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We present initial results from a JWST survey of the youngest Galactic core-collapse supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A), made up of NIRCam and MIRI imaging mosaics that map emission from the main shell, interior, and surrounding circumstellar/interstellar material (CSM/ISM). We also present four exploratory positions of MIRI/MRS IFU spectroscopy that sample ejecta, CSM, and associated dust from representative shocked and unshocked regions. Surprising discoveries include: 1) a web-like network of unshocked ejecta filaments resolved to 0.01 pc scales exhibiting an overall morphology consistent with turbulent mixing of cool, low-entropy matter from the progenitor's oxygen layer with hot, high-entropy matter heated by neutrino interactions and radioactivity, 2) a thick sheet of dust-dominated emission from shocked CSM seen in projection toward the remnant's interior pockmarked with small (approximately one arcsecond) round holes formed by knots of high-velocity ejecta that have pierced through the CSM and driven expanding tangential shocks, 3) dozens of light echoes with angular sizes between 0.1 arcsecond to 1 arcminute reflecting previously unseen fine-scale structure in the ISM. NIRCam observations place new upper limits on infrared emission from the neutron star in Cas A's center and tightly constrain scenarios involving a possible fallback disk. These JWST survey data and initial findings help address unresolved questions about massive star explosions that have broad implications for the formation and evolution of stellar populations, the metal and dust enrichment of galaxies, and the origin of compact remnant objects., Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures, now published in ApJL

We report Chandra-ACIS observations of SN 2023ixf in M101 on day 13 and 86 since the explosion. The X-rays in both epochs are characterized by high temperature plasma from the forward shocked region as a result of circumstellar interaction. We are able to constrain the absorption column density at both Chandra epochs, which is much larger than that due to the Galactic and host absorption column, and we attribute it to absorption by the circumstellar matter in the immediate vicinity of SN 2023ixf. Combining our column density measurements with the published measurement on day 4, we show that the column density declines as $t^{-2}$ between day 4 to day 13 and then evolves as $t^{-1}$. The unabsorbed $0.3-10$ keV luminosity evolves as $t^{-1}$ during the Chandra epochs. On day 13 Chandra observation we detect the Fe K$\alpha$ fluorescent line at 6.4 keV indicating presence of cold material in the vicinity of the SN. The line is absent on day 86, consistent with the decreased column density by a factor of 7 between the two epochs. Our analysis indicates that during 10 years to 1.5 years before explosion, the progenitor was evolving with a constant mass-loss rate of $5.6\times 10^{-4}$ M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

JWST NIRCam observations at 1.5-4.5 $\mu$m have provided broad and narrow band imaging of the evolving remnant of SN 1987A with unparalleled sensitivity and spatial resolution. Comparing with previous marginally spatially resolved Spitzer IRAC observations from 2004-2019 confirms that the emission arises from the circumstellar equatorial ring (ER), and the current brightness at 3.6 and 4.5 $\mu$m was accurately predicted by extrapolation of the declining brightness tracked by IRAC. Despite the regular light curve, the NIRCam observations clearly reveal that much of this emission is from a newly developing outer portion of the ER. Spots in the outer ER tend to lie at position angles in between the well-known ER hotspots. We show that the bulk of the emission in the field can be represented by 5 standard spectral energy distributions (SEDs), each with a distinct origin and spatial distribution. This spectral decomposition provides a powerful technique for distinguishing overlapping emission from the circumstellar medium (CSM) and the supernova (SN) ejecta, excited by the forward and reverse shocks respectively., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 16 pages, 12 figures. 2 animations not included here

We present optical, near-infrared, and radio observations of supernova (SN) SN~IIb 2022crv. We show that it retained a very thin H envelope and transitioned from a SN~IIb to a SN~Ib; prominent H$\alpha$ seen in the pre-maximum phase diminishes toward the post-maximum phase, while He {\sc i} lines show increasing strength. \texttt{SYNAPPS} modeling of the early spectra of SN~2022crv suggests that the absorption feature at 6200\,\AA\ is explained by a substantial contribution of H$\alpha$ together with Si {\sc ii}, as is also supported by the velocity evolution of H$\alpha$. The light-curve evolution is consistent with the canonical stripped-envelope supernova subclass but among the slowest. The light curve lacks the initial cooling phase and shows a bright main peak (peak M$_{V}$=$-$17.82$\pm$0.17 mag), mostly driven by radioactive decay of $\rm^{56}$Ni. The light-curve analysis suggests a thin outer H envelope ($M_{\rm env} \sim$0.05 M$_{\odot}$) and a compact progenitor (R$_{\rm env}$ $\sim$3 R$_{\odot}$). An interaction-powered synchrotron self-absorption (SSA) model can reproduce the radio light curves with a mean shock velocity of 0.1c. The mass-loss rate is estimated to be in the range of (1.9$-$2.8) $\times$ 10$^{-5}$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ for an assumed wind velocity of 1000 km s$^{-1}$, which is on the high end in comparison with other compact SNe~IIb/Ib. SN~2022crv fills a previously unoccupied parameter space of a very compact progenitor, representing a beautiful continuity between the compact and extended progenitor scenario of SNe~IIb/Ib., Comment: The paper contains 20 figures and 9 tables. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal (ApJ)

A growing number of supernovae (SNe) are now known to exhibit evidence for significant interaction with a dense, pre-existing, circumstellar medium (CSM). SNe Ibn comprise one such class that can be characterised by both rapidly evolving light curves and persistent narrow He I lines. The origin of such a dense CSM in these systems remains a pressing question, specifically concerning the progenitor system and mass-loss mechanism. In this paper, we present multi-wavelength data of the Type Ibn SN 2020nxt, including $HST$/STIS ultraviolet spectra. We fit the data with recently updated CMFGEN models designed to handle configurations for SNe Ibn. The UV coverage yields strong constraints on the energetics and, when combined with the CMFGEN models, offer new insight on potential progenitor systems. We find the most successful model is a $\lesssim4 {\rm M}_\odot$ helium star that lost its $\sim 1\,{\rm M}_\odot$ He-rich envelope in the years preceding core collapse. We also consider viable alternatives, such as a He white dwarf merger. Ultimately, we conclude at least some SNe Ibn do not arise from single, massive ($>30 {\rm M}_\odot$) Wolf-Rayet-like stars., Comment: 17 pages, 13 figures, 1 table, submitted to MNRAS

