An asymmetric energetic type Ic supernova viewed off-axis, and a link to gamma ray bursts.
Type Ic supernovae, the explosions after the core collapse of massive stars that have previously lost their hydrogen and helium envelopes, are particularly interesting because of their link with long-duration gamma ray bursts. Although indications exist that these explosions are aspherical, direct evidence has been missing. Late-time observations of supernova SN 2003jd, a luminous type Ic supernova, provide such evidence. Recent Subaru and Keck spectra reveal double-peaked profiles in the nebular lines of neutral oxygen and magnesium. These profiles are different from those of known type Ic supernovae, with or without a gamma ray burst, and they can be understood if SN 2003jd was an aspherical axisymmetric explosion viewed from near the equatorial plane. If SN 2003jd was associated with a gamma ray burst, we missed the burst because it was pointing away from us.
Mazzali
Paolo A
PA
Department of Astronomy, School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. mazzali@ts.astro.it
Kawabata
Koji S
KS
Maeda
Keiichi
K
Nomoto
Ken'ichi
K
Filippenko
Alexei V
AV
Ramirez-Ruiz
Enrico
E
Benetti
Stefano
S
Pian
Elena
E
Deng
Jinsong
J
Tominaga
Nozomu
N
Ohyama
Youichi
Y
Iye
Masanori
M
Foley
Ryan J
RJ
Matheson
Thomas
T
Wang
Lifan
L
Gal-Yam
Avishay
A