C II λ6580 absorption features are of the low-velocity gradient subtype. Our study indicates that the morphology of carbon-rich regions is consistent with either a spherical distribution or a hemispheric asymmetry, supporting the recent idea that SN Ia diversity may be a result of off-center ignition coupled with observer line-of-sight effects.

[en] We present early-time photometric and spectroscopic observations of supernova (SN) 2009kr in NGC 1832. We find that its properties to date support its classification as Type II-linear (SN II-L), a relatively rare subclass of core-collapse supernovae (SNe). We have also identified a candidate for the SN progenitor star through comparison of pre-explosion, archival images taken with WFPC2 on board the Hubble Space Telescope with SN images obtained using adaptive optics plus NIRC2 on the 10 m Keck-II telescope. Although the host galaxy's substantial distance (∼26 Mpc) results in large uncertainties in the relative astrometry, we find that if this candidate is indeed the progenitor, it is a highly luminous (M ⁰_V = -7.8 mag) yellow supergiant with initial mass ∼18-24 M _sun. This would be the first time that an SN II-L progenitor has been directly identified. Its mass may be a bridge between the upper initial mass limit for the more common Type II-plateau SNe and the inferred initial mass estimate for one Type II-narrow SN.

[en] This paper presents data and analysis of SN 2010kd, a low-redshift (z = 0.101) H-deficient superluminous supernova (SLSN), based on ultraviolet/optical photometry and optical spectroscopy spanning between −28 and +194 days relative to B-band maximum light. The B-band light-curve comparison of SN 2010kd with a subset of well-studied SLSNe I at comparable redshifts indicates that it is a slow-decaying PTF12dam-like SLSN. Analytical light-curve modeling using the Minim code suggests that the bolometric light curve of SN 2010kd favors circumstellar matter interaction for the powering mechanism. SYNAPPS modeling of the early-phase spectra does not identify broad H or He lines, whereas the photospheric-phase spectra are dominated by O i, O ii, C ii, C iv, and Si ii, in particular the presence of both low- and high-velocity components of O ii and Si ii lines. The nebular-phase spectra of SN 2010kd are dominated by O i and Ca ii emission lines similar to those seen in other SLSNe I. The line velocities in SN 2010kd exhibit flatter evolution curves similar to SN 2015bn but with comparatively higher values. SN 2010kd shows a higher single-zone local thermodynamic equilibrium temperature in comparison to PTF12dam and SN 2015bn, and it has an upper O i ejected mass limit of ∼10 M _⊙. The host of SN 2010kd is a dwarf galaxy with a high star formation rate (∼0.18 ± 0.04 M _⊙ yr⁻¹) and extreme emission lines.

[en] We report spectroscopic and photometric observations of the Type IIb SN 2011dh obtained between 4 and 34 days after the estimated date of explosion (May 31.5 UT). The data cover a wide wavelength range from 2000 Å in the ultraviolet (UV) to 2.4 μm in the near-infrared (NIR). Optical spectra provide line profiles and velocity measurements of H I, He I, Ca II, and Fe II that trace the composition and kinematics of the supernova (SN). NIR spectra show that helium is present in the atmosphere as early as 11 days after the explosion. A UV spectrum obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph reveals that the UV flux for SN 2011dh is low compared to other SN IIb. Modeling the spectrum with SYNOW suggests that the UV deficit is due to line blanketing from Ti II and Co II. The H I and He I velocities in SN 2011dh are separated by about 4000 km s^–1 at all phases. A velocity gap is consistent with models for a preexplosion structure in which a hydrogen-rich shell surrounds the progenitor. We estimate that the H shell of SN 2011dh is ≈8 times less massive than the shell of SN 1993J and ≈3 times more massive than the shell of SN 2008ax. Light curves (LCs) for 12 passbands are presented: UVW2, UVM2, UVW1, U, u', B, V, r', i', J, H, and K_s . In the B band, SN 2011dh reached peak brightness of 13.17 mag at 20.0 ± 0.5 after the explosion. The maximum bolometric luminosity of 1.8 ± 0.2 × 10⁴² erg s^–1 occurred ≈22 days after the explosion. NIR emission provides more than 30% of the total bolometric flux at the beginning of our observations, and the NIR contribution increases to nearly 50% of the total by day 34. The UV produces 16% of the total flux on day 4, 5% on day 9, and 1% on day 34. We compare the bolometric LCs of SN 2011dh, SN 2008ax, and SN 1993J. The LC are very different for the first 12 days after the explosions, but all three SN IIb display similar peak luminosities, times of peak, decline rates, and colors after maximum. This suggests that the progenitors of these SN IIb may have had similar compositions and masses, but they exploded inside hydrogen shells that have a wide range of masses. SN 2011dh was well observed, and a likely progenitor star has been identified in preexplosion images. The detailed observations presented here will help evaluate theoretical models for this SN and lead to a better understanding of SN IIb.

[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] We report measurements and analysis of high-velocity (HVF) (>20,000 km s^–1) and photospheric absorption features in a series of spectra of the Type Ia supernova (SN) 2009ig obtained between –14 days and +13 days with respect to the time of maximum B-band luminosity (B-max). We identify lines of Si II, Si III, S II, Ca II, and Fe II that produce both HVF and photospheric-velocity (PVF) absorption features. SN 2009ig is unusual for the large number of lines with detectable HVF in the spectra, but the light-curve parameters correspond to a slightly overluminous but unexceptional SN Ia (M_B = –19.46 mag and Δm₁₅(B) = 0.90 mag). Similarly, the Si II λ6355 velocity at the time of B-max is greater than 'normal' for an SN Ia, but it is not extreme (v_Si = 13,400 km s^–1). The –14 days and –13 days spectra clearly resolve HVF from Si II λ6355 as separate absorptions from a detached line forming region. At these very early phases, detached HVF are prevalent in all lines. From –12 days to –6 days, HVF and PVF are detected simultaneously, and the two line forming regions maintain a constant separation of about 8000 km s^–1. After –6 days all absorption features are PVF. The observations of SN 2009ig provide a complete picture of the transition from HVF to PVF. Most SNe Ia show evidence for HVF from multiple lines in spectra obtained before –10 days, and we compare the spectra of SN 2009ig to observations of other SNe. We show that each of the unusual line profiles for Si II λ6355 found in early-time spectra of SNe Ia correlate to a specific phase in a common development sequence from HVF to PVF

[en] We present multi-band photometry and multi-epoch spectroscopy of the peculiar Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) 2007qd, discovered by the SDSS-II Supernova Survey. It possesses physical properties intermediate to those of the peculiar SN 2002cx and the extremely low-luminosity SN 2008ha. Optical photometry indicates that it had an extraordinarily fast rise time of ∼<10 days and a peak absolute B magnitude of -15.4 ± 0.2 at most, making it one of the most subluminous SN Ia ever observed. Follow-up spectroscopy of SN 2007qd near maximum brightness unambiguously shows the presence of intermediate-mass elements which are likely caused by carbon/oxygen nuclear burning. Near maximum brightness, SN 2007qd had a photospheric velocity of only 2800 km s^-1, similar to that of SN 2008ha but about 4000 and 7000 km s^-1 less than that of SN 2002cx and normal SN Ia, respectively. We show that the peak luminosities of SN 2002cx like objects are highly correlated with both their light-curve stretch and photospheric velocities. Its strong apparent connection to other SN 2002cx like events suggests that SN 2007qd is also a pure deflagration of a white dwarf, although other mechanisms cannot be ruled out. It may be a critical link between SN 2008ha and the other members of the SN 2002cx like class of objects.