Pushing the Boundaries of Conventional Core-Collapse Supernovae: The Extremely Energetic Supernova SN 2003ma

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of SN 2003ma, an extremely energetic Type IIn supernova with unprecedented luminosity and energy output, challenging conventional core-collapse explosion limits.

Contribution

It presents the most luminous and energetic Type IIn supernova observed to date, with detailed spectral and light curve analysis indicating a highly energetic explosion exceeding 10^52 ergs.

Findings

SN 2003ma has the highest apparent energy output recorded.

The supernova's luminosity and energy approach the limits of conventional core-collapse models.

Spectral features indicate interaction with dense circumstellar material.

Abstract

We report the discovery of a supernova (SN) with the highest apparent energy output to date and conclude that it represents an extreme example of the Type IIn subclass. The SN, which was discovered behind the Large Magellanic Cloud at z = 0.289 by the SuperMACHO microlensing survey, peaked at M_R = -21.5 mag and only declined by 2.9 mag over 4.7 years after the peak. Over this period, SN 2003ma had an integrated bolometric luminosity of 4 x 10^51 ergs, more than any other SN to date. The radiated energy is close to the limit allowed by conventional core-collapse explosions. Optical spectra reveal that SN 2003ma has persistent single-peaked intermediate-width hydrogen lines, a signature of interaction between the SN and a dense circumstellar medium. The light curves show further evidence for circumstellar interaction, including a long plateau with a shape very similar to the classic SN IIn 1988Z -- however, SN 2003ma is ten times more luminous at all epochs. The fast velocity measured for the intermediate-width H_alpha component (~6000 km/s) points towards an extremely energetic explosion (> 10^52 ergs), which imparts a faster blast-wave speed to the post-shock material and a higher luminosity from the interaction than is observed in typical SNe IIn. Mid-infrared observations of SN 2003ma suggest an infrared light echo is produced by normal interstellar dust at a distance ~0.5 pc from the SN.