The broad-lined type Ic supernova 2020lao experienced an energetic explosion with no central-engine signatures
M. D. Stritzinger (Aarhus), T. J. Moriya, S. Bose, P. A. Mazzali, P. Lundqvist, E. Karamehmetoglu, L. S. Arndt, C. Ashall, L. Galbany, W. B. Hoogendam, E. Baron, J. M. DerKacy, N. Elias-Rosa, E. Y. Hsiao, P. H\"oflich, E. Pian, E. A. M. Jensen, S. Moran, A. Pastorello

TL;DR
SN 2020lao, a broad-lined Type Ic supernova, exhibited an energetic explosion without signs of a central engine, challenging assumptions about engine-driven supernovae and jet activity.
Contribution
This study provides detailed early observations and modeling of SN 2020lao, revealing high kinetic energy without evidence of a central engine or relativistic jets.
Findings
No optical afterglow or excess emission detected.
High kinetic energy (~23x10^51 erg) with typical Ni mass.
Lack of radio/X-ray afterglow suggests no relativistic jet or off-axis viewing.
Abstract
We present infant-phase observations of the SN Ic-BL 2020lao, including optical spectroscopy beginning 48 hrs after explosion. The explosion time was constrained by power-law fits to the rising TESS and ZTF light curves, with the first ZTF detection occurring 27 hrs after explosion. The optical light curves show a rapid rise lasting 8.8 days and a peak luminosity typical of SNe Ic-BL (Mr=-18.5 mag). Unlike some engine-driven SN Ic-BL events, the light curve of SN 2020lao shows no evidence of an optical afterglow or excess emission, and the absence of shock-cooling in the TESS and ZTF data constrains the progenitor to a Wolf-Rayet-like star with radius less than a few times the solar radius, ruling out any extended envelope. The spectra resemble those of the X-ray-flash-associated SN 2006aj but with higher expansion velocities. From Arnett-type fits to the bolometric light curve and…
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