Supernova 2009kf: An Ultraviolet Bright Type IIP Supernova Discovered With Pan-Starrs 1 and Galex
Abstract
We present photometric and spectroscopic observations of a luminous Type IIP Supernova (SN) 2009kf discovered by the Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1) survey and also detected by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer. The SN shows a plateau in its optical and bolometric light curves, lasting approximately 70 days in the rest frame, with an absolute magnitude of Mv = -18.4 mag. The P-Cygni profiles of hydrogen indicate expansion velocities of 9000 km/s at 61 days after discovery which is extremely high for a Type IIP SN. SN 2009kf is also remarkably bright in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) and shows a slow evolution 10-20 days after optical discovery. The NUV and optical luminosity at these epochs can be modeled with a blackbody with a hot effective temperature (T ~ 16,000 K) and a large radius (R ~ 1 x 100(exp 15) cm). The bright bolometric and NUV luminosity, the light curve peak and plateau duration, the high velocities, and temperatures suggest that 2009kf is a Type IIP SN powered by a larger than normal explosion energy. Recently discovered high-z SNe (0.7 < z < 2.3) have been assumed to be IIn SNe, with the bright UV luminosities due to the interaction of SN ejecta with a dense circumstellar medium. UV-bright SNe similar to SN 2009kf could also account for these high-z events, and its absolute magnitude Mnuv = -21.5 + or - 0.5 mag suggests such SNe could be discovered out to z ~ 2.5 in the PS1 survey.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA560292
Entities
People
- A. Pastorello
- A. Rest
- C. Trundle
- D. G. Monet
- G. Narayan
- J. L. Tonry
- M. E. Huber
- M. T. Botticella
- S. Gezari
- S. J. Smartt
- S. Rodney
Organizations
- United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station