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1. A new measurement of the Hubble constant using Type Ia supernovae calibrated with surface brightness fluctuations

   https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202039196  

   Khetan, Nandita ; Izzo, Luca ; Branchesi, Marica ; Wojtak, Radosław ; Cantiello, Michele ; Murugeshan, Chandrashekar ; Agnello, Adriano ; Cappellaro, Enrico ; Della Valle, Massimo ; Gall, Christa ; et al ( March 2021 , Astronomy & Astrophysics)

   We present a new calibration of the peak absolute magnitude of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) based on the surface brightness fluctuations (SBF) method, aimed at measuring the value of the Hubble constant. We build a sample of calibrating anchors consisting of 24 SNe hosted in galaxies that have SBF distance measurements. Applying a hierarchical Bayesian approach, we calibrate the SN Ia peak luminosity and extend the Hubble diagram into the Hubble flow by using a sample of 96 SNe Ia in the redshift range 0.02 <  z  < 0.075, which was extracted from the Combined Pantheon Sample. We estimate a value of H 0  = 70.50 ± 2.37 (stat.) ± 3.38 (sys.) km s −1 Mpc −1 (i.e., 3.4% stat., 4.8% sys.), which is in agreement with the value obtained using the tip of the red giant branch calibration. It is also consistent, within errors, with the value obtained from SNe Ia calibrated with Cepheids or the value inferred from the analysis of the cosmic microwave background. We find that the SNe Ia distance moduli calibrated with SBF are on average larger by 0.07 mag than those calibrated with Cepheids. Our results point to possible differences among SNe in different types of galaxies, which could originate from differentmore »local environments and/or progenitor properties of SNe Ia. Sampling different host galaxy types, SBF offers a complementary approach to using Cepheids, which is important in addressing possible systematics. As the SBF method has the ability to reach larger distances than Cepheids, the impending entry of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and JWST into operation will increase the number of SNe Ia hosted in galaxies where SBF distances can be measured, making SBF measurements attractive for improving the calibration of SNe Ia, as well as in the estimation of H 0 .« less
2. Serendipitous Nebular-phase JWST Imaging of SN Ia SN 2021aefx: Testing the Confinement of ⁵⁶ Co Decay Energy

   https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acb6d8  

   Chen, Ness Mayker ; Tucker, Michael A. ; Hoyer, Nils ; Jha, Saurabh W. ; Kwok, Lindsey A. ; Leroy, Adam K. ; Rosolowsky, Erik ; Ashall, Chris ; Anand, Gagandeep ; Bigiel, Frank ; et al ( February 2023 , The Astrophysical Journal Letters)

   We present new 0.3–21μm photometry of SN 2021aefx in the spiral galaxy NGC 1566 at +357 days afterB-band maximum, including the first detection of any Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) at >15μm. These observations follow earlier JWST observations of SN 2021aefx at +255 days after the time of maximum brightness, allowing us to probe the temporal evolution of the emission properties. We measure the fraction of flux emerging at different wavelengths and its temporal evolution. Additionally, the integrated 0.3–14μm decay rate of Δm_0.3–14= 1.35 ± 0.05 mag/100 days is higher than the decline rate from the radioactive decay of⁵⁶Co of ∼1.2 mag/100 days. The most plausible explanation for this discrepancy is that flux is shifting to >14μm, and future JWST observations of SNe Ia will be able to directly test this hypothesis. However, models predicting nonradiative energy loss cannot be excluded with the present data.
3. Significant luminosity differences of two twin Type Ia supernovae

   https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz3324  

   Foley, Ryan J. ; Hoffmann, Samantha L. ; Macri, Lucas M. ; Riess, Adam G. ; Brown, Peter J. ; Filippenko, Alexei V. ; Graham, Melissa L. ; Milne, Peter A. ( November 2019 , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society)

   The Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) 2011by, hosted in NGC 3972, and 2011fe, hosted in M101, are optical ‘twins,’ having almost identical optical light-curve shapes, colours, and near-maximum-brightness spectra. However, SN 2011fe had significantly more ultraviolet (UV; 1600 < λ < 2500 Å) flux than SN 2011by before and at peak luminosity. Several theoretical models predict that SNe Ia with higher progenitor metallicity should (1) have additional UV opacity and thus lower UV flux; (2) have an essentially unchanged optical spectral-energy distribution; (3) have a similar optical light-curve shape; and (4) because of the excess neutrons, produce more stable Fe-group elements at the expense of radioactive 56Ni and thus have a lower peak luminosity. Following these predictions, Foley and Kirshner suggested that the difference in UV flux between SNe 2011by and 2011fe was the result of their progenitors having significantly different metallicities. They also measured a large, but insignificant, difference between the peak absolute magnitudes of the SNe (ΔMV, peak = 0.60 ± 0.36 mag), with SN 2011fe being more luminous. We present a new Cepheid-based distance to NGC 3972, substantially improving the precision of the distance measurement for SN 2011by. With these new data, we determine that the SNe have significantly different peak luminosities (ΔMV, peak = 0.335 ± 0.069 mag). Consequently,more »SN 2011fe produced 38 per cent more 56Ni than SN 2011by, consistent with predictions for progenitor metallicity differences for these SNe, although alternative models may also explain this difference. We discuss how progenitor metallicity differences can contribute to the intrinsic scatter for light-curve-shape-corrected SN luminosities, the use of ‘twin’ SNe for measuring distances, and implications for using SNe Ia for constraining cosmological parameters.

