SN 2024amf , the SIMBAD biblio

2026ApJ...999...59B - Astrophys. J., 999, 59 (2026/March-1)

Hydrogen-poor Superluminous Supernovae in the Nebular Phase: Spectral Diversity Due to Ejecta Ionization as a Probe of the Power Source.

BLANCHARD P.K., BERGER E., GOMEZ S., NICHOLL M., CHORNOCK R., KUMAR H., MARGUTTI R., HIRAMATSU D. and SEARS H.

Abstract (from CDS):

We present a large sample of 39 nebular-phase optical spectra of 25 hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe-I) and jointly analyze them with previously published spectra of 12 events. We measure the properties of key emission features, namely, those at 6300, 7300, and 7774 Å (associated with [O I], [Ca II]/[O II], and O I, respectively), and find that SLSNe exhibit much wider spectral diversity than normal SNe Ic, primarily in the line ratio L7300/L6300, which is highly sensitive to ejecta ionization. Some events exhibit weak [O I] and a clear [O II] contribution to the 7300 Å feature, enhancing the ratio, along with [O III] lines at 4363 and 5007 Å. Other SLSNe show weak or no lines of ionized oxygen. Moreover, we find that the population exhibits decreasing L7300/L6300 over time, while a few outliers instead display sustained high or increasing ratios for extended periods. The ratio L7300/L6300 is also correlated with the rise and decline times of the light curves, with slower events exhibiting higher ionization, the first robust connection between early light-curve and late-time spectral properties, likely due to the magnetar's impact: slower-evolving SLSNe are generally powered by engines with longer spin-down timescales, which deposit more energy at later phases. Among the events with decreasing L7300/L6300, SLSNe with high ionization are on average powered by magnetars with higher thermalized spin-down power, a correlation that is most significant for events with Mej ≲ 12 M⊙. The ionization in the outliers with increasing L7300/L6300 may be due to late circumstellar medium interaction. L7300/L6300 and its evolution are therefore key diagnostics of SLSN engines and progenitor mass loss.

Abstract Copyright: © 2026. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.

Journal keyword(s): Supernovae - Core-collapse supernovae

Simbad objects: 34

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