PS1-10bzj: A Fast, Hydrogen-Poor Superluminous Supernova in a Metal Poor Host Galaxy
astro-ph.HE
/ Authors
R. Lunnan, R. Chornock, E. Berger, D. Milisavljevic, M. Drout, N. E. Sanders, P. M. Challis, I. Czekala, R. J. Foley, W. Fong
and 19 more authors
M. E. Huber, R. P. Kirshner, C. Leibler, G. H. Marion, M. McCrum, G. Narayan, A. Rest, K. C. Roth, D. Scolnic, S. J. Smartt, K. Smith, A. M. Soderberg, C. W. Stubbs, J. L. Tonry, W. S. Burgett, K. C. Chambers, R. -P. Kudritzki, E. A. Magnier, P. A. Price
/ Abstract
We present observations and analysis of PS1-10bzj, a superluminous supernova (SLSN) discovered in the Pan-STARRS Medium Deep Survey at a redshift z = 0.650. Spectroscopically, PS1-10bzj is similar to the hydrogen-poor SLSNe 2005ap and SCP 06F6, though with a steeper rise and lower peak luminosity (M_bol = -21.4 mag) than previous events. We construct a bolometric light curve, and show that while PS1-10bzj's energetics were less extreme than previous events, its luminosity still cannot be explained by radioactive nickel decay alone. We explore both a magnetar spin-down and circumstellar interaction scenario and find that either can fit the data. PS1-10bzj is located in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South and the host galaxy is imaged in a number of surveys, including with the Hubble Space Telescope. The host is a compact dwarf galaxy (M_B ~ -18 mag, diameter < 800 pc), with a low stellar mass (M_* ~ 2.4 * 10^7 M_sun), young stellar population (τ_* ~ 5 Myr), and a star formation rate of ~ 2-3 M_sun/yr. The specific star formation rate is the highest seen in a SLSN host so far (~ 100 Gyr^{-1}). We detect the [O III]λ4363 line, and find a low metallicity: 12+(O/H) = 7.8 +/- 0.2 (~ 0.1 Z_sun). Together, this indicates that at least some of the progenitors of SLSNe come from young, low-metallicity populations.