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ABSTRACT Hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) are among the most energetic explosions in the universe, reaching luminosities up to 100 times greater than those of normal supernovae. This paper presents the largest compilation of SLSN photospheric spectra to date, encompassing data from the advanced Public ESO Spectroscopic Survey of Transient Objects (ePESSTO+), the Finding Luminous and Exotic Extragalactic Transients (FLEET) search, and all published spectra up to December 2022. The data set includes a total of 974 spectra of 234 SLSNe. By constructing average phase binned spectra, we find SLSNe initially exhibit high temperatures (10 000–11 000 K), with blue continua and weak lines. A rapid transformation follows, as temperatures drop to 5000–6000 K by 40 d post-peak, leading to stronger P-Cygni features. Variance within the data set is slightly reduced when defining the phase of spectra relative to explosion, rather than peak, and normalising to the population’s median e-folding decline time. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) supports this, requiring fewer components to explain the same level of variation when binning data by scaled days from explosion, suggesting a more homogeneous grouping. Using PCA and K-means clustering, we identify outlying objects with unusual spectroscopic evolution and evidence for energy input from interaction, but find no support for groupings of two or more statistically significant subpopulations. We find Fe ii  $$\lambda$$5169 line velocities closely track the radius implied from blackbody fits, indicating formation near the photosphere. We also confirm a correlation between velocity and velocity gradient, which can be explained if all SLSNe are in homologous expansion but with different scale velocities. This behaviour aligns with expectations for an internal powering mechanism. 

Abstract Nebular-phase observations of peculiar Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) provide important constraints on progenitor scenarios and explosion dynamics for both these rare SNe and the more common, cosmologically useful SNe Ia. We present observations from an extensive ground- and space-based follow-up campaign to characterize SN 2022pul, a super-Chandrasekhar mass SN Ia (alternatively “03fg-like” SN), from before peak brightness to well into the nebular phase across optical to mid-infrared (MIR) wavelengths. The early rise of the light curve is atypical, exhibiting two distinct components, consistent with SN Ia ejecta interacting with dense carbon–oxygen (C/O)-rich circumstellar material (CSM). In the optical, SN 2022pul is most similar to SN 2012dn, having a low estimated peak luminosity (M_B= −18.9 mag) and high photospheric velocity relative to other 03fg-like SNe. In the nebular phase, SN 2022pul adds to the increasing diversity of the 03fg-like subclass. From 168 to 336 days after peakB-band brightness, SN 2022pul exhibits asymmetric and narrow emission from [Oi]λλ6300, 6364 (FWHM ≈ 2000 km s⁻¹), strong, broad emission from [Caii]λλ7291, 7323 (FWHM ≈ 7300 km s⁻¹), and a rapid Feiiito Feiiionization change. Finally, we present the first ever optical-to-MIR nebular spectrum of an 03fg-like SN Ia using data from JWST. In the MIR, strong lines of neon and argon, weak emission from stable nickel, and strong thermal dust emission (withT≈ 500 K), combined with prominent [Oi] in the optical, suggest that SN 2022pul was produced by a white dwarf merger within C/O-rich CSM. 

Abstract We present an analysis of ground-based and JWST observations of SN 2022pul, a peculiar “03fg-like” (or “super-Chandrasekhar”) Type Ia supernova (SN Ia), in the nebular phase at 338 days postexplosion. Our combined spectrum continuously covers 0.4–14μm and includes the first mid-infrared spectrum of a 03fg-like SN Ia. Compared to normal SN Ia 2021aefx, SN 2022pul exhibits a lower mean ionization state, asymmetric emission-line profiles, stronger emission from the intermediate-mass elements (IMEs) argon and calcium, weaker emission from iron-group elements (IGEs), and the first unambiguous detection of neon in a SN Ia. A strong, broad, centrally peaked [Neii] line at 12.81μm was previously predicted as a hallmark of “violent merger” SN Ia models, where dynamical interaction between two sub-M_Chwhite dwarfs (WDs) causes disruption of the lower-mass WD and detonation of the other. The violent merger scenario was already a leading hypothesis for 03fg-like SNe Ia; in SN 2022pul it can explain the large-scale ejecta asymmetries seen between the IMEs and IGEs and the central location of narrow oxygen and broad neon. We modify extant models to add clumping of the ejecta to reproduce the optical iron emission better, and add mass in the innermost region (<2000 km s⁻¹) to account for the observed narrow [Oi]λλ6300, 6364 emission. A violent WD–WD merger explains many of the observations of SN 2022pul, and our results favor this model interpretation for the subclass of 03fg-like SNe Ia. 

Abstract We present JWST near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopic observations of the nearby normal Type Ia supernova (SN) SN 2021aefx in the nebular phase at +255 days past maximum light. Our Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) and Mid Infrared Instrument observations, combined with ground-based optical data from the South African Large Telescope, constitute the first complete optical+NIR+MIR nebular SN Ia spectrum covering 0.3–14μm. This spectrum unveils the previously unobserved 2.5−5μm region, revealing strong nebular iron and stable nickel emission, indicative of high-density burning that can constrain the progenitor mass. The data show a significant improvement in sensitivity and resolution compared to previous Spitzer MIR data. We identify numerous NIR and MIR nebular emission lines from iron-group elements as well as lines from the intermediate-mass element argon. The argon lines extend to higher velocities than the iron-group elements, suggesting stratified ejecta that are a hallmark of delayed-detonation or double-detonation SN Ia models. We present fits to simple geometric line profiles to features beyond 1.2μm and find that most lines are consistent with Gaussian or spherical emission distributions, while the [Ariii] 8.99μm line has a distinctively flat-topped profile indicating a thick spherical shell of emission. Using our line profile fits, we investigate the emissivity structure of SN 2021aefx and measure kinematic properties. Continued observations of SN 2021aefx and other SNe Ia with JWST will be transformative to the study of SN Ia composition, ionization structure, density, and temperature, and will provide important constraints on SN Ia progenitor and explosion models.