We present multiwavelength observations of supernova (SN) 2017hcc with the Chandra X-ray telescope and the X-ray telescope onboard Swift (Swift-XRT) in X-ray bands, with the Spitzer and the TripleSpec spectrometer in near-infrared (IR) and mid-IR bands and with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) for radio bands. The X-ray observations cover a period of 29 to 1310 days, with the first X-ray detection on day 727 with the Chandra. The SN was subsequently detected in the VLA radio bands from day 1000 onwards. While the radio data are sparse, synchrotron-self absorption is clearly ruled out as the radio absorption mechanism. The near- and the mid-IR observations showed that late time IR emission dominates the spectral energy distribution. The early properties of \snhcc\ are consistent with shock breakout into a dense mass-loss region, with $\dot M \sim 0.1 M_\odot \rm yr^{-1}$ for a decade. At few 100 days, the mass-loss rate declined to $\sim 0.02 M_\odot \rm yr^{-1}$, as determined from the dominant IR luminosity. In addition, radio data also allowed us to calculate a mass-loss rate at around day 1000, which is two orders of magnitude smaller than the mass-loss rate estimates around the bolometric peak. These values indicate that the SN progenitor underwent an enhanced mass-loss event a decade before the explosion. The high ratio of IR to X-ray luminosity is not expected in simple models and is possible evidence for an asymmetric circumstellar region., Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables, Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We present spectroscopy of the ejecta of SN 1987A in 2017 and 2018 from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Very Large Telescope, covering the wavelength range between $1150$ and $10000$ {\AA}. At 31 years, this is the first epoch with coverage over the ultraviolet-to-near-infrared range since 1995. We create velocity maps of the ejecta in the H$\alpha$, Mg II $\lambda\lambda2796,2804$ and [O I] $\lambda\lambda6302,6366$ (vacuum) emission lines and study their morphology. All three lines have a similar morphology, but Mg II is blueshifted by $\sim$1000 km s$^{-1}$ relative to the others and stronger in the northwest. We also study the evolution of the line fluxes, finding a brightening by a factor of $\sim$9 since 1999 in Mg II, while the other line fluxes are similar in 1999 and 2018. We discuss implications for the power sources of emission lines at late times: thermal excitation due to heating by the X-rays from the ejecta-ring interaction is found to dominate the ultraviolet Mg II lines, while the infrared Mg II doublet is powered mainly by Ly$\alpha$ fluorescence. The X-ray deposition is calculated based on merger models of SN 1987A. Far-ultraviolet emission lines of H$_2$ are not detected. Finally, we examine the combined spectrum of recently-discovered hotspots outside the equatorial ring. Their unresolved Balmer emission lines close to zero velocity are consistent with the interaction of fast ejecta and a clumpy, slowly moving outflow. A clump of emission in this spectrum, south of the equatorial ring at $\sim$1500 km s$^{-1}$, is likely associated with the reverse shock., Comment: 19 pages, 17 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We carry out a comprehensive analysis of supernova \snem\ covering a period of 19 years since discovery. SN 2001em is the oldest supernova known to have undergone a metamorphosis from a stripped envelope to an interacting supernova. An early spectrum indicates it exploded as a Type Ib supernova. Later, the ejecta caught up with a dense circumstellar H-shell, ejected a few thousand years before the explosion, triggering interaction between the supernova ejecta and the dense shell, producing radio, X-ray and H$\alpha$ emission. We use archival data with the Very Large Array in radio bands and with Chandra, XMM-NEWTON and SWIFT-XRT in X-ray bands, along with published H$\alpha$ measurements. We combine these data with our low radio frequency observations with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope at two epochs covering three frequencies. While the observations missed the phase when the shock entered the dense shell, the X-rays indicate that the shock came out of the dense shell at around 1750 days. The data suggest a forward shock origin of the X-ray emission. Radio data show a spectral inversion at late epochs ($> 5000$\,d) at around 3 GHz, which mimics the properties of the central absorbed component seen in SN 1986J. A possible explanation for this component is that the progenitor of \snem\ was a massive binary system which had undergone a period of common envelope evolution. The hydrogen envelope from the \snem\ progenitor may have been lost as a result of binary interaction., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

Cassiopeia A (Cas A) is one of the best studied young Galactic supernova remnants. While providing a rare opportunity to study in detail the remnant of a Type IIb supernova, questions remain regarding the nature of its progenitor, its mass-loss history, and its pre-SN evolution. Here we present an optical investigation of the circumstellar environment around Cas A and find clumpy and filamentary Halpha emission nebulosities concentrated 10-15 pc (10-15 arcminutes) to the north and east. First reported by Minkowski as a faint H II region, these nebulosities exhibit distinct morphological and spectroscopic properties relative to the surrounding diffuse emissions. Compared to neighboring H II regions, these nebulae show stronger [N II] 6548, 6583 A and [S II] 6716, 6731 A emissions relative to Halpha. We show that Cas A's highest-velocity ejecta knots are interacting with some of the closest projected emission nebulae, thus providing strong evidence that these nebulae lie at the same distance as the remnant. We interpret these surrounding nebulosities to be the remains of the progenitor's red supergiant wind which accumulated against the southern edge of a large extended H II region located north of Cas A. Our findings are consistent with the view that Cas A's progenitor underwent considerable mass-loss, first from a fast main-sequence wind, then from a slower, clumpy red supergiant wind, and finally from a brief high-velocity wind, like that from a yellow supergiant., Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures, accepted to ApJ

Gamma-ray astronomy explores the most energetic photons in nature to address some of the most pressing puzzles in contemporary astrophysics. It encompasses a wide range of objects and phenomena: stars, supernovae, novae, neutron stars, stellar-mass black holes, nucleosynthesis, the interstellar medium, cosmic rays and relativistic-particle acceleration, and the evolution of galaxies. MeV gamma-rays provide a unique probe of nuclear processes in astronomy, directly measuring radioactive decay, nuclear de-excitation, and positron annihilation. The substantial information carried by gamma-ray photons allows us to see deeper into these objects, the bulk of the power is often emitted at gamma-ray energies, and radioactivity provides a natural physical clock that adds unique information. New science will be driven by time-domain population studies at gamma-ray energies. This science is enabled by next-generation gamma-ray instruments with one to two orders of magnitude better sensitivity, larger sky coverage, and faster cadence than all previous gamma-ray instruments. This transformative capability permits: (a) the accurate identification of the gamma-ray emitting objects and correlations with observations taken at other wavelengths and with other messengers; (b) construction of new gamma-ray maps of the Milky Way and other nearby galaxies where extended regions are distinguished from point sources; and (c) considerable serendipitous science of scarce events -- nearby neutron star mergers, for example. Advances in technology push the performance of new gamma-ray instruments to address a wide set of astrophysical questions., Comment: 14 pages including 3 figures

