Related papers: Bi-polar Supernova Explosions
We observed seven epochs of spectropolarimetry in optical wavelengths for the Type IIb SN 2011hs, ranging from -3 to +40 days with respect to V -band maximum. A high degree of interstellar polarization was detected (up to ~3 percent), with…
We present spectropolarimetric observations of the Type IIb SN 2001ig in NGC 7424; conducted with the ESO VLT FORS1 on 2001 Dec 16, 2002 Jan 3 and 2002 Aug 16 or 13, 31 and 256 days post-explosion. These observations are at three different…
Type IIP supernovae (SNe IIP) are the most common class of core-collapse SNe. They often show rapid increase of polarization degree in the late phase. This time evolution is generally believed to originate from the emergence of an inner…
We present the results based on photometric ($Swift$ UVOT), broad-band polarimetric ($V$ and $R$-band) and optical spectroscopic observations of the Type IIn supernova (SN) 2017hcc. Our study is supplemented with spectropolarimetric data…
Spectropolarimetry of the Type Ib SN 2008D, associated with the XRF 080109, at two separate epochs, are presented. The epochs of these observations correspond to V-band light curve maximum and 15 days after light curve maximum (or 21 and 36…
Recent observations of core-collapse supernovae (SNe) suggest aspherical explosions. Globally aspherical structures in SN explosions are regarded as the key for understanding their explosion mechanism. However, the exact explosion…
We present optical spectropolarimetry obtained at the Keck-II 10-m telescope on 1998 March 7 UT along with total flux spectra spanning the first 494 days after discovery (1998 March 2 UT) of the peculiar type IIn supernova (SN) 1998S. The…
We present multi-epoch spectral and spectropolarimetric observations of the Type IIn supernova (SN) 1997eg that indicate the presence of a flattened disk-like concentration of circumstellar material surrounding nonspherical ejecta, with…
We discuss the properties of the hyper-energetic Type Ic supernovae (SNe Ic) 1998bw and 1997ef and Type IIn supernova (SN IIn) 1997cy. SNe Ic 1998bw and 1997ef are characterized by their large luminosity and the very broad spectral…
The early-time optical spectrum of the Type Ic supernova (SN) 2002ap was characterized by unusually broad features, leading some authors to designate it a "hypernova." We present optical spectropolarimetry of this object 16 and 37 days…
High-quality spectropolarimetric data of SN 2002ap were obtained with the ESO Very Large Telescope Melipal (+ FORS1) at 3 epochs that correspond to -6, -2, and +1 days for a V maximum of 9 Feb 2002. The polarization spectra show three…
The polarization of core-collapse supernovae shows that many if not all of these explosions must be strongly bi-polar. The most obvious way to produce this axial symmetry is by the imposition of a jet as an intrinsic part of the explosion…
We present a single epoch of high signal-to-noise ratio spectropolarimetry of the Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) 2004S taken nine days after maximum light. The flux spectrum is normal, but with the additional presence of high-velocity (HV) line…
Spectropolarimetry of core collapse supernovae has shown that they are asymmetric and often, but not universally, bi-polar. The Type IIb SN1993J and similar events showed large scatter in the Stokes parameter plane. Observational programs…
We present polarization spectra near maximum light for the strongly subluminous Type Ia supernova 1999by that show that the supernova is intrinsically polarized. SN 1999by has an observed, overall level of polarization of ~0.3 to 0.8%, a…
We briefly review the young field of spectropolarimetry of core-collapse supernovae (SNe). Spectropolarimetry provides the only direct known probe of early-time supernova (SN) geometry. The fundamental result is that asphericity is a…
We have used images and spectra of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to examine the host galaxies of 519 nearby supernovae. The colors at the sites of the explosions, as well as chemical abundances, and specific star formation rates of the host…
Polarization has been detected at early times for all types of supernova, indicating that such systems result from or quickly develop some form of asymmetry. In addition, the detection of strong line polarization in supernovae is suggestive…
I briefly describe the Lick Observatory Supernova Search with the 0.76-m Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope. I then present an overview of optical observations of Type II, IIb, Ib, and Ic supernovae (SNe), all of which are thought to arise…
The Type Ic supernovae are probably "nearly-nude" core collapse events. They are thus of special interest in terms of their evolutionary origin, but also as the source of potential clues to the explosion process that may not be obtained…