SN 1054: A pulsar-powered supernova?

Abstract

The famous ancient supernova SN 1054 could have been too bright to be explained in the "standard" radioactive-powered supernova scenario. As an alternative attempt, we demonstrate that the spin-down of the newly born Crab pulsar could provide a sufficient energy supply to make SN 1054 visible at daytime for 23 days and at night for 653 days, where a one-zone semi-analytical model is employed. Our results indicate that SN 1054 could be a "normal" cousin of magnetar-powered superluminous supernovae. Therefore, SN 1054-like supernovae could be a probe to uncover the properties of newly born neutron stars, which provide initial conditions for studies on neutron star evolutions.

A Statistical Study of Superluminous Supernovae Using the Magnetar Engine Model and Implications for Their Connection with Gamma-Ray Bursts and Hypernovae

“…Li et al 2015for SN 1054. This idea could be supported by the wide existences of engine-driven jets in the remnants of many ordianry corecollapse supernovae (Bear & Soker 2016a,b).…”

“…Finally, in view of the wide and significant influences of millisecond magnetars on the various unusual supernova phenomena, it can be enlightened that some ordinary supernova emission could also be partially powered or aided by a pulsar engine, even though the magnetic field of the pulsar is normal (e.g. Li et al 2015for SN 1054. This idea could be supported by the wide existences of engine-driven jets in the remnants of many ordianry corecollapse supernovae (Bear & Soker 2016a,b).…”