HYDROGEN-POOR SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVAE AND LONG-DURATION GAMMA-RAY BURSTS HAVE SIMILAR HOST GALAXIES

We present optical spectroscopy and optical/near-IR photometry of 31 host galaxies of hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), including 15 events from the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey. Our sample spans the redshift range 0.1 [lap] z [lap] 1.6, and is the first comprehensive host galaxy stu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal 2014-06, Vol.787 (2), p.1-19
Main Authors: Lunnan, R, CHORNOCK, R, Berger, E, Laskar, T, Fong, W, Rest, A, Sanders, N E, Challis, P M, Drout, M R, Foley, R J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ABUNDANCE
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
BLACK HOLES
COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS
EMISSION
EXPLOSIONS
GALAXIES
Gamma ray bursts
HYDROGEN
LUMINOSITY
MASS
METALLICITY
NEAR INFRARED RADIATION
PHOTOMETRY
RED SHIFT
Samples
SPECTROSCOPY
Statistical methods
Stellar mass
SUPERNOVAE
VISIBLE RADIATION
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Summary:We present optical spectroscopy and optical/near-IR photometry of 31 host galaxies of hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), including 15 events from the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey. Our sample spans the redshift range 0.1 [lap] z [lap] 1.6, and is the first comprehensive host galaxy study of this specific subclass of cosmic explosions. Combining the multi-band photometry and emission-line measurements, we determine the luminosities, stellar masses, star formation rates, and metallicities. We find that, as a whole, the hosts of SLSNe are a low-luminosity ([left angle bracket]M sub(B)[right angle bracket]) approximately 17.3 mag), low stellar mass ([left angle bracket]M sub(*)[right angle bracket]) approximately 2 x 10 super(8) M sub([middot in circle])) population, with a high median specific star formation rate ((sSFR) approximately 2 Gyr super(-1)). The median metallicity of our spectroscopic sample is low, 12 + log(O/H) approximately 8.35 approximately 0.45 Z sub([middot in circle]), although at least one host galaxy has solar metallicity. The host galaxies of H-poor SLSNe are statistically distinct from the hosts of GOODS core-collapse SNe (which cover a similar redshift range), but resemble the host galaxies of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs) in terms of stellar mass, SFR, sSFR, and metallicity. This result indicates that the environmental causes leading to massive stars forming either SLSNe or LGRBs are similar, and in particular that SLSNe are more effectively formed in low metallicity environments. We speculate that the key ingredient is large core angular momentum, leading to a rapidly spinning magnetar in SLSNe and an accreting black hole in LGRBs.
ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1088/0004-637X/787/2/138