Luminous radio emission from the superluminous supernova 2017ens at 3.3 yr after explosion

Raffaella Margutti, J. S. Bright, D. J. Matthews, D. L. Coppejans, K. D. Alexander, E. Berger, M. Bietenholz, R. Chornock, L. DeMarchi, M. R. Drout, T. Eftekhari, W. V. Jacobson-Galán, T. Laskar, D. Milisavljevic, K. Murase, M. Nicholl, C. M. B. Omand, M. Stroh, G. Terreran, B. A. VanderLey

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Abstract

We present the results from a multiyear radio campaign of the superluminous supernova (SLSN) SN 2017ens,
which yielded the earliest radio detection of an SLSN to date at the age of ∼3.3 yr after explosion. SN 2017ens was
not detected at radio frequencies in the first ∼300 days but reached Lν ≈ 1028 erg s−1 cm−2 Hz−1 at ν ∼ 6 GHz,
∼1250 days post explosion. Interpreting the radio observations in the context of synchrotron radiation from the
supernova shock interaction with the circumstellar medium (CSM), we infer an effective mass-loss rate
M M  10 yr 4 1 » ☉ - - at r ∼ 1017 cm from the explosion’s site, for a wind speed of vw = 50–60 km s−1 as measured
from optical spectra. These findings are consistent with the spectroscopic metamorphosis of SN 2017ens from
hydrogen poor to hydrogen rich ∼190 days after explosion reported by Chen et al. SN 2017ens is thus an addition
to the sample of hydrogen-poor massive progenitors that explode shortly after having lost their hydrogen envelope.
The inferred circumstellar densities, implying a CSM mass up to ∼0.5 M☉, and low velocity of the ejection suggest
that binary interactions (in the form of common-envelope evolution and subsequent envelope ejection) play a role
in shaping the evolution of the stellar progenitors of SLSNe in the 500 yr preceding core collapse.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberL45
Number of pages7
JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume954
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Sept 2023

Keywords

  • Core-collapse supernovae
  • Extragalactic radio sources
  • 304
  • 508
  • Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
  • Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

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