Light Curve Properties of Supernovae Associated With Gamma-ray Bursts

Abstract

Context.Little is known about the diversity in the light curves of supernovae (SNe) associated with gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), including whether the light curve of SN 1998bw can be used as a representative template or whether there is a luminosity-decline rate relation akin to that of SNe Ia. Aims. In this paper, we aim to obtain well-constrained light curves of GRB-SNe without the assumption of empirical or parametric templates and to investigate whether the peak brightness correlates with other parameters such as the light curve shape or the time of peak. Methods. We select eight SNe in the redshift range 0.0085 to 0.606, which are firmly associated with GRBs. The light curves of these GRB-SNe are well sampled across the peak. Afterglow and host galaxy contributions are subtracted and dust reddening is corrected for. Low-order polynomial functions are fitted to the light curves. A K-correction is applied to transform the light curves into the rest frame V band. Results. GRB-SNe have fairly uniform peak luminosities, similar to SNe Ia. Moreover, GRB-SNe follow a luminosity-decline rate relation similar to the Phillips relation for SNe Ia. The relation between the peak magnitude M V,peak and the decline rate ∆m V,15 in V band is M V,peak = 1.59 +0.28 −0.24 ∆m V,15 − 20.61 +0.19 −0.22 mag, with χ 2 = 5.2 for 6 degrees of freedom. This luminosity-decline rate relation is tighter than the k − s relation, where k and s are the factors describing the relative brightness and width to the light curve of SN 1998bw. The peak luminosities of GRB-SNe are also weakly correlated with the time of peak: the brighter the GRB-SN, the longer the rise time. Conclusions. The light curve of SN 1998bw, stretched around the time of explosion, can be used as a template for GRB-SNe with reasonable confidence, but stretching around the peak produces better results. GRB-SNe exhibit a luminosity-decline rate relation, similar to SNe Ia, both in normalization and slope. The existence of such a relation provides a new constraint on GRB explosion models. Considering the usefulness of SNe Ia in measuring cosmological distances, it is possible that GRB-SNe can be used as standardizable candles to measure cosmological distances and constrain cosmological parameters.

Gamma-Ray Burst Supernovae as Standardizable Candles

“…With this caveat in mind, the analysis of Li & Hjorth (2014) can be considered to be less model dependent in this respect, though it should be considered that their analysis still relies on using the SED of SN 1998bw as a template when calculating the K-correction of those events in their sample where their constructed SED is incomplete.…”

“…An additional analysis by Lyman et al (2014) also hinted at a correlation between the peak absolute magnitude and ∆m 15 of several nearby GRB-SNe and SN 2009bb. Excitingly, a very recent paper by Li & Hjorth (2014) have presented a luminosity-decline correlation between the K-corrected 1 , V -band, peak absolute magnitude and decay rates from peak of eight GRB-SNe. Reassuringly, their results fully support those presented in this paper.…”

A self-consistent analytical magnetar model: the luminosity of γ-ray burst supernovae is powered by radioactivity

“…Finally, further investigations are needed to determine if ULGRB-SNe are standardizable candles in the same manner as GRB-SNe (Cano 2014) and SLSNe (Inserra & Smartt 2014), and either follow the luminosity-decline relationship seen for GRB-SNe (Cano & Jakobsson 2014;Li & Hjorth 2014), or perhaps follow their own luminosity-decline relationship. This latter hypothesis can only be verified with the detection of future ULGRB-SNe.…”

The luminous host galaxy, faint supernova and rapid afterglow rebrightening of GRB 100418A

“…For example, Richardson (2009) found, for a sample of 14 GRB-SNe, an average peak V-band magnitude of MV = −19.0 mag with a standard deviation of 0.8 mag. Moreover, referring to the sample of GRB-SNe by Li & Hjorth (2014), the faintest GRB-SNe to date were SN 2010bh (M V = −18.89 mag) and SN 2006aj (M V = −18.85 mag). As such, the SN associated with GRB 100418A is amongst the faintest, if not the faintest, GRB-SN yet detected.…”

“…Using data fromRichardson (2009),Li & Hjorth (2014),Cano et al (2014),Cano et al (2015),Olivares E. et al (2015),Becerra et al (2017),Cano et al (2017a),Cano et al (2017b),Kann et al (…”