Mapping Circumstellar Matter with Polarized Light - The Case of Supernova 2014J in M82

TL;DR

This study uses optical polarimetry from HST to detect and analyze circumstellar dust around supernova 2014J, revealing dust properties and constraining progenitor models.

Contribution

First detailed polarimetric analysis of supernova 2014J's environment, identifying circumstellar dust and its implications for progenitor systems.

Findings

Detected circumstellar dust at ~5×10^{17} cm from SN 2014J.

Observed polarization deviations indicating dust alignment with interstellar medium.

Constrained progenitor models based on dust presence, but could not distinguish between single- and double-degenerate scenarios.

Abstract

Optical polarimetry is an effective way of probing the environment of supernova for dust. We acquired linear HST ACS/WFC polarimetry in bands $F475W$, $F606W$, and $F775W$ of the supernova (SN) 2014J in M82 at six epochs from $\sim$277 days to $\sim$1181 days after the $B$-band maximum. The polarization measured at day 277 shows conspicuous deviations from other epochs. These differences can be attributed to at least $\sim$ 10$^{-6} M_{\odot}$ of circumstellar dust located at a distance of $\sim5\times10^{17}$ cm from the SN. The scattering dust grains revealed by these observations seem to be aligned with the dust in the interstellar medium that is responsible for the large reddening towards the supernova. The presence of this circumstellar dust sets strong constraints on the progenitor system that led to the explosion of SN\,2014J; however, it cannot discriminate between single- and double-degenerate models.