We present an optical spectrum of the energetic Type Ib supernova (SN) 2012au obtained at an unprecedented epoch of 6.2 years after explosion. Forbidden transition emission lines of oxygen and sulfur are detected with expansion velocities of 2300 km/s. The lack of narrow H Balmer lines suggests that interaction with circumstellar material is not a dominant source of the observed late-time emission. We also present a deep Chandra observation that reveals no X-ray emission down to a luminosity of L_X < 2 x 10^{38} erg/s (0.5-10 keV). Our findings are consistent with the notion that SN 2012au is associated with a diverse subset of SNe, including long-duration gamma-ray burst SNe and superluminous SNe, harboring pulsar/magnetar wind nebulae that influence core-collapse explosion dynamics on a wide range of energy scales. We hypothesize that these systems may all evolve into a similar late-time phase dominated by forbidden oxygen transitions, and predict that emission line widths should remain constant or broaden a few per cent per year due to the acceleration of ejecta by the pulsar/magnetar bubble., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJL

Core-collapse supernova (SN) explosions may occur in the highly inhomogeneous molecular clouds (MCs) in which their progenitors were born. We perform a series of 3-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations to model the interaction between an individual supernova remnant (SNR) and a turbulent MC medium, in order to investigate possible observational evidence for the turbulent structure of MCs. We find that the properties of SNRs are mainly controlled by the mean density of the surrounding medium, while a SNR in a more turbulent medium with higher supersonic turbulent Mach number shows lower interior temperature, lower radial momentum, and dimmer X-ray emission compared to one in a less turbulent medium with the same mean density. We compare our simulations to observed SNRs, in particular, to W44, W28 and IC 443. We estimate that the mean density of the ambient medium is $\sim 10\,$cm$^{-3}$ for W44 and W28. The MC in front of IC 443 has a density of $\sim 100\,$cm$^{-3}$. We also predict that the ambient MC of W44 is more turbulent than that of W28 and IC 443. The ambient medium of W44 and W28 has significantly lower average density than that of the host giant MC. This result may be related to the stellar feedback from the SNRs' progenitors. Alternatively, SNe may occur close to the interface between molecular gas and lower density atomic gas. The region of shocked MC is then relatively small and the breakout into the low density atomic gas comprises most of the SNR volume., Comment: 18 pages, 11 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in MNRAS, minor revision made

Despite more than 30 years of searches, the compact object in Supernova (SN) 1987A has not yet been detected. We present new limits on the compact object in SN 1987A using millimeter, near-infrared, optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray observations from ALMA, VLT, HST, and Chandra. The limits are approximately 0.1 mJy ($0.1\times 10^{-26}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ Hz$^{-1}$) at 213 GHz, 1 Lsun ($6\times 10^{-29}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ Hz$^{-1}$) in optical if our line-of-sight is free of ejecta dust, and $10^{36}$ erg s$^{-1}$ ($2\times 10^{-30}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ Hz$^{-1}$) in 2-10 keV X-rays. Our X-ray limits are an order of magnitude less constraining than previous limits because we use a more realistic ejecta absorption model based on three-dimensional neutrino-driven SN explosion models (presented in an accompanying article). The allowed bolometric luminosity of the compact object is 22 Lsun if our line-of-sight is free of ejecta dust, or 138 Lsun if dust-obscured. Depending on assumptions, these values limit the effective temperature of a neutron star to <4-8 MK and do not exclude models, which typically are in the range 3-4 MK. For the simplest accretion model, the accretion rate for an efficiency $\eta$ is limited to $< 10^{-11} \eta^{-1}$ Msun yr$^{-1}$, which excludes most predictions. For pulsar activity modeled by a rotating magnetic dipole in vacuum, the limit on the magnetic field strength ($B$) for a given spin period ($P$) is $B < 10^{14} P^2$ G s$^{-2}$. By combining information about radiation reprocessing and geometry, it is likely that the compact object is a dust-obscured thermally-emitting neutron star, which may appear as a region of higher-temperature ejecta dust emission., Comment: 35 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ. Updated to match accepted version; slightly shortened and clarified the discussion

Superluminous supernovae are a new class of supernovae that were recognized about a decade ago. Both observational and theoretical progress has been significant in the last decade. In this review, we first briefly summarize the observational properties of superluminous supernovae. We then introduce the three major suggested luminosity sources to explain the huge luminosities of superluminous supernovae, i.e., the nuclear decay of 56Ni, the interaction between supernova ejecta and dense circumstellar media, and the spin down of magnetars. We compare these models and discuss their strengths and weaknesses., Comment: 45 pages, 6 figures, a refereed review article to be published in Space Science Reviews

We consider the effect of electron scattering on lines emitted as a result of supernova interaction with a circumstellar medium, assuming that the scattering occurs in ionized gas in the preshock circumstellar medium. The single scattering case gives the broad component in the limit of low optical depth, showing a velocity full width half maximum that is close to the thermal velocities of electrons. The line shape is approximately exponential at low velocities and steepens at higher velocities. At higher optical depths, the line profile remains exponential at low velocities, but wings strengthen with increasing optical depth. In addition to the line width, the ratio of narrow to broad (scattered) line strength is a possible diagnostic of the gas. The results depend on the density profile of the circumstellar gas, especially if the scattering and photon creation occur in different regions. We apply the scattering model to a number of supernovae, including Type IIn and Type Ia-CSM events. The asymmetry to the red found in some cases can be explained by scattering in a fast wind region which is indicated by observations., Comment: 14 pages, 23 figures. Accepted by MNRAS

X-ray emission is one of the signposts of circumstellar interaction in supernovae (SNe), but until now, it has been observed only in core-collapse SNe. The level of thermal X-ray emission is a direct measure of the density of the circumstellar medium (CSM), and the absence of X-ray emission from Type Ia SNe has been interpreted as a sign of a very low density CSM. In this paper, we report late-time (500--800 days after discovery) X-ray detections of SN 2012ca in {\it Chandra} data. The presence of hydrogen in the initial spectrum led to a classification of Type Ia-CSM, ostensibly making it the first SN~Ia detected with X-rays. Our analysis of the X-ray data favors an asymmetric medium, with a high-density component which supplies the X-ray emission. The data suggest a number density $> 10^8$ cm$^{-3}$ in the higher-density medium, which is consistent with the large observed Balmer decrement if it arises from collisional excitation. This is high compared to most core-collapse SNe, but it may be consistent with densities suggested for some Type IIn or superluminous SNe. If SN 2012ca is a thermonuclear SN, the large CSM density could imply clumps in the wind, or a dense torus or disk, consistent with the single-degenerate channel. A remote possibility for a core-degenerate channel involves a white dwarf merging with the degenerate core of an asymptotic giant branch star shortly before the explosion, leading to a common envelope around the SN., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures. Accepted to MNRAS

