SN2014J gamma-rays from the 56Ni decay chain

TL;DR

This study detects gamma-ray lines from 56Co decay in SN2014J, revealing details about the supernova explosion, including asymmetry and 56Ni mass, using INTEGRAL's SPI spectrometer.

Contribution

First detection of 56Co gamma-ray lines from SN2014J with detailed spectral analysis, providing insights into explosion asymmetry and 56Ni distribution.

Findings

Detected 56Co gamma-ray lines at 847 and 1238 keV.

Measured 56Ni mass as approximately 0.49 solar masses.

Observed complex, irregular gamma-ray emission spectrum.

Abstract

The measurement of gamma-ray lines from the decay chain of 56Ni provides unique information about the explosion in supernovae. The 56Ni freshly-produced in the supernova powers the optical light curve, as it emits gamma-rays upon its radioactive decay to 56Co and then 56Fe. Gamma-ray lines from 56Co decay are expected to become directly visible through the overlying white dwarf material several weeks after the explosion, as they progressively penetrate the overlying material of the supernova envelope, diluted as it expands. The lines are expected to be Doppler-shifted or broadened from the kinematics of the 56Ni ejecta. With the SPI spectrometer on INTEGRAL and using an improved instrumental background method, we detect the two main lines from 56Co decay at 847 and 1238 keV from SN2014J at 3.3 Mpc, significantly Doppler-broadened, and at intensities (3.65+/-1.21) 10^-4 and (2.27+/-0.69) 10^-4 ph cm^-2s^-1, respectively, at brightness maximum. We measure their rise towards a maximum after about 60-100 days and decline thereafter. The intensity ratio of the two lines is found consistent with expectations from 56Co decay (0.62+/-0.28 at brightness maximum, expected is 0.68). We find that the broad lines seen in the late, gamma-ray transparent phase are not representative for the early gamma-ray emission, and rather notice the emission spectrum to be complex and irregular until the supernova is fully transparent to gamma-rays, with progressive uncovering of the bulk of 56Ni. We infer that the explosion morphology is not spherically symmetric, both in the distribution of 56Ni and of the unburnt material which occults the 56Co emission. Comparing light curves from different plausible models, the resulting 56Ni mass is determined as 0.49+/-0.09 M_sol.