A very luminous magnetar-powered supernova associated with an ultra-long γ-ray burst

Authors

Jochen Greiner, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Paolo A. Mazzali, Liverpool John Moores University
D. Alexander Kann, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Thomas Krühler, European Southern Observatory Santiago
Elena Pian, INAF Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica, Bologna
Simon Prentice, Liverpool John Moores University
Felipe Olivares E., Universidad Andrés Bello
Andrea Rossi, Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg
Sylvio Klose, Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg
Stefan Taubenberger, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
Fabian Knust, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Paulo M.J. Afonso, American River College
Chris Ashall, Liverpool John Moores University
Jan Bolmer, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Corentin Delvaux, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Roland Diehl, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Jonathan Elliott, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Robert Filgas, Ceské vysoké ucení technické v Praze
Johan P.U. Fynbo, Niels Bohr Institute
John F. Graham, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Ana Nicuesa Guelbenzu, Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg
Shiho Kobayashi, Liverpool John Moores University
Giorgos Leloudas, Niels Bohr Institute
Sandra Savaglio, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Patricia Schady, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Sebastian Schmidl, Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg
Tassilo Schweyer, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Vladimir Sudilovsky, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Mohit Tanga, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Adria C. Updike, Roger Williams University
Hendrik Van Eerten, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Karla Varela, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Nature

Publication Date

7-9-2015

Abstract

A new class of ultra-long-duration (more than 10,000 seconds) γ-ray bursts has recently been suggested. They may originate in the explosion of stars with much larger radii than those producing normal long-duration γ-ray bursts or in the tidal disruption of a star. No clear supernova has yet been associated with an ultra-long-duration γ-ray burst. Here we report that a supernova (SN 2011kl) was associated with the ultra-long-duration γ-ray burst GRB 111209A, at a redshift z of 0.677. This supernova is more than three times more luminous than type Ic supernovae associated with long-duration γ-ray bursts, and its spectrum is distinctly different. The slope of the continuum resembles those of super-luminous supernovae, but extends further down into the rest-frame ultraviolet implying a low metal content. The light curve evolves much more rapidly than those of super-luminous supernovae. This combination of high luminosity and low metal-line opacity cannot be reconciled with typical type Ic supernovae, but can be reproduced by a model where extra energy is injected by a strongly magnetized neutron star (a magnetar), which has also been proposed as the explanation for super-luminous supernovae.

Volume

523

Issue

7559

First Page

189

Last Page

192

DOI

10.1038/nature14579

ISSN

00280836

E-ISSN

14764687

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