Optical evolution of AT 2024wpp: the high-velocity outflows in Cow-like transients are consistent with high spherical symmetry

TL;DR

This paper analyzes optical data of the rapidly evolving transient AT2024wpp, showing high-velocity, likely spherical outflows similar to AT2018cow, with implications for understanding Cow-like transients' geometry and emission mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides the first optical polarimetry of AT2024wpp, demonstrating that high-velocity outflows in Cow-like transients are consistent with high spherical symmetry.

Findings

Optical polarimetry shows low polarization (<0.5%), indicating spherical outflows.

Spectral analysis suggests a near-relativistic, spherical photosphere.

The transient's properties closely resemble those of AT2018cow.

Abstract

We present the analysis of optical data of a bright and extremely-rapidly evolving transient, AT2024wpp, whose properties are similar to the enigmatic AT2018cow (aka the Cow). AT2024wpp rose to a peak brightness of c=-21.9mag in 4.3d and remained above the half-maximum brightness for only 6.7d. The blackbody fits to the multi-band photometry show that the event remained persistently hot (T>20000K) with a rapidly receding photosphere (v~11500km/s) until the end of the photometric dataset at +16.1d post-discovery. This behaviour mimics that of AT2018cow, albeit with a several times larger photosphere. The spectra are consistent with blackbody emission throughout our spectral sequence ending at +21.9d, showing a tentative, very broad emission feature at 5500{\AA} -- implying that the optical photosphere is likely within a near-relativistic outflow. Furthermore, reports of strong X-ray and radio emission cement the nature of AT2024wpp as a likely Cow-like transient. AT2024wpp is only the second event of the class with optical polarimetry. Our BVRI observations obtained from +6.1 to +14.4d show a low polarisation of P<0.5% across all bands, similar to AT2018cow that was consistent with P~0% during the same outflow-driven phase. In the absence of evidence for a preferential viewing angle, it is unlikely that both events would have shown low polarisation in the case that their photospheres were aspherical. As such, we conclude that the near-relativistic outflows launched in these events are likely highly spherical, but polarimetric observations of further events are crucial to constrain their ejecta geometry and stratification in detail.