For pulsars born in supernovae, the expansion of the shocked pulsar wind nebula is initially in the freely expanding ejecta of the supernova. While the nebula is in the inner flat part of the ejecta density profile, the swept-up, accelerating shell is subject to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. We carried out 2 and 3-dimensional simulations showing that the instability gives rise to filamentary structure during this initial phase but does not greatly change the dynamics of the expanding shell. The flow is effectively self-similar. If the shell is powered into the outer steep part of the density profile, the shell is subject to a robust Rayleigh-Taylor instability in which the shell is fragmented and the shocked pulsar wind breaks out through the shell. The flow is not self-similar in this phase. For a wind nebula to reach this phase requires that the deposited pulsar energy be greater than the supernova energy, or that the initial pulsar period be in the ms range for a typical $10^{51}$ erg supernova. These conditions are satisfied by some magnetar models for Type I superluminous supernovae. We also consider the Crab Nebula, which may be associated with a low energy supernova for which this scenario applies., Comment: 10 pages, ApJ, submitted

We present the results of an extensive observational campaign on the nearby Type Ibn SN 2015G, including data from radio through ultraviolet wavelengths. SN 2015G was asymmetric, showing late-time nebular lines redshifted by ~1000 km/s. It shared many features with the prototypical SN In 2006jc, including extremely strong He I emssion lines and a late-time blue pseudocontinuum. The young SN 2015G showed narrow P-Cygni profiles of He I, but never in its evolution did it show any signature of hydrogen - arguing for a dense, ionized, and hydrogen-free circumstellar medium moving outward with a velocity of ~1000 km/s and created by relatively recent mass loss from the progenitor star. Ultraviolet through infrared observations show that the fading SN 2015G (which was probably discovered some 20 days post-peak) had a spectral energy distribution that was well described by a simple, single-component blackbody. Archival HST images provide upper limits on the luminosity of SN 2015G's progenitor, while nondetections of any luminous radio afterglow and optical nondetections of outbursts over the past two decades provide constraints upon its mass-loss history., Comment: 19 pages, 13 figures. Published in MNRAS

It has become clear during the last decades that the interaction between the supernova ejecta and the circumstellar medium is playing a major role both for the observational properties of the supernova and for understanding the evolution of the progenitor star leading up to the explosion. In addition, it provides an opportunity to understand the shock physics connected to both thermal and non-thermal processes, including relativistic particle acceleration, radiation processes and the hydrodynamics of shock waves. This chapter has an emphasis on the information we can get from radio and X-ray observations, but also their connection to observations in the optical and ultraviolet. We first review the different physical processes involved in circumstellar interaction, including hydrodynamics, thermal X-ray emission, acceleration of relativistic particles and non-emission processes in the radio and X-ray ranges. Finally, we discuss applications of these to different types of supernovae., Comment: 63 pages, 18 figures. Submitted as Chapter for the 'Supernova Handbook' to be published by Springer (eds. A. Alsabti and P. Murdin). Major update of the review in 'Supernovae and Gamma-Ray Bursters', Ed. K. Weiler., Springer Lecture Notes in Physics, vol. 598, p.171-194 Springer (arXiv:astro-ph/0110060). Comments welcome

Recent gamma-ray observations show that middle aged supernova remnants (SNRs) interacting with molecular clouds (MCs) can be sources of both GeV and TeV emission. Based on the MC association, two scenarios have been proposed to explain the observed gamma-ray emission. In one, energetic cosmic ray (CR) particles escape from the SNR and then illuminate nearby MCs, producing gamma-ray emission, while the other involves direct interaction between the SNR and MC. In the direct interaction scenario, re-acceleration of pre-existing CRs in the ambient medium is investigated while particles injected from the thermal pool are neglected in view of the slow shock speeds in middle aged SNRs. However, standard diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) theory produces a steady state particle spectrum that is too flat compared to observations, which suggests that the high energy part of the observed spectrum has not yet reached a steady state. We derive a time dependent DSA solution in the test particle limit for re-acceleration of pre-existing CRs case and show that it is capable of reproducing the observed gamma-ray emission in SNRs like IC 443 and W44, in the context of a MC interaction model. We also provide a simple physical picture to understand the time dependent DSA spectrum. A spatially averaged diffusion coefficient around the SNR can be estimated through fitting the gamma-ray spectrum. The spatially averaged diffusion coefficient in middle aged SNRs like IC 443 and W44 is estimated to be ~ 10^25 cm^2/s at ~ 1GeV, which is between the Bohm limit and interstellar value., Comment: Proceedings of the conference "Supernova Remnants: an Odyssey in Space after Stellar Death"

We present a new analytical approach to derive approximate solutions describing the shock evolution in non-radiative supernova remnants (SNRs). We focus on the study of the forward shock and contact discontinuity while application to the reverse shock is only discussed briefly. The spherical shock evolution of a SNR in both the interstellar medium with a constant density profile and a circumstellar medium with a wind density profile is investigated. We compared our new analytical solution with numerical simulations and found that a few percent accuracy is achieved. For the evolution of the forward shock, we also compared our new solution to previous analytical models. In a uniform ambient medium, the accuracy of our analytical approximation is comparable to that in Truelove&McKee (1999). In a wind density profile medium, our solution performs better than that in Micelotta et al. (2016), especially when the ejecta envelope has a steep density profile. The new solution is significantly simplified compared to previous analytical models, as it only depends on the asymptotic behaviors of the remnant during its evolution., Comment: Add discussion for contact discontinuity

Searches for circumstellar material around Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are one 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 (delta t <~ 1 yr) 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 a SN Ia with remarkably deep radio limits and excellent temporal coverage (six epochs, spanning 5--216 days after explosion, yielding Mdot/v_w <~ 5 x 10^-9 M_sun/yr / (100 km/s), assuming epsilon_B = 0.1 and epsilon_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 ranging from Mdot <~ 10^-9--10^-4 M_sun/yr, assuming a wind velocity v_w=100 km/s. We compare our radio constraints with measurements of Galactic symbiotic binaries to conclude that <~10% of thermonuclear SNe have red giant companions., Comment: Submitted to ApJ

