arXiv subjects

M. Della Valle

Publications and source records attributed to M. Della Valle.

194 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

arXiv2002

First optical identification of a suprsoft X-ray source in M31

We propose the first association of an optical counterpart with a luminous supersoft X-ray source in M31, RX J0044.0+4118, observed with ROSAT in July 1991. The PSPC position is at 1.6" angular distance from a candidate nova in outburst in September of 1990. This is interesting because the incidence of classical novae among supersoft X-ray sources is an open question. The proposed optical counterpart was measured at R~17.7 in September of 1990, and it had faded to R>19.2 when it was observed again after 70 days. The light curve was too sparsely monitored for definite conclusions on the speed class of the nova. No other variable objects with V<23.5 were found in the ROSAT spatial error box. We evaluate that the probability that a classical or recurrent nova was in outburst in the ROSAT error box in the few years preceding the observation is very small, so the proposed identification is meaningful. We also show evidence that the associated supersoft X-ray source turned off in the third year after the outburst.

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arXiv2002

Discovery of two infrared supernovae: a new window on the SN search

We report the discovery of two supernovae (SN 1999gw and SN 2001db) obtained within the framework of an infrared monitoring campaign of Luminous Infrared Galaxies, aimed at detecting obscured supernovae. SN 2001db, extinguished by Av~5.5 mag, is the first supernova discovered in the infrared which has received the spectroscopic confirmation. This result highlights the power of infrared monitoring in detecting obscured SNe and indicates that optical surveys are probably missing a significant fraction of SNe, especially in obscured systems such as starburst galaxies. The preliminary estimate of SN rate in LIRG galaxies is about an order of magnitude higher than that expected from optical surveys.

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arXiv2002

On Core Collapse Supernovae in Normal and in Seyfert Galaxies

This paper estimates the relative frequency of different types of core-collapse supernovae, in terms of the ratio f between the number of type Ib--Ic and of type II supernovae. We estimate f independently for all normal and Seyfert galaxies whose radial velocity is <=14000 km/s, and which had at least one supernova event recorded in the Asiago catalogue from January 1986 to August 2000. We find that the ratio f is approx. 0.23+/-0.05 in normal galaxies. This value is consistent with constant star formation rate and with a Salpeter Initial Mass Function and average binary rate approx. 50 %. On the contrary, Seyfert galaxies exceed the ratio f in normal galaxies by a factor approx. 4 at a confidence level >= 2 sigma. A caveat is that the numbers for Seyferts are still small (6 type Ib-Ic and 6 type II supernovae discovered as yet). Assumed real, this excess of type Ib and Ic with respect to type II supernovae, may indicate a burst of star formation of young age (<= 20 Myr), a high incidence of binary systems in the inner regions (r <= 0.4 R25) of Seyfert galaxies, or a top-loaded mass function.

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arXiv2001

The optical afterglow of GRB 000911: evidence for an associated supernova?

We present photometric and spectroscopic observations of the late afterglow of GRB 000911, starting ~1 day after the burst event and lasting ~8 weeks. We detect a moderately significant re-brightening in the R, I and J lightcurves, associated with a sizable reddening of the spectrum. This can be explained through the presence of an underlying supernova, outshining the afterglow ~30 days after the burst event. Alternative explanations are discussed.

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arXiv2000

The emission nebula associated with V1974 Cyg: a unique object?

Through a program of narrow band imaging, we have observed the changing structure of the H alpha emission line around Nova Cyg 1992 (V1974 Cyg) at regular intervals from 1996 to 1999. Between 1994 and 1996, the nebular boundary advanced to the southwest at nearly the speed of light, implying that the nebula was created by an expanding wave of radiation originating in the explosion interacting with surrounding material. The expansion speed dropped to 0.35c during 1996-1999. We have taken spectra of the nebula in 1998 and 1999. Only Balmer lines are detected, no He I, [OIII], [OII], [NII], or [SII]. There is also no trace of the high excitation nova lines (He II, NeV, etc). These spectra show that the nebula is NOT a reflection nebula, a conventional HII region, or a shock involving motions of the gas. The integrated H alpha luminosity of the nebula between 1996 and 1999 is in the range =~1.3-2.2 x 10(35) erg s(-1). The density is poorly determined, but is probably very large (10(4) cm(-3)) in order to explain the brightest region of the nebula. The dynamical timescale is about a year and the recombination timescale of the same order. Bright patches are observed to fade in these times. The energy required to ionize the nebula is the bolometric luminosity of the nova for 30 days, smaller than the time during which the temperature of the nova photosphere was in the right range to produce the ionizing photons. We have also undertaken sensitive surveys of H alpha nebulae around recent novae but find no evidence of other such nebulae, so this type of object must be rare.