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4. Cosmological Results from the RAISIN Survey: Using Type Ia Supernovae in the Near Infrared as a Novel Path to Measure the Dark Energy Equation of State

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac755b  

   Jones, D. O. ; Mandel, K. S. ; Kirshner, R. P. ; Thorp, S. ; Challis, P. M. ; Avelino, A. ; Brout, D. ; Burns, C. ; Foley, R. J. ; Pan, Y. -C. ; et al ( July 2022 , The Astrophysical Journal)

   Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are more precise standardizable candles when measured in the near-infrared (NIR) than in the optical. With this motivation, from 2012 to 2017 we embarked on the RAISIN program with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to obtain rest-frame NIR light curves for a cosmologically distant sample of 37 SNe Ia (0.2 ≲z≲ 0.6) discovered by Pan-STARRS and the Dark Energy Survey. By comparing higher-zHST data with 42 SNe Ia atz< 0.1 observed in the NIR by the Carnegie Supernova Project, we construct a Hubble diagram from NIR observations (with only time of maximum light and some selection cuts from optical photometry) to pursue a unique avenue to constrain the dark energy equation-of-state parameter,w. We analyze the dependence of the full set of Hubble residuals on the SN Ia host galaxy mass and find Hubble residual steps of size ∼0.06-0.1 mag with 1.5σ−2.5σsignificance depending on the method and step location used. Combining our NIR sample with cosmic microwave background constraints, we find 1 +w= −0.17 ± 0.12 (statistical + systematic errors). The largest systematic errors are the redshift-dependent SN selection biases and the properties of the NIR mass step. We also use these data to measureH₀=more »75.9 ± 2.2 km s⁻¹Mpc⁻¹from stars with geometric distance calibration in the hosts of eight SNe Ia observed in the NIR versusH₀= 71.2 ± 3.8 km s⁻¹Mpc⁻¹using an inverse distance ladder approach tied to Planck. Using optical data, we find 1 +w= −0.10 ± 0.09, and with optical and NIR data combined, we find 1 +w= −0.06 ± 0.07; these shifts of up to ∼0.11 inwcould point to inconsistency in the optical versus NIR SN models. There will be many opportunities to improve this NIR measurement and better understand systematic uncertainties through larger low-zsamples, new light-curve models, calibration improvements, and eventually by building high-zsamples from the Roman Space Telescope.

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5. Investigating the Nature of the Luminous Ambiguous Nuclear Transient ASASSN-17jz

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac74b9  

   Holoien, Thomas W. -S. ; Neustadt, Jack M. M. ; Vallely, Patrick J. ; Auchettl, Katie ; Hinkle, Jason T. ; Romero-Cañizales, Cristina ; Shappee, Benjamin. J. ; Kochanek, Christopher S. ; Stanek, K. Z. ; Chen, Ping ; et al ( July 2022 , The Astrophysical Journal)

   We present observations of the extremely luminous but ambiguous nuclear transient (ANT) ASASSN-17jz, spanning roughly 1200 days of the object’s evolution. ASASSN-17jz was discovered by the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) in the galaxy SDSS J171955.84+414049.4 on UT 2017 July 27 at a redshift ofz= 0.1641. The transient peaked at an absoluteB-band magnitude ofM_B,peak= −22.81, corresponding to a bolometric luminosity ofL_bol,peak= 8.3 × 10⁴⁴erg s⁻¹, and exhibited late-time ultraviolet emission that was still ongoing in our latest observations. Integrating the full light curve gives a total emitted energy ofE_tot= (1.36 ±0.08) × 10⁵²erg, with (0.80 ± 0.02) × 10⁵²erg of this emitted within 200 days of peak light. This late-time ultraviolet emission is accompanied by increasing X-ray emission that becomes softer as it brightens. ASASSN-17jz exhibited a large number of spectral emission lines most commonly seen in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with little evidence of evolution. It also showed transient Balmer features, which became fainter and broader over time, and are still being detected >1000 days after peak brightness. We consider various physical scenarios for the origin of the transient, including supernovae (SNe), tidal disruption events, AGN outbursts, and ANTs. We find that the most likely explanation ismore »that ASASSN-17jz was a SN IIn occurring in or near the disk of an existing AGN, and that the late-time emission is caused by the AGN transitioning to a more active state.

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