We present all X-ray and radio observations of the Type IIn supernova SN 2010jl. The X-ray observations cover a period up to day 1500 with Chandra, XMM-Newton, NuSTAR and Swift-XRT. The Chandra observations after 2012 June, the XMM-Newton observation in 2013 November, and most of the Swift-XRT observations until 2014 December are presented for the first time. All the spectra can be fitted by an absorbed hot thermal model except for \chandra spectra on 2011 October and 2012 June when an additional component is needed. Although the origin of this component is uncertain, it is spatially coincident with the supernova and occurs when there are changes to the supernova spectrum in the energy range close to that of the extra component, indicating that the emission is related to the supernova. The X-ray light curve shows an initial plateau followed by a steep drop starting at day $\sim 300$. We attribute the drop to a decrease in the circumstellar density. The column density to the X-ray emission drops rapidly with time, showing that the absorption is in the vicinity of the supernova. We also present Very Large Array radio observations of SN 2010jl. Radio emission was detected from \sn from day 570 onwards. The radio light curves and spectra suggest that the radio luminosity was close to its maximum at the first detection. The velocity of the shocked ejecta derived assuming synchrotron self absorption is much less than that estimated from the optical and X-ray observations, suggesting that free-free absorption dominates., Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. 21 pages (in ApJ format), 6 tables, 11 figures, Typos corrected

We present imaging and spectroscopic observations with HST and VLT of the ring of SN 1987A from 1994 to 2014. After an almost exponential increase of the shocked emission from the hotspots up to day ~8,000 (~2009), both this and the unshocked emission are now fading. From the radial positions of the hotspots we see an acceleration of these up to 500-1000 km/s, consistent with the highest spectroscopic shock velocities from the radiative shocks. In the most recent observations (2013 and 2014), we find several new hotspots outside the inner ring, excited by either X-rays from the shocks or by direct shock interaction. All of these observations indicate that the interaction with the supernova ejecta is now gradually dissolving the hotspots. We predict, based on the observed decay, that the inner ring will be destroyed by ~2025., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for ApJ Letters

The nature of the supernova leading to the Crab Nebula has long been controversial because of the low energy that is present in the observed nebula. One possibility is that there is significant energy in extended fast material around the Crab but searches for such material have not led to detections. An electron capture supernova model can plausibly account for the low energy and the observed abundances in the Crab. Here, we examine the evolution of the Crab pulsar wind nebula inside a freely expanding supernova and find that the observed properties are most consistent with a low energy event. Both the velocity and radius of the shell material, and the amount of gas swept up by the pulsar wind point to a low explosion energy ($\sim 10^{50}$ ergs). We do not favor a model in which circumstellar interaction powers the supernova luminosity near maximum light because the required mass would limit the freely expanding ejecta., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, ApJ accepted

We present radio and X-ray observations of the nearby Type IIb Supernova 2013df in NGC4414 from 10 to 250 days after the explosion. The radio emission showed a peculiar soft-to-hard 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, $\dot{M} \approx 8 \times 10^{-5}\,\rm M_{\odot}/yr$ for a wind velocity of 10 km/s, 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; $v_{sh}/c \sim 0.07$. 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 $\epsilon_{e} = 200 \epsilon_{B}$. In general for Type IIb SNe, 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., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, 1 table; Submitted to The Astrophysical Journal

We present new {\it Hubble Space Telescope} images of high-velocity H-$\alpha$ and Lyman-$\alpha$ emission in the outer debris of SN~1987A. The H-$\alpha$ images are dominated by emission from hydrogen atoms crossing the reverse shock. For the first time we observe emission from the reverse shock surface well above and below the equatorial ring, suggesting a bipolar or conical structure perpendicular to the ring plane. Using the H$\alpha$ imaging, we measure the mass flux of hydrogen atoms crossing the reverse shock front, in the velocity intervals ($-$7,500~$<$~$V_{obs}$~$<$~$-$2,800 km s$^{-1}$) and (1,000~$<$~$V_{obs}$~$<$~7,500 km s$^{-1}$), $\dot{M_{H}}$ = 1.2~$\times$~10$^{-3}$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$. We also present the first Lyman-$\alpha$ imaging of the whole remnant and new $Chandra$ X-ray observations. Comparing the spatial distribution of the Lyman-$\alpha$ and X-ray emission, we observe that the majority of the high-velocity Lyman-$\alpha$ emission originates interior to the equatorial ring. The observed Lyman-$\alpha$/H-$\alpha$ photon ratio, $\langle$$R(L\alpha / H\alpha)$$\rangle$ $\approx$~17, is significantly higher than the theoretically predicted ratio of $\approx$ 5 for neutral atoms crossing the reverse shock front. We attribute this excess to Lyman-$\alpha$ emission produced by X-ray heating of the outer debris. The spatial orientation of the Lyman-$\alpha$ and X-ray emission suggests that X-ray heating of the outer debris is the dominant Lyman-$\alpha$ production mechanism in SN 1987A at this phase in its evolution., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. ApJL - accepted

Recent gamma ray observations show that middle aged supernova remnants interacting with molecular clouds can be sources of both GeV and TeV emission. Models involving re-acceleration of pre-existing cosmic rays in the ambient medium and direct interaction between supernova remnant and molecular clouds have been proposed to explain the observed gamma ray emission. For the re-acceleration process, standard DSA theory in the test particle limit produces a steady state particle spectrum that is too flat compared to observations, which suggests that the high energy part of the observed spectrum has not yet reached a steady state. We derive a time dependent DSA solution in the test particle limit for situations involving re-acceleration of pre-existing cosmic rays in the preshock medium. Simple estimates with our time dependent DSA solution plus a molecular cloud interaction model can reproduce the overall shape of the spectra of IC 443 and W44 from GeV to TeV energies through pure $\pi^0$-decay emission. We allow for a power law momentum dependence of the diffusion coefficient, finding that a power law index of 0.5 is favored., Comment: 26 pages, 5 figures, accepted by ApJ

