Powering luminous core collapse supernovae with jets

TL;DR

This paper argues that jets, rather than magnetars or helium burning, are likely the main energy source powering luminous core collapse supernovae, based on analysis of fitting parameters and energy considerations.

Contribution

It provides evidence that jets are a dominant energy source in luminous supernovae, challenging previous models emphasizing magnetars or helium burning.

Findings

Jets supply more energy than magnetars in most cases.

Fitting parameters often conflict with energy constraints.

Jets can explain the rise time trends in hydrogen-deficient supernovae.

Abstract

I examine recent fittings of luminous supernovae (LSNe) with extra energy sources of magnetar and helium burning and find that in about half of these LSNe the fitting parameters have some problems. In some LSNe the total energy of these two energy sources is larger than the kinetic energy of the ejecta that the fitting yields. In some others LSNe the total energy of the delayed neutrino explosion mechanism and these two extra sources combined is smaller than the kinetic energy that the fitting yields. These difficulties suggest that, like earlier claims that jets power superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), jets also power the less luminous LSNe. A magnetar might also supply energy. However, in most cases jets supply more energy than the magnetar, during the explosion and possibly at late times. I strengthen an earlier claim that jets launched at magnetar birth cannot be ignored. I explain the trend of maximum rise time for a given luminosity of hydrogen deficient core collapse supernovae (CCSNe), in particular LSNe and SLSNe, with a toy model of jets that are active for a long time after explosion.