Superluminous supernova

NASA artist's impression of the explosion of SN 2006gy, a superluminous supernova

A super-luminous supernova (SLSN, plural super luminous supernovae or SLSNe) is a type of stellar explosion with a luminosity 10 or more times higher than that of standard supernovae.[1] Like supernovae, SLSNe seem to be produced by several mechanisms, which is readily revealed by their light-curves and spectra. There are multiple models for what conditions may produce an SLSN, including core collapse in particularly massive stars, millisecond magnetars, interaction with circumstellar material (CSM model), or pair-instability supernovae.

The first confirmed superluminous supernova connected to a gamma ray burst was not found until 2003, when GRB 030329 illuminated the Leo constellation.[2] SN 2003dh represented the death of a star 25 times more massive than the Sun, with material being blasted out at over a tenth the speed of light.[3]

Stars with M ≥ 40 M☉ are likely to produce superluminous supernovae.[4]

  1. ^ MacFadyen, A. I.; Woosley, S. E.; Heger, A. (2001). "Supernovae, Jets, and Collapsars". The Astrophysical Journal. 550 (1): 410–425. arXiv:astro-ph/9910034. Bibcode:2001ApJ...550..410M. doi:10.1086/319698. ISSN 0004-637X. S2CID 1673646.
  2. ^ Dado, Shlomo; Dar, Arnon; De Rjula, A. (2003). "The Supernova Associated with GRB 030329". The Astrophysical Journal. 594 (2): L89–L92. arXiv:astro-ph/0304106. Bibcode:2003ApJ...594L..89D. doi:10.1086/378624. ISSN 0004-637X. S2CID 10668797.
  3. ^ Krehl, Peter O. K. (2009). History of shock waves, explosions and impact: a chronological and biographical reference. Berlin: Springer. Bibcode:2009hswe.book.....K. ISBN 978-3-540-30421-0.
  4. ^ Heger, A.; Fryer, C. L.; Woosley, S. E.; Langer, N.; Hartmann, D. H. (2003). "How Massive Single Stars End Their Life". The Astrophysical Journal. 591 (1): 288–300. arXiv:astro-ph/0212469. Bibcode:2003ApJ...591..288H. doi:10.1086/375341. ISSN 0004-637X. S2CID 59065632.