We present a comprehensive spectral and morphological analysis of the remnant of Supernova (SN) 1987A with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The non-thermal and thermal components of the radio emission are investigated in images from 94 to 672 GHz ($\lambda$ 3.2 mm to 450 $\mu$m), with the assistance of a high-resolution 44 GHz synchrotron template from the ATCA, and a dust template from ALMA observations at 672 GHz. An analysis of the emission distribution over the equatorial ring in images from 44 to 345 GHz highlights a gradual decrease of the east-to-west asymmetry ratio with frequency. We attribute this to the shorter synchrotron lifetime at high frequencies. Across the transition from radio to far infrared, both the synchrotron/dust-subtracted images and the spectral energy distribution (SED) suggest additional emission beside the main synchrotron component ($S_{\nu}\propto\nu^{-0.73}$) and the thermal component originating from dust grains at $T\sim22$ K. This excess could be due to free-free flux or emission from grains of colder dust. However, a second flat-spectrum synchrotron component appears to better fit the SED, implying that the emission could be attributed to a pulsar wind nebula (PWN). The residual emission is mainly localised west of the SN site, as the spectral analysis yields $-0.4\lesssim\alpha\lesssim-0.1$ across the western regions, with $\alpha\sim0$ around the central region. If there is a PWN in the remnant interior, these data suggest that the pulsar may be offset westward from the SN position., Comment: ApJ accepted. 21 pages, emulateapj. References updated

The Type IIn supernova SN 2010jl was relatively nearby and luminous, allowing detailed studies of the near-infrared (NIR) emission. We present 1 - 2.4 micron spectroscopy over the age range of 36 - 565 days from the earliest detection of the supernova. On day 36, the H lines show an unresolved narrow emission component along with a symmetric broad component that can be modeled as the result of electron scattering by a thermal distribution of electrons. Over the next hundreds of days, the broad components of the H lines shift to the blue by 700 km/s, as is also observed in optical lines. The narrow lines do not show a shift, indicating they originate in a different region. He I 1.0830 and 2.0587 micron lines both show an asymmetric broad emission component, with a shoulder on the blue side that varies in prominence and velocity from -5500 km/s on day 108 to -4000 km/s on day 219. This component may be associated with the higher velocity flow indicated by X-ray observations of the supernova. The absence of the feature in the H lines suggests that this is from a He rich ejecta flow. The He I 1.0830 micron feature has a narrow P Cygni line, with absorption extending to ~100 km/s and strengthening over the first 200 days, and an emission component which weakens with time. At day 403, the continuum emission becomes dominated by a blackbody spectrum with a temperature of ~1900 K, suggestive of dust emission., Comment: 17 pages, 18 figures

Supernovae provide a backdrop from which we can probe the end state of stellar evolution in the final years before the progenitor star explodes. As the shock from the supernova expands, the timespan of mass loss history we are able to probe also extends, providing insight to rapid time-scale processes that govern the end state of massive stars. While supernovae transition into remnants on timescales of decades to centuries, observations of this phase are currently limited. Here we present observations of SN 1970G, serendipitously observed during the monitoring campaign of SN 2011fe that shares the same host galaxy. Utilizing the new Jansky Very Large Array upgrade and a deep X-ray exposure taken by the Chandra Space Telescope, we are able to recover this middle-aged supernova and distinctly resolve it from the HII cloud with which it is associated. We find that the flux density of SN 1970G has changed significantly since it was last observed - the X-ray luminosity has increased by a factor of ~3, while we observe a significantly lower radio flux of only 27.5 micro-Jy at 6.75 GHz, a level only detectable through the upgrades now in operation at the Jansky Very Large Array. These changes suggest that SN 1970G has entered a new stage of evolution towards a supernova remnant, and we may be detecting the turn-on of the pulsar wind nebula. Deep radio observations of additional middle-aged supernovae with the improved radio facilities will provide a statistical census of the delicate transition period between supernova and remnant., Comment: ApJ, accepted. Minor fixes implemented. 17 Pages, 2 Tables, 4 Figures

Observations of the middle-aged supernova remnants IC 443, W28 and W51C indicate that the brightnesses at GeV and TeV energies are correlated with each other and with regions of molecular clump interaction, but not with the radio synchrotron brightness. We suggest that the radio emission is primarily associated with a radiative shell in the interclump medium of a molecular cloud, while the gamma-ray emission is primarily associated with the interaction of the radiative shell with molecular clumps. The shell interaction produces a high pressure region, so that the gamma-ray luminosity can be approximately reproduced even if shock acceleration of particles is not efficient, provided that energetic particles are trapped in the cooling region. In this model, the spectral shape \ga 2 GeV is determined by the spectrum of cosmic ray protons. Models in which diffusive shock acceleration determines the spectrum tend to underproduce TeV emission because of the limiting particle energy that is attained., Comment: 15 pages, ApJ Letters, accepted

HST and ground based observations of the Type IIn SN 2010jl are analyzed, including photometry, spectroscopy in the ultraviolet, optical and NIR bands, 26-1128 days after first detection. At maximum the bolometric luminosity was $\sim 3\times10^{43}$ erg/s and even at 850 days exceeds $10^{42}$ erg/s. A NIR excess, dominating after 400 days, probably originates in dust in the circumstellar medium (CSM). The total radiated energy is $> 6.5\times10^{50}$ ergs, excluding the dust component. The spectral lines can be separated into one broad component due to electron scattering, and one narrow with expansion velocity $\sim 100$ km/s from the CSM. The broad component is initially symmetric around zero velocity but becomes blueshifted after $\sim 50$ days, while remaining symmetric about a shifted centroid velocity. Dust absorption in the ejecta is unlikely to explain the line shifts, and we attribute the shift instead to acceleration by the SN radiation. From the optical lines and the X-ray and dust properties, there is strong evidence for large scale asymmetries in the CSM. The ultraviolet lines indicate CNO processing in the progenitor, while the optical shows a number of narrow coronal lines excited by the X-rays. The bolometric light curve is consistent with a radiative shock in an $r^{-2}$ CSM with a mass loss rate of $\sim 0.1$ M_sun/yr. The total mass lost is $> 3$ M_sun. These properties are consistent with the SN expanding into a CSM characteristic of an LBV progenitor with a bipolar geometry. The apparent absence of nuclear processing is attributed to a CSM still opaque to electron scattering., Comment: ApJ in press. Updated and changed after referees comments

