Interacting transients probe mass loss in the final stages of stellar evolution; however, the geometry and timing of multi-episode mass loss remain poorly constrained. SN 2024abvb is a nearby interacting event with transitional Ibn/Icn spectroscopic properties and multi-epoch polarimetry, offering a rare opportunity to study structured circumstellar material (CSM). We aim to characterise the kinematics, composition and geometry of the CSM around SN 2024abvb and to identify plausible progenitor/ejection scenarios that can produce the observed spectro-polarimetric evolution. We present high-resolution (VLT/UVES and VLT/X-Shooter) optical/NIR spectroscopy across several epochs, complemented by broadband polarimetry and spectropolarimetry (VLT/FORS2 and NOT/ALFOSC). Line identifications, velocity decompositions and polarimetric time-series are used to trace multiple kinematic components and changes in scattering geometry. The high-resolution spectra reveal multiple narrow CSM components composed of He, C and O with absorption minima at ∼150−400 km s−1 and additional faster material up to ∼2000 \kms. Low-velocity Balmer absorptions are present, indicating distant H-rich material, a first in SNe Ibn/Icn. Polarimetry shows a marked evolution (P∼1% near peak, ≲0.5% after ∼1 week, rising to ∼1.5% at ∼20 d with ∼50∘ position-angle rotation and to ∼4% at ∼30 d, stronger in the blue), implying a time-variable, wavelength-dependent scattering/obscuration component. The combination of kinematics and polarimetric behaviour is consistent with multiple, concentric toroidal shells with differing orientations and partial dust content.
@article{arxiv.2602.00389,
title = {Nested, asymmetric H-He circumstellar shells in the Type Icn/Ibn SN 2024abvb},
author = {The INTEL Collaboration and J. P. Anderson and C. Aster and M. Bulla and T. -W. Chen and M. Fraser and L. Galbany and C. P. Gutiérrez and C. Inserra and T. Killestein and G. Leloudas and J. D. Lyman and K. Maeda and K. Maguire and E. Mason and T. Moriya and A. Pastorello and S. Taubenberger and M. Pursiainen and H. Wichern},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2602.00389},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
Accepted on 07/04/2026 - 16 pages, 14 figures, 6 pages in appendix