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arXiv1999

Optical observations of the black hole candidate XTE J1550-564 during the Sep/Oct 1998 outburst

We report here optical observations during the September/October 1998 outburst of the black hole candidate XTE J1550-564. CCD photometry was obtained for the optical counterpart with the 0.9m Dutch telescope at La Silla since the onset of this event. We analysed 211 U, V and i frames, from Sep 10 to Oct 23. Stochastic flaring activity was observed on Sep 11-16, but no evidence for a superhump period, as seen in other soft X-ray transients, was found. An optical flare nearly simultaneous to an X-ray flare that occurred on Sep 21 was observed in the V-band. A reddened optical spectrum showed the typical emission lines corresponding to X-ray transients in outburst. From the interstellar absorption lines, we derive E(B-V) = 0.70 +/- 0.10 and suggest a distance of about 2.5 kpc. In such case, M_{B} = +7 mag. for the progenitor, which is consistent with the spectral type of a low-mass K0-K5 main-sequence companion.

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arXiv1999

SN 1988Z: Spectro-photometric catalogue and energy estimates

We present a spectro-photometric catalogue of the evolution of supernova 1988Z which combines new and published observations in the radio, optical and X-ray bands, with the aim of offering a comprehensive view of the evolution of this object and deriving the total energy radiated since discovery. The major contribution to the total radiated energy comes at optical to X-ray frequencies, with a total emission of at least $2 \times 10^{51}$ erg (for Ho=50 km/s) in 8.5 years. A model-dependent extrapolation of this value indicates that the total radiated energy may be as high as $10^{52}$ erg. The high value of the radiated energy supports a scenario in which most of the kinetic energy of the ejecta is thermalized and radiated in a short interaction with a dense circumstellar medium of nearly constant density. In this sense, 1988Z is not a supernova but a young and compact supernova remnant.

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arXiv1999

Nova Sagittarii 1994 #1 (V4332 Sagittarii): The Discovery and Evolution of an Unusual Luminous Red Variable Star

We report photometry and spectroscopy of the evolution of Nova Sagittarii 1994 #1 (V4332 Sagittarii) during outburst. We compare the photometric and spectral evolution of this outburst to known classes of outbursts -- including classical novae and outbursts occurring on symbiotic stars -- and find this object does NOT conform to any known class of outburst. The closest match to the behavior of this unusual object is M31 RV, an extremely luminous and red variable object discovered in the bulge of M31 in 1988. However, the temporal behavior and maximum luminosity of the two events differ by several orders of magnitude, requiring substantial intrinsic variation if these two events are members the same type of outburst. Our model of the spectroscopic evolution of this outburst shows that the effective temperature cooled from 4400 K to 2300 K over the three month span of our observations. In combination with line diagnostics in our later spectra, including [OI] lambda 5577 and the dramatic increase in the Halpha to Hbeta ratio, we infer the existence of a cool, dense (N_e ~ 10^{8-9} cm^{-3}) envelope that is optically thick in the Hydrogen Balmer recombination lines (case C). We suggest that a nuclear event in a single star, in which a slow shock drove the photosphere outwards, can power the observed luminosity evolution and the emission spectrum.

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arXiv1998

On the Evolution of the Cosmic Supernova Rates

Ongoing searches for supernovae (SNe) at cosmological distances have recently started to provide a link between SN Ia statistics and galaxy evolution. We use recent estimates of the global history of star formation to compute the theoretical Type Ia and Type II SN rates as a function of cosmic time from the present epoch to high redshifts. We show that accurate measurements of the frequency of SN events in the range 0<z<1 will be valuable probes of the nature of Type Ia progenitors and the evolution of the stellar birthrate in the universe. The Next Generation Space Telescope should detect of order 20 Type II SNe per 4'x 4' field per year in the interval 1<z<4.

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arXiv1997

Discovery of a Supernova Explosion at Half the Age of the Universe and its Cosmological Implications

The ultimate fate of the universe, infinite expansion or a big crunch, can be determined by measuring the redshifts, apparent brightnesses, and intrinsic luminosities of very distant supernovae. Recent developments have provided tools that make such a program practicable: (1) Studies of relatively nearby Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) have shown that their intrinsic luminosities can be accurately determined; (2) New research techniques have made it possible to schedule the discovery and follow-up observations of distant supernovae, producing well over 50 very distant (z = 0.3 -- 0.7) SNe Ia to date. These distant supernovae provide a record of changes in the expansion rate over the past several billion years. By making precise measurements of supernovae at still greater distances, and thus extending this expansion history back far enough in time, we can distinguish the slowing caused by the gravitational attraction of the universe's mass density Omega_M from the effect of a possibly inflationary pressure caused by a cosmological constant Lambda. We report here the first such measurements, with our discovery of a Type Ia supernova (SN 1997ap) at z = 0.83. Measurements at the Keck II 10-m telescope make this the most distant spectroscopically confirmed supernova. Over two months of photometry of SN 1997ap with the Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based telescopes, when combined with previous measurements of nearer SNe Ia, suggests that we may live in a low mass-density universe. Further supernovae at comparable distances are currently scheduled for ground and space-based observations.

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arXiv1997

Spectrophotometric follow-up of GU Mus, the (X-ray) Nova Muscae 1991

The spectrophotometric follow-up of the X-ray nova GU Mus (=GS 1124-68) is presented. We have analysed 128 B, V and R frames and 19 optical spectra, collected at ESO-La Silla, from the epoch of the discovery to January 1992. The optical lightcurve appears to be typical for a X-ray nova and exhibits secondary maxima in coincidence with the X-ray ones. The spectra show that Balmer and He II 4686 emission lines and the N III 4640 emission blend widen during the decline. A possible explanation of this behaviour is proposed and applied to the spectral evolution of other X-ray novae.

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arXiv1997

SNIa light curves and radioactive decay

The absolute V light curves of 5 SNe Ia, selected to represent the known range of absolute luminosities at maximum for this class of objects, are presented. Comparison of the long term luminosity evolution shows that the differences seen at maximum persist, and actually increase with time, einforcing the notion that intrinsic differences do exist among SNe Ia. Since such differences are not accounted for in the standard progenitor scenario, it becomes important to derive constraints for the models directly from the observations. In order to investigate the influence of the two most important parameters, that is the masses of the synthesized radioactive material and of the ejecta, a simple MC light curve model was used to simulate the luminosity evolution from the explosion to very late epochs (~1000 days). It was found that the observations require a range of a factor 10 in the masses of the radioactive material synthesized in the explosion (Mni= 0.1-1.1 Msun,) and a factor 2 in the total mass of the ejecta (Mej = 0.7-1.4 Msun). Differences of a factor 2 in Mni seem to be present even among `normal' SNe Ia. Some evidence was also found that the deposition of the positrons from Co decay varies from object to object, and with time. In particular, the latest HST observations of SN 1992A seem to imply complete trapping of the positrons.

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arXiv1997

Supernova 1994aj: a probe for pre-supernova evolution and mass loss from the progenitor

Extensive photometric and spectroscopic observations of SN1994aj until 540d after maximum light have been obtained. The photometry around maximum suggests that the SN belongs to the Type II Linear class, with a peak absolute magnitude of Mv ~ -17.8 (assuming Ho=75 km/s/Mpc). The spectra of SN1994aj were unusual with the presence of a narrow line with a P-Cygni profile on the top of the broad Balmer line emission. This narrow feature is attributed to the presence of a dense superwind surrounding the SN. At 100-120 days after maximum light the SN ejecta starts to interact with this CSM. The SN luminosity decline rates slowed down (gamma_R=0.46 mag/100d), becoming less steep than the average late luminosity decline of normal SNII (~1 mag/100d). This dense (Mdot/u_w ~ 10^15 g/cm) wind was confined to a short distance from the progenitor (R_out ~ 5x10^16 cm), and results from a very strong mass loss episode (Mdot = 10^-3 Msun/yr), which terminated shortly before explosion (~5-10 yr).

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arXiv1996

The properties of the peculiar Type Ia SN~1991bg. Analysis and discussion of two years of observations

Observations of the peculiar type Ia SN~1991bg in NGC~4374 collected at ESO--La Silla and Asiago are presented and discussed. The broad--band light curves in the early months have a narrower peak and a luminosity decline faster than other SNIa while the R and I light curves do not show the secondary peak. The SN is intrinsically very red (\bv$_{max}=0.74$) and faint ($B_{max}=-16.54$). The $uvoir$ bolometric light curve of SN~1991bg is fainter with a steeper decline than that of the normal SNIa (e.g. 1992A). This object enhances the correlation which exists between the peak luminosity of SNIa, the decline rate and the kinetic energy. Although a number of spectral peculiarities are present the spectral evolution retains a general resemblance to that of other SNIa until the latest available observation (day 203). This work suggests that the explosion energy was probably a factor 3 to 5 lower than in normal SNIa.

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