A low-energy explosion yields the underluminous Type IIP SN 2020cxd

TL;DR

SN 2020cxd is a low-luminosity, long-lasting Type IIP supernova that provides insights into the faint end of core-collapse supernovae, highlighting their rarity and potential link to stellar initial mass functions.

Contribution

This paper reports the discovery and analysis of SN 2020cxd as a new member of low-luminosity Type IIP supernovae, expanding understanding of their properties and occurrence.

Findings

SN 2020cxd is confirmed as a low-luminosity Type IIP supernova.

LL SNe are rare in magnitude-limited surveys like ZTF.

Studying LL SNe can shed light on the initial mass function of massive stars.

Abstract

We present observations and analysis of SN 2020cxd, a Low luminous (LL), long-lived Type IIP SN. This object was a clear outlier in the magnitude-limited SN sample recently presented by the ZTF Bright Transient Survey. We demonstrate that SN 2020cxd is an additional member of the group of LL SNe, and discuss the rarity of LL SNe in the context of the ZTF survey, and how further studies of these faintest members of the CC SN family might help understand the underlying initial mass function for stars that explode.