WTP 19aalnxx: Discovery of a Bright Mid-infrared Transient in the Emerging Class of Low-luminosity Supernovae Revealed by Delayed Circumstellar Interaction

While core-collapse supernovae (SNe) often show early and consistent signs of circumstellar medium (CSM) interaction, some exhibit delayed signatures due to interaction with distant material around the progenitor star. Here we present the discovery in NEOWISE data of WTP 19aalnxx, a luminous mid-inf...

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Main Authors: Charlotte Myers, Kishalay De, Lin Yan, Jacob E. Jencson, Nicholas Earley, Christoffer Fremling, Daichi Hiramatsu, Mansi M. Kasliwal, Ryan M. Lau, Morgan MacLeod, Megan Masterson, Christos Panagiotou, Robert Simcoe, Samaporn Tinyanont
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Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2024-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad8922
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author Charlotte Myers
Kishalay De
Lin Yan
Jacob E. Jencson
Nicholas Earley
Christoffer Fremling
Daichi Hiramatsu
Mansi M. Kasliwal
Ryan M. Lau
Morgan MacLeod
Megan Masterson
Christos Panagiotou
Robert Simcoe
Samaporn Tinyanont
author_facet Charlotte Myers
Kishalay De
Lin Yan
Jacob E. Jencson
Nicholas Earley
Christoffer Fremling
Daichi Hiramatsu
Mansi M. Kasliwal
Ryan M. Lau
Morgan MacLeod
Megan Masterson
Christos Panagiotou
Robert Simcoe
Samaporn Tinyanont
author_sort Charlotte Myers
collection DOAJ
description While core-collapse supernovae (SNe) often show early and consistent signs of circumstellar medium (CSM) interaction, some exhibit delayed signatures due to interaction with distant material around the progenitor star. Here we present the discovery in NEOWISE data of WTP 19aalnxx, a luminous mid-infrared (MIR) transient in the outskirts of the galaxy KUG 0022-007 at ≈190 Mpc. First detected in 2018, WTP 19aalnxx reaches a peak absolute (Vega) magnitude of ≈−22 at 4.6 μ m in ≈3 yr, comparable to the most luminous interacting SNe. Archival data reveal a ≳5× fainter optical counterpart detected since 2015, while follow-up near-infrared observations in 2022 reveal an extremely red ( Ks − W2 ≈ 3.7 mag) active transient. Deep optical spectroscopy confirm strong CSM interaction signatures via intermediate-width Balmer emission lines and coronal metal lines. Modeling the broadband spectral energy distribution, we estimate the presence of ≳10 ^−2 M _⊙ of warm dust, likely formed in the cold dense shell. Together with the lack of nebular Fe emission, we suggest that WTP 19aalnxx is a missed, low (optical) luminosity SN in an emerging family of core-collapse SNe distinguished by their CSM-interaction-powered MIR emission that outshines the optical bands. Investigating the Zwicky Transient Facility sample of SNe with NEOWISE data, we find 16 core-collapse SNe (≳3% in a volume-limited sample) without early signs of CSM interaction that exhibit delayed IR brightening, suggestive of dense CSM shells at ≲10 ^17 cm. We suggest that synoptic IR surveys offer a new route to revealing late-time CSM interaction and the prevalence of intense terminal mass loss in massive stars.
