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This content will become publicly available on June 25, 2025

Title: SN 2023zaw: An Ultrastripped, Nickel-poor Supernova from a Low-mass Progenitor
Abstract We present SN 2023zaw—a subluminous (Mr= −16.7 mag) and rapidly evolving supernova (t1/2,r= 4.9 days), with the lowest nickel mass (≈0.002M) measured among all stripped-envelope supernovae discovered to date. The photospheric spectra are dominated by broad Heiand Ca near-infrared emission lines with velocities of ∼10,000−12,000 km s−1. The late-time spectra show prominent narrow Heiemission lines at ∼1000 km s−1, indicative of interaction with He-rich circumstellar material. SN 2023zaw is located in the spiral arm of a star-forming galaxy. We perform radiation-hydrodynamical and analytical modeling of the lightcurve by fitting with a combination of shock-cooling emission and nickel decay. The progenitor has a best-fit envelope mass of ≈0.2Mand an envelope radius of ≈50R. The extremely low nickel mass and low ejecta mass (≈0.5M) suggest an ultrastripped SN, which originates from a mass-losing low-mass He-star (zero-age main-sequence mass < 10M) in a close binary system. This is a channel to form double neutron star systems, whose merger is detectable with LIGO. SN 2023zaw underscores the existence of a previously undiscovered population of extremely low nickel mass (<0.005M) stripped-envelope supernovae, which can be explored with deep and high-cadence transient surveys.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2034437
PAR ID:
10578336
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more » ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; « less
Publisher / Repository:
AAS
Date Published:
Journal Name:
The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume:
969
Issue:
1
ISSN:
2041-8205
Page Range / eLocation ID:
L11
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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