Nebular-Phase Spectra of Type Ia Supernovae from the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Supernova Project

TL;DR

This study analyzes nebular-phase spectra of seven nearby Type Ia supernovae to evaluate explosion models, progenitor scenarios, and binary companion types, finding general consistency with symmetric explosion models and degenerate companions.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive multi-epoch spectral analysis of nearby SNe Ia, combining early and late observations to test various explosion and progenitor models.

Findings

Consistency with spherically symmetric explosion models

Support for degenerate star binary companions

Detailed analysis of transitional SN 2017fzw

Abstract

The observed diversity in Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) -- the thermonuclear explosions of carbon-oxygen white dwarf stars used as cosmological standard candles -- is currently met with a variety of explosion models and progenitor scenarios. To help improve our understanding of whether and how often different models contribute to the occurrence of SNe Ia and their assorted properties, we present a comprehensive analysis of seven nearby SNe Ia. We obtained one to two epochs of optical spectra with Gemini Observatory during the nebular phase ($>$200 days past peak) for each of these events, all of which had time-series of photometry and spectroscopy at early times (the first $\sim$8 weeks after explosion). We use the combination of early- and late-time observations to assess the predictions of various models for the explosion (e.g., double-detonation, off-center detonation, stellar collisions), progenitor star (e.g., ejecta mass, metallicity), and binary companion (e.g., another white dwarf or a non-degenerate star). Overall, we find general consistency in our observations with spherically-symmetric models for SN Ia explosions, and with scenarios in which the binary companion is another degenerate star. We also present an in-depth analysis of SN 2017fzw, a member of the sub-group of SNe Ia which appear to be transitional between the subluminous "91bg-like" events and normal SNe Ia, and for which nebular-phase spectra are rare.