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spelling doaj-art-7f06a7f1f53d42f3a208a519c15a66e42025-08-20T01:53:33ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572024-01-01976223010.3847/1538-4357/ad8922WTP 19aalnxx: Discovery of a Bright Mid-infrared Transient in the Emerging Class of Low-luminosity Supernovae Revealed by Delayed Circumstellar InteractionCharlotte Myers0Kishalay De1Lin Yan2Jacob E. Jencson3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5754-4007Nicholas Earley4Christoffer Fremling5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4223-103XDaichi Hiramatsu6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1125-9187Mansi M. Kasliwal7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5619-4938Ryan M. Lau8Morgan MacLeod9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1417-8024Megan Masterson10https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4127-0739Christos Panagiotou11Robert Simcoe12Samaporn Tinyanont13https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1481-4676MIT-Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research , 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USAMIT-Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research , 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USACahill Center for Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Caltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USACahill Center for Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USACahill Center for Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Caltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USACenter for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-1516, USA; The NSF AI Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions , USACahill Center for Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USANSF's NOIRLab , 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719, USACenter for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-1516, USAMIT-Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research , 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USAMIT-Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research , 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USAMIT-Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research , 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USANational Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand , 260 Moo 4, Donkaew, Maerim, Chiang Mai 50180, ThailandWhile core-collapse supernovae (SNe) often show early and consistent signs of circumstellar medium (CSM) interaction, some exhibit delayed signatures due to interaction with distant material around the progenitor star. Here we present the discovery in NEOWISE data of WTP 19aalnxx, a luminous mid-infrared (MIR) transient in the outskirts of the galaxy KUG 0022-007 at ≈190 Mpc. First detected in 2018, WTP 19aalnxx reaches a peak absolute (Vega) magnitude of ≈−22 at 4.6 μ m in ≈3 yr, comparable to the most luminous interacting SNe. Archival data reveal a ≳5× fainter optical counterpart detected since 2015, while follow-up near-infrared observations in 2022 reveal an extremely red ( Ks − W2 ≈ 3.7 mag) active transient. Deep optical spectroscopy confirm strong CSM interaction signatures via intermediate-width Balmer emission lines and coronal metal lines. Modeling the broadband spectral energy distribution, we estimate the presence of ≳10 ^−2 M _⊙ of warm dust, likely formed in the cold dense shell. Together with the lack of nebular Fe emission, we suggest that WTP 19aalnxx is a missed, low (optical) luminosity SN in an emerging family of core-collapse SNe distinguished by their CSM-interaction-powered MIR emission that outshines the optical bands. Investigating the Zwicky Transient Facility sample of SNe with NEOWISE data, we find 16 core-collapse SNe (≳3% in a volume-limited sample) without early signs of CSM interaction that exhibit delayed IR brightening, suggestive of dense CSM shells at ≲10 ^17 cm. We suggest that synoptic IR surveys offer a new route to revealing late-time CSM interaction and the prevalence of intense terminal mass loss in massive stars.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad8922Core-collapse supernovaeSupernovaeMassive starsInfrared astronomyStellar mass loss
spellingShingle Charlotte Myers
Kishalay De
Lin Yan
Jacob E. Jencson
Nicholas Earley
Christoffer Fremling
Daichi Hiramatsu
Mansi M. Kasliwal
Ryan M. Lau
Morgan MacLeod
Megan Masterson
Christos Panagiotou
Robert Simcoe
Samaporn Tinyanont
WTP 19aalnxx: Discovery of a Bright Mid-infrared Transient in the Emerging Class of Low-luminosity Supernovae Revealed by Delayed Circumstellar Interaction
The Astrophysical Journal
Core-collapse supernovae
Supernovae
Massive stars
Infrared astronomy
Stellar mass loss
title WTP 19aalnxx: Discovery of a Bright Mid-infrared Transient in the Emerging Class of Low-luminosity Supernovae Revealed by Delayed Circumstellar Interaction
title_full WTP 19aalnxx: Discovery of a Bright Mid-infrared Transient in the Emerging Class of Low-luminosity Supernovae Revealed by Delayed Circumstellar Interaction
title_fullStr WTP 19aalnxx: Discovery of a Bright Mid-infrared Transient in the Emerging Class of Low-luminosity Supernovae Revealed by Delayed Circumstellar Interaction
title_full_unstemmed WTP 19aalnxx: Discovery of a Bright Mid-infrared Transient in the Emerging Class of Low-luminosity Supernovae Revealed by Delayed Circumstellar Interaction
title_short WTP 19aalnxx: Discovery of a Bright Mid-infrared Transient in the Emerging Class of Low-luminosity Supernovae Revealed by Delayed Circumstellar Interaction
title_sort wtp 19aalnxx discovery of a bright mid infrared transient in the emerging class of low luminosity supernovae revealed by delayed circumstellar interaction
topic Core-collapse supernovae
Supernovae
Massive stars
Infrared astronomy
Stellar mass loss
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad8922
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