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dc.contributor.authorMeunier, C.
dc.contributor.authorBauer, F.
dc.contributor.authorDwarkadas, V.
dc.contributor.authorKoribalski, B.
dc.contributor.authorEmonts, B.
dc.contributor.authorHunstead, R.
dc.contributor.authorCampbell-Wilson, D.
dc.contributor.authorStockdale, C.
dc.contributor.authorTingay, Steven
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-30T11:58:35Z
dc.date.available2017-01-30T11:58:35Z
dc.date.created2013-11-19T20:00:41Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.identifier.citationMeunier, C. and Bauer, F.E. and Dwarkadas, V.V. and Koribalski, B. and Emonts, B. and Hunstead, R.W. and Campbell-Wilson, D. and Stockdale, C. and Tingay, S.J. 2013. Performing a stellar autopsy using the radio-bright remnant of SN 1996cr. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 431 (3): pp. 2453-2463.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/16929
dc.identifier.doi10.1093/mnras/stt340
dc.description.abstract

We present newly reduced archival radio observations of SN 1996cr in the Circinus Galaxy from the Australia Telescope Compact Array and the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope, and attempt to model its radio light curves using recent hydrodynamical simulations of the interaction between the supernova (SN) ejecta and the circumstellar material (CSM) at X-ray wavelengths. The radio data within the first 1000 d show clear signs of free–free absorption (FFA), which decreases gradually and is minimal above 1.4 GHz after day ∼3000. Constraints on the FFA optical depth provide estimates of the CSM free electron density, which allows insight into the ionization of SN 1996cr's CSM and offers a test on the density distribution adopted by the hydrodynamical simulation. The intrinsic spectral index of the radiation shows evidence for spectral flattening, which is characterized by α = 0.852 ± 0.002 at day 3000 and a decay rate of Δα = −0.014 ± 0.001 yr−1. The striking similarity in the spectral flattening of SN 1987A, SN 1993J and SN 1996cr suggests this may be a relatively common feature of SNe/CSM shocks. We adopt this spectral index variation to model the synchrotron radio emission of the shock, and consider several scalings that relate the parameters of the hydrodynamical simulation to the magnetic field and electron distribution. The simulated light curves match the large-scale features of the observed light curves, but fail to match certain tightly constraining sections. This suggests that simple energy density scalings may not be able to account for the complexities of the true physical processes at work, or alternatively, that the parameters of the simulation require modification in order to accurately represent the surroundings of SN 1996cr.

dc.publisherOxford University Press
dc.subjectsupernovae: individual: SN 1996cr
dc.subjectsupernovae: general
dc.subjectoutflows
dc.subjectmethods: numerical
dc.subjectstars: winds
dc.subjectcircumstellar matter
dc.titlePerforming a stellar autopsy using the radio-bright remnant of SN 1996cr
dc.typeJournal Article
dcterms.source.volume431
dcterms.source.number3
dcterms.source.startPage2453
dcterms.source.endPage2463
dcterms.source.issn0035-8711
dcterms.source.titleMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
curtin.note

This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ©: 2013 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

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curtin.accessStatusOpen access


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