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Ca hnk: The Calcium-rich Transient Supernova 2016hnk from a Helium Shell Detonation of a Sub-Chandrasekhar White Dwarf

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  • Wynn V. Jacobson-Galán
  • Abigail Polin
  • Ryan J. Foley
  • Georgios Dimitriadis
  • Charles D. Kilpatrick
  • Raffaella Margutti
  • David A. Coulter
  • Saurabh W. Jha
  • David O. Jones
  • Robert P. Kirshner
  • Yen-Chen Pan
  • Anthony L. Piro
  • Armin Rest
  • César Rojas-Bravo
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Article number165
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>25/06/2020
<mark>Journal</mark>The Astrophysical Journal
Issue number2
Volume896
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

We present observations and modeling of SN 2016hnk, a Ca-rich supernova (SN) that is consistent with being the result of a He-shell double-detonation explosion of a C/O white dwarf. We find that SN 2016hnk is intrinsically red relative to typical thermonuclear SNe and has a relatively low peak luminosity ( M B = -15.4 mag), setting it apart from low-luminosity SNe Ia. SN 2016hnk has a fast-rising light curve that is consistent with other Ca-rich transients (t r = 15 days). We determine that SN 2016hnk produced 0.03 ± 0.01 M o˙ of 56Ni and 0.9 ± 0.3 M o˙ of ejecta. The photospheric spectra show strong, high-velocity Ca ii absorption and significant line blanketing at λ < 5000 Å, making it distinct from typical (SN 2005E-like) Ca-rich SNe. SN 2016hnk is remarkably similar to SN 2018byg, which was modeled as a He-shell double-detonation explosion. We demonstrate that the spectra and light curves of SN 2016hnk are well modeled by the detonation of a 0.02 M⊙ helium shell on the surface of a 0.85 M⊙ C/O white dwarf. This analysis highlights the second observed case of a He-shell double-detonation and suggests a specific thermonuclear explosion that is physically distinct from SNe that are defined simply by their low luminosities and strong [Ca ii] emission.