Rare superluminous supernova found: Researchers

According to a recent study report, researchers have found a rare SuperLuminous Supernova (SLSNe). The study led by Amit Kumar, a PhD student working under Dr SB Pandey, has spotted the extremely bright, hydrogen deficient, fast-evolving supernova shining with the energy borrowed from an exotic type of neutron star with an ultra-powerful magnetic field.

The Indian union ministry of science and technology on Saturday said studying such ancient spatial objects could help probe the mysteries of the early Universe.

Citing the ministry, report says that such SLSNes are very rare because they generally originate from very massive stars with minimum mass limits more than 25 times that of the Sun and the number distribution of such massive stars in our galaxy or in nearby galaxies is sparse.

Using the country’s recently commissioned Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT-3.6m) along with two other Indian telescopes, Sampurnanand Telescope-1.04m and Himalayan Chandra Telescope-2.0m, the researchers discovered the onion-structured Supernovae, whose outer layers had been peeled off, and the core was shining with a borrowed energy source.

According to the report, the study also established the role of 3.6. DOT in exploring very rare distant SLSNe in the future. Astronomers say in-depth investigations of the phenomenon could explore the underlying physical mechanisms, possible progenitors, and environments hosting such rare explosions and their possible associations with other energetic explosions like Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs).

The ministry further states that the SLSNe-I has been counted to about 150 entities spectroscopically confirmed so far. These ancient objects are among the least understood SNe because their underlying sources are unclear and their extremely high peak luminosity is unexplained using the conventional SN power-source model involving Ni56 – Co56 – Fe56 decay.

The study has suggested that a possibly powering source from an exotic type of neutron star with an ultra-powerful magnetic field (magnetar) with a total ejected mass of ~ 3.6 一 7.2 times the mass of the sun.

SN 2020ank, which was first discovered by the Zwicky Transient Facility on 19 January last year, was studied by scientists from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) Nainital, an autonomous research institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) from February 2020 and then through lockdown phase of March and April, the ministry’s statement reads.

The ministry also added that the apparent look of the SN was very similar to other objects in the field. However, the estimation of brightness showed it as a very blue object reflecting its brighter character.

The study report has been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The study also established the role of 3.6. DOT in exploring very rate distant SLSNe in the future. In-depth investigations of the phenomenon could explore the underlying physical mechanisms, possible progenitors, and environments hosting such rare explosions and their possible associations with other energetic explosions like Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs).

The apparent look of the SN was very similar to other objects in the field. However, the estimation of brightness showed it as a very blue object reflecting its brighter character, the ministry added.