We present extensive radio and X-ray observations of SN\, 2012au, the energetic radio luminous supernova of type Ib that may be a link between subsets of hydrogen-poor superluminous and normal core-collapse supernovae. The observations closely follow models of synchrotron emission from shock heated circum-burst medium that has a wind density profile ($\rho \propto r^{-2}$). We infer a sub-relativistic velocity for the shock wave $v \approx 0.2\,c$ and a radius of $r \approx 1.4 \times 10^{16} \rm cm$ at 25 days after the estimated date of explosion. For a constant wind velocity of 1000 km/s we determine the constant mass loss rate of the progenitor to be $\dot{M} = 3.6 \times 10^{-6} \rm M_{\odot} yr^{-1}$, consistent with the estimates from X-ray observations. We estimate the total internal energy of the radio emitting material to be $E \approx 10^{47} \rm erg$, which is intermediate to SN\,1998bw and SN\,2002ap. Evolution of the radio light curves of SN\,2012au is consistent with interaction with a smoothly distributed circum-burst medium and absence of stellar shells ejected from previous outbursts out to $r \approx 10^{17} \rm cm$ from the supernova site. Based on this we conclude that the evolution of the SN\,2012au progenitor star was relatively quiet during the final years preceding explosion. We find that the bright radio emission from SN2012au was not dissimilar from other core collapse supernovae despite it's extraordinary optical properties. We speculate that it was the nature of the explosion that led to the unusual demise of the SN2012au progenitor star., Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, submitted to ApJ

Supernovae of Type IIn (narrow line) appear to be explosions that had strong mass loss before the event, so that the optical luminosity is powered by the circumstellar interaction. If the mass loss region has an optical depth $>c/v_s$, where $v_s$ is the shock velocity, the shock breakout occurs in the mass loss region and a significant fraction of the explosion energy can be radiated. The emission from the superluminous SN 2006gy and the normal luminosity SN 2011ht can plausibly be attributed to shock breakout in a wind, with SN 2011ht being a low energy event. Superluminous supernovae of Type I may derive their luminosity from interaction with a mass loss region of limited extent. However, the distinctive temperature increase to maximum luminosity has not been clearly observed in Type I events. Suggested mechanisms for the strong mass loss include pulsational pair instability, gravity-waves generated by instabilities in late burning phases, and binary effects., Comment: 7 pages, For Proc of IAU Symposium 296, Supernova Environmental Impacts, ed. A. Ray and R. McCray, CUP

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 2,000 Angstroms in the UV to 2.4 microns in the NIR. Optical spectra provide line profiles and velocity measurements of HI, HeI, CaII and FeII that trace the composition and kinematics of the 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 STIS reveals that the UV flux for SN 2011dh is low compared to other SN IIb. The HI and HeI velocities in SN 2011dh are separated by about 4,000 km/s at all phases. We estimate that the H-shell of SN 2011dh is about 8 times less massive than the shell of SN 1993J and about 3 times more massive than the shell of SN 2008ax. Light curves (LC) for twelve passbands are presented. The maximum bolometric luminosity of $1.8 \pm 0.2 \times 10^{42}$ erg s$^{-1}$ occurred about 22 days after the explosion. NIR emission provides more than 30% of the total bolometric flux at the beginning of our observations and 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 light curves of SN 2011dh, SN 2008ax and SN 1993J. The LC are very different for the first twelve 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 that have a wide range of masses. The detailed observations presented here will help evaluate theoretical models for this supernova and lead to a better understanding of SN IIb., Comment: 23 pages, 14 figures, 9 tables, accepted by ApJ

We present observations with VLT and HST of the broad emission lines from the inner ejecta and reverse shock of SN 1987A from 1999 until 2012 (days 4381 -- 9100 after explosion). We detect broad lines from H-alpha, H-beta, Mg I], Na I, [O I], [Ca II] and a feature at 9220 A. We identify the latter line with Mg II 9218, 9244,most likely pumped by Ly-alpha fluorescence. H-alpha, and H-beta both have a centrally peaked component, extending to 4500 km/s and a very broad component extending to 11,000 km/s, while the other lines have only the central component. The low velocity component comes from unshocked ejecta, heated mainly by X-rays from the circumstellar ring collision, whereas the broad component comes from faster ejecta passing through the reverse shock. The reverse shock flux in H-alpha has increased by a factor of 4-6 from 2000 to 2007. After that there is a tendency of flattening of the light curve, similar to what may be seen in soft X-rays and in the optical lines from the shocked ring. The core component seen in H-alpha, [Ca II] and Mg II has experienced a similar increase, consistent with that found from HST photometry. The ring-like morphology of the ejecta is explained as a result of the X-ray illumination, depositing energy outside of the core of the ejecta. The energy deposition in the ejecta of the external X-rays illumination is calculated using explosion models for SN 1987A and we predict that the outer parts of the unshocked ejecta will continue to brighten because of this. We finally discuss evidence for dust in the ejecta from line asymmetries., Comment: Submitted to ApJ. Comments welcome

We report four years of radio and X-ray monitoring of the Type IIn supernova SN 2006jd at radio wavelengths with the Very Large Array, Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope and Expanded Very Large Array; at X-ray wavelengths with {\em Chandra}, {\em XMM-Newton} and {\em Swift}-XRT. We assume that the radio and X-ray emitting particles are produced by shock interaction with a dense circumstellar medium. The radio emission shows an initial rise that can be attributed to free-free absorption by cool gas mixed into the nonthermal emitting region; external free-free absorption is disfavored because of the shape of the rising light curves and the low gas column density inferred along the line of sight to the emission region. The X-ray luminosity implies a preshock circumstellar density $\sim 10^6$ cm$^{-3}$ at a radius $r\sim 2\times 10^{16}$ cm, but the column density inferred from the photoabsorption of X-rays along the line of sight suggests a significantly lower density. The implication may be an asymmetry in the interaction. The X-ray spectrum shows Fe line emission at 6.9 keV that is stronger than is expected for the conditions in the X-ray emitting gas. We suggest that cool gas mixed into the hot gas plays a role in the line emission. Our radio and X-ray data both suggest the density profile is flatter than $r^{-2}$ because of the slow evolution of the unabsorbed emission., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ without any changes

The model for pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) as the result of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) downstream flow from a shocked, relativistic pulsar wind has been successful in reproducing many features of the nebulae observed close to the central pulsars. However, observations of well-studied young nebulae like the Crab Nebula, 3C 58, and G21.5--0.9 do not show the toroidal magnetic field on a larger scale that might be expected in the MHD flow model; in addition, the radial variation of spectral index due to synchrotron losses is smoother than expected in the MHD flow model. We find that pure diffusion models can reproduce the basic data on nebular size and spectral index variation for the Crab, 3C 58, and G21.5--0.9. Most of our models use an energy independent diffusion coefficient; power law variations of the coefficient with energy are degenerate with variation in the input particle energy distribution index in the steady state, transmitting boundary case. Energy dependent diffusion is a possible reason for the smaller diffusion coefficient inferred for the Crab. Monte Carlo simulations of the particle transport allowing for advection and diffusion of particles suggest that diffusion dominates over much of the total nebular volume of the Crab. Advection dominates close to the pulsar and is likely to play a role in the X-ray half-light radius. The source of diffusion and mixing of particles is uncertain, but may be related to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the outer boundary of a young PWN or to instabilities in the toroidal magnetic field structure., Comment: 13 pages, ApJ, in press, corrected typo

A variety of supernova events, including Type IIn supernovae and ultraluminous supernovae, appear to have lost up to solar masses of their envelopes in 10's to 100's of years leading up to the explosion. In order to explain the close timing of the mass loss and supernova events, we explore the possibility that the mass loss is driven by common envelope evolution of a compact object (neutron star or black hole) in the envelope of a massive star and the supernova is triggered by the inspiral of the compact object to the central core of the companion star. The expected rate of such events is smaller than the observed rate of Type IIn supernovae but the rates may agree within the uncertainties. The mass loss velocity is related to the escape velocity from the common envelope system and is comparable to the observed velocity of 100's of km s$^{-1}$ in Type IIn events. The mass loss is expected to be denser near the equatorial plane of the binary system and there is good evidence that the circumstellar media in Type IIn supernovae are asymmetric. Some of these supernova types show evidence for energies in excess of the canonical $10^{51}$ ergs, which might be the result of explosions from rapid accretion onto a compact object through a disk., Comment: Small changes to agree with published version: ApJ Letters, 752, L2 (2012)

We report two epochs of Chandra-ACIS X-ray imaging spectroscopy of the nearby bright Type IIn supernova SN 2010jl, taken around 2 months and then a year after the explosion. The majority of the X-ray emission in both the spectra is characterized by a high temperature ($\ga 10$ keV) and is likely to be from the forward shocked region resulting from circumstellar interaction. The absorption column density in the first spectrum is high, ~ 10^{24} cm^{-2}, more than 3 orders of magnitude higher than the Galactic absorption column, and we attribute it to absorption by circumstellar matter. In the second epoch observation, the column density has decreased by a factor of 3, as expected for shock propagation in the circumstellar medium. The unabsorbed 0.2-10 keV luminosity at both epochs is ~7 x 10^{41} erg/s. The 6.4 keV Fe line clearly present in the first spectrum is not detected in the second spectrum. The strength of the fluorescent line is roughly that expected for the column density of circumstellar gas, provided the Fe is not highly ionized. There is also evidence for an absorbed power law component in both the spectra, which we attribute to a background ultraluminous X-ray source., Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, resubmitted to ApJL after responding to referee's comments

Type IIn and related supernovae show evidence for an interaction with a dense circumstellar medium that produces most of the supernova luminosity. X-ray emission from shock heated gas is crucial for the energetics of the interaction and can provide diagnostics on the shock interaction. Provided that the shock is at an optical depth tau_w\la c/v_s in the wind, where c is the speed of light and v_s is the shock velocity, a viscous shock is expected that heats the gas to a high temperature. For tau_w\ga 1, the shock wave is in the cooling regime; inverse Compton cooling dominates bremsstrahlung at higher densities and shock velocities. Although tau_w\ga 1, the optical depth through the emission zone is \la 1 so that inverse Compton effects do not give rise to significant X-ray emission. The electrons may not reach energy equipartition with the protons at higher shock velocities. As X-rays move out through the cool wind, the higher energy photons are lost to Compton degradation. If bremsstrahlung dominates the cooling and Compton losses are small, the energetic radiation can completely photoionize the preshock gas. However, inverse Compton cooling in the hot region and Compton degradation in the wind reduce the ionizing flux, so that complete photoionization is not obtained and photoabsorption by the wind further reduces the escaping X-ray flux. We conjecture that the combination of these effects led to the low observed X-ray flux from the optically luminous SN 2006gy., Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, ApJL, accepted, minor revisions to agree with accepted version

We present extensive radio observations of the nearby Type Ibc supernovae 2004cc, 2004dk, and 2004gq spanning 8-1900 days after explosion. Using a dynamical model developed for synchrotron emission from a slightly decelerated shockwave, we estimate the velocity and energy of the fastest ejecta and the density profile of the circumstellar medium. The shockwaves of all three supernovae are characterized by non-relativistic velocities of v ~ (0.1-25)c and associated energies of E ~ (2-10) * 1e47 erg, in line with the expectations for a typical homologous explosion. Smooth circumstellar density profiles are indicated by the early radio data and we estimate the progenitor mass loss rates to be ~ (0.6-13) * 1e-5 M_sun/yr (wind velocity 10^3 km/s). These estimates approach the saturation limit (~1e-4 M_sun/yr) for line-driven winds from Wolf-Rayet stars, the favored progenitors of SNe Ibc including those associated with long-duration GRBs. Intriguingly, at later epochs all three supernovae show evidence for abrupt radio variability that we attribute to large density modulations (factor of ~3-6) at circumstellar radii of r ~ (1-50) * 1e16 cm. If due to variable mass loss, these modulations are associated with progenitor activity on a timescale of ~ 10-100 years before explosion. We consider these results in the context of variable mass loss mechanisms including wind clumping, metallicity-independent continuum-driven ejections, and binary-induced modulations. It may also be possible that the SN shockwaves are dynamically interacting with wind termination shocks, however, this requires the environment to be highly pressurized and/or the progenitor to be rapidly rotating prior to explosion. The proximity of the density modulations to the explosion sites may suggest a synchronization between unusual progenitor mass loss and the SN explosion, reminiscent of Type IIn supernovae. [ABRIDGED], Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables, accepted to ApJ

We report unique EVLA observations of SN 2011fe representing the most sensitive radio study of a Type Ia supernova to date. Our data place direct constraints on the density of the surrounding medium at radii ~10^15-10^16 cm, implying an upper limit on the mass loss rate from the progenitor system of Mdot <~ 6 x 10^-10 Msol/yr (assuming a wind speed of 100 km/s), or expansion into a uniform medium with density n_CSM <~ 6 cm^-3. Drawing from the observed properties of non-conservative mass transfer among accreting white dwarfs, we use these limits on the density of the immediate environs to exclude a phase space of possible progenitors systems for SN 2011fe. We rule out a symbiotic progenitor system and also a system characterized by high accretion rate onto the white dwarf that is expected to give rise to optically-thick accretion winds. Assuming that a small fraction, 1%, of the mass accreted is lost from the progenitor system, we also eliminate much of the potential progenitor parameter space for white dwarfs hosting recurrent novae or undergoing stable nuclear burning. Therefore, we rule out the most popular single degenerate progenitor models for SN 2011fe, leaving a limited phase space inhabited by some double degenerate systems and exotic progenitor scenarios., Comment: Accepted to ApJ