The Possible Detection of a Binary Companion to a Type Ibn Supernova Progenitor
Journal
Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
Abstract
We present late-time observations of the site of the Type Ibn supernova (SN) 2006jc, acquired with the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys. A faint blue source is recovered at the SN position, with brightness {m}F435W=26.76+/- 0.20, {m}F555W=26.60+/- 0.23 and {m}F625W=26.32+/- 0.19 mag, