- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/828/3
- Title:
- Swift obs. of the superluminous SNI ASASSN-15lh
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/828/3
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present and discuss ultraviolet and optical photometry from the Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope, X-ray limits from the X-Ray Telescope on Swift, and imaging polarimetry and ultraviolet/optical spectroscopy with the Hubble Space Telescope, all from observations of ASASSN-15lh. It has been classified as a hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova (SLSN I), making it more luminous than any other supernova observed. ASASSN-15lh is not detected in the X-rays in individual or co-added observations. From the polarimetry we determine that the explosion was only mildly asymmetric. We find the flux of ASASSN-15lh to increase strongly into the ultraviolet, with an ultraviolet luminosity 100 times greater than the hydrogen-rich, ultraviolet-bright SLSN II SN 2008es. We find that objects as bright as ASASSN-15lh are easily detectable beyond redshifts of ~4 with the single-visit depths planned for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. Deep near-infrared surveys could detect such objects past a redshift of ~20, enabling a probe of the earliest star formation. A late rebrightening-most prominent at shorter wavelengths-is seen about two months after the peak brightness, which is itself as bright as an SLSN. The ultraviolet spectra during the rebrightening are dominated by the continuum without the broad absorption or emission lines seen in SLSNe or tidal disruption events (TDEs) and the early optical spectra of ASASSN-15lh. Our spectra show no strong hydrogen emission, showing only Ly{alpha} absorption near the redshift previously found by optical absorption lines of the presumed host. The properties of ASASSN-15lh are extreme when compared to either SLSNe or TDEs.
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Search Results
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/870/123
- Title:
- Swift optical & UV flux of four AGNs
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/870/123
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Swift intensive accretion disk reverberation mapping of four AGN yielded light curves sampled ~200-350 times in 0.3-10keV X-ray and six UV/optical bands. Uniform reduction and cross-correlation analysis of these data sets yields three main results: (1) The X-ray/UV correlations are much weaker than those within the UV/optical, posing severe problems for the lamp-post reprocessing model in which variations in a central X-ray corona drive and power those in the surrounding accretion disk. (2) The UV/optical interband lags are generally consistent with {tau}{propto}{lambda}^4/3^ as predicted by the centrally illuminated thin accretion disk model. While the average interband lags are somewhat larger than predicted, these results alone are not inconsistent with the thin disk model given the large systematic uncertainties involved. (3) The one exception is the U band lags, which are on average a factor of ~2.2 larger than predicted from the surrounding band data and fits. This excess appears to be due to diffuse continuum emission from the broad-line region (BLR). The precise mixing of disk and BLR components cannot be determined from these data alone. The lags in different AGN appear to scale with mass or luminosity. We also find that there are systematic differences between the uncertainties derived by Just Another Vehicle for Estimating Lags In Nuclei (JAVELIN) versus more standard lag measurement techniques, with JAVELIN reporting smaller uncertainties by a factor of 2.5 on average. In order to be conservative only standard techniques were used in the analyses reported herein.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/836/25
- Title:
- Swift UVOT light curves of ASASSN-15lh
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/836/25
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present the detection of persistent soft X-ray radiation with L_x_~10^41^-10^42^erg/s at the location of the extremely luminous, double-humped transient ASASSN-15lh as revealed by Chandra and Swift. We interpret this finding in the context of observations from our multiwavelength campaign, which revealed the presence of weak narrow nebular emission features from the host-galaxy nucleus and clear differences with respect to superluminous supernova optical spectra. Significant UV flux variability on short timescales detected at the time of the rebrightening disfavors the shock interaction scenario as the source of energy powering the long-lived UV emission, while deep radio limits exclude the presence of relativistic jets propagating into a low-density environment. We propose a model where the extreme luminosity and double-peaked temporal structure of ASASSN-15lh is powered by a central source of ionizing radiation that produces a sudden change in the ejecta opacity at later times. As a result, UV radiation can more easily escape, producing the second bump in the light curve. We discuss different interpretations for the intrinsic nature of the ionizing source. We conclude that, if the X-ray source is physically associated with the optical-UV transient, then ASASSN-15lh most likely represents the tidal disruption of a main-sequence star by the most massive spinning black hole detected to date. In this case, ASASSN-15lh and similar events discovered in the future would constitute the most direct probes of very massive, dormant, spinning, supermassive black holes in galaxies. Future monitoring of the X-rays may allow us to distinguish between the supernova hypothesis and the hypothesis of a tidal disruption event.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/836/232
- Title:
- Swift-UVOT obs. analysis of 29 SNe Ia
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/836/232
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The intrinsic colors of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are important to understanding their use as cosmological standard candles. Understanding the effects of reddening and redshift on the observed colors are complicated and dependent on the intrinsic spectrum, the filter curves, and the wavelength dependence of reddening. We present ultraviolet and optical data of a growing sample of SNe Ia observed with the Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope on the Swift spacecraft and use this sample to re-examine the near-UV (NUV) colors of SNe Ia. We find that a small amount of reddening (E(B-V)=0.2mag) could account for the difference between groups designated as NUV-blue and NUV-red, and a moderate amount of reddening (E(B-V)=0.5mag) could account for the whole NUV-optical differences. The reddening scenario, however, is inconsistent with the mid-UV colors and color evolution. The effect of redshift alone only accounts for part of the variation. Using a spectral template of SN2011fe, we can forward model the effects of redshift and reddening and directly compare those with the observed colors. We find that some SNe are consistent with reddened versions of SN2011fe, but most SNe Ia are much redder in the uvw1-v color than SN2011fe reddened to the same b-v color. The absolute magnitudes show that two out of five NUV-blue SNe Ia are blue because their near-UV luminosity is high, and the other three are optically fainter. We also show that SN 2011fe is not a "normal" SN Ia in the UV, but has colors placing it at the blue extreme of our sample.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/897/18
- Title:
- Swift UVOT observation of the radio quasar 3C 273
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/897/18
- Date:
- 16 Mar 2022 00:38:40
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- 3C273 is an intensively monitored flat-spectrum radio quasar with both a beamed jet and blue bump together with broad emission lines. The coexistence of the comparably prominent jet and accretion disk leads to complicated variability properties. Recent reverberation mapping monitoring for 3C273 revealed that the optical continuum shows a distinct long-term trend that does not have a corresponding echo in the H{beta} fluxes. We compile multiwavelength monitoring data from the Swift archive and other ground-based programs and clearly find two components of emissions at optical wavelength. One component stems from the accretion disk itself, and the other component can be ascribed to the jet contribution, which also naturally accounts for the nonechoed trend in reverberation mapping data. We develop an approach to decouple the optical emissions from the jet and accretion disk in 3C273 with the aid of multiwavelength monitoring data. By assuming that the disk emission has a negligible polarization in consideration of the low inclination of the jet, the results show that the jet contributes a fraction of ~10% at the minimum and up to ~40% at the maximum to the total optical emissions. This is the first time to provide a physical interpretation of the "detrending" manipulation conventionally adopted in reverberation mapping analysis. Our work also illustrates the importance of appropriately analyzing variability properties in cases of coexisting jets and accretion disks.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/749/18
- Title:
- Swift/UVOT observations of 12 nearby SN-Ia
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/749/18
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We compare early ultraviolet (UV) observations of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) with theoretical predictions for the brightness of the shock associated with the collision between SN ejecta and a companion star. Our simple method is independent of the intrinsic flux from the SN and treats the flux observed with the Swift/Ultra-Violet Optical Telescope as conservative upper limits on the shock brightness. Comparing this limit with the predicted flux for various shock models, we constrain the geometry of the SN progenitor-companion system. We find the model of a 1 M_{sun}_ red supergiant companion in Roche-lobe overflow to be excluded at a 95% confidence level for most individual SNe for all but the most unfavorable viewing angles. For the sample of 12 SNe taken together, the upper limits on the viewing angle are inconsistent with the expected distribution of viewing angles for red gaint stars as the majority of companions with high confidence. The separation distance constraints do allow main-sequence companions. A better understanding of the UV flux arising from the SN itself as well as continued UV observations of young SNe Ia will further constrain the possible progenitors of SNe Ia.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/753/22
- Title:
- Swift/UVOT observations of SN 2011fe
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/753/22
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present the earliest ultraviolet (UV) observations of the bright Type Ia supernova SN 2011fe/PTF11kly in the nearby galaxy M101 at a distance of only 6.4 Mpc. It was discovered shortly after explosion by the Palomar Transient Factory and first observed by Swift/UVOT about a day after explosion. The early UV light is well defined, with ~20 data points per filter in the five days after explosion. These early and well-sampled UV observations form new template light curves for comparison with observations of other SNe Ia at low and high redshift. We report fits from semiempirical models of the explosion and find the time evolution of the early UV flux to be well fitted by the superposition of two parabolic curves. Finally, we use the early UV flux measurements to examine a possible shock interaction with a non-degenerate companion. From models predicting the measurable shock emission, we find that even a solar mass companion at a distance of a few solar radii is unlikely at more than 95% confidence.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/702/226
- Title:
- Swift/UVOT panchromatic observations of SN 2008D
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/702/226
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present extensive early photometric (ultraviolet through near-infrared) and spectroscopic (optical and near-infrared) data on supernova (SN) 2008D as well as X-ray data analysis on the associated Swift X-ray transient (XRT) 080109. Our data span a time range of 5hr before the detection of the X-ray transient to 150 days after its detection, and a detailed analysis allowed us to derive constraints on the nature of the SN and its progenitor; throughout we draw comparisons with results presented in the literature and find several key aspects that differ. Our data first established that SN 2008D is a spectroscopically normal SN Ib (i.e., showing conspicuous He lines) and showed that SN 2008D had a relatively long rise time of 18 days and a modest optical peak luminosity. The early-time light curves of the SN are dominated by a cooling stellar envelope (for {Delta}t~0.1-4days, most pronounced in the blue bands) followed by ^56^Ni decay.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/II/339
- Title:
- Swift/UVOT Serendipitous Source Catalog
- Short Name:
- II/339
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The first version of the Swift UVOT serendipitous source catalogue (UVOTSSC) provides positions and magnitudes, as well as errors and upper limits of confirmed sources for observations taken from start of operations in 2005 until October 1st of 2010. The first version of the Swift UVOT Serendipitous Source Catalogue (UVOTSSC) has been produced by processing the image data obtained from the Swift Ultraviolet and Optical Telescope (UVOT) from the beginning of the mission (2005) until 1st of October of 2010. The data processing was performed at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL, University College London, U.K.) using Swift FTOOLS from NASA's High Energy Astrophysics Software (HEASoft-6.11), with some customising of the UVOT packages in order to get more complete source detection and properly apply quality flags to those sources that were detected within the UVOT image artefacts. The total number of observations with 17'x17' images used for version 1 of the catalogue is 23,059, giving 6,200,016 sources in total, of which 2,027,265 have multiple entries in the source table because they have been detected in more than one observation. Some sources were only observed in one filter. The total number of entries in the source table is 13,860,568. The S/N ratio for all sources exceeds 5 for at least one UVOT filter, the rest of the filters having a S/N greater than 3.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/MNRAS/424/1636
- Title:
- Swift/UVOT sources in NGC4321 (M100)
- Short Name:
- J/MNRAS/424/1636
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We study the star-forming regions in the spiral galaxy NGC 4321 (M100). We take advantage of the spatial resolution (2.5-arcsec full width at half-maximum) of the Swift/Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope camera and the availability of three ultraviolet (UV) passbands in the region 1600<{lambda}<3000{AA}, in combination with optical and infrared (IR) imaging from Sloan Digital Sky Survey, KPNO/H{alpha} and Spitzer/IRAC, to obtain a catalogue of 787 star-forming regions out to three disc scalelengths. We use a large volume of star formation histories, combined with stellar population synthesis, to determine the properties of the young stellar component and its relationship with the spiral arms.
