Circumstellar Interaction Models for the Bolometric Light Curve of SN 2017egm

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the bolometric light curve of superluminous supernova SN 2017egm, finding that circumstellar interaction models best explain its sharp peak, unlike magnetar or radioactive decay models.

Contribution

It demonstrates that circumstellar interaction models with a constant-density shell effectively fit the unique light curve of SN 2017egm, challenging previous magnetar and radioactive decay explanations.

Findings

Circumstellar interaction models fit the sharp peak of SN 2017egm's light curve.

Magnetar and radioactive decay models fail to reproduce the peak.

Future observations can distinguish between CSI and magnetar models.

Abstract

We explore simple semi-analytic fits to the bolometric light curve of Gaia17biu/SN 2017egm, the most nearby hydrogen-deficient superluminous supernova (SLSN I) yet discovered. SN 2017egm has a quasi-bolometric light curve that is uncharacteristic of other SLSN I by having a nearly linear rise to maximum and decline from peak, with a very sharp transition. Magnetar models have difficulty explaining the sharp peak and may tend to be too bright 20 d after maximum. Light curves powered only by radioactive decay of nickel fail on similar grounds and because they demand greater nickel mass than ejecta mass. Simple models based on circumstellar interaction do have a sharp peak corresponding to the epoch when the forward shock breaks out of the optically-thick circumstellar medium or the reverse shock reaches the inside of the ejecta. We find that models based on circumstellar interaction with a constant-density shell provide an interesting fit to the bolometric light curve from 15 d before to 15 d after peak light of SN 2017egm and that both magnetar and radioactive decay models fail to fit the sharp peak. Future photometric observations should easily discriminate basic CSI models from basic magnetar models. The implications of a CSI model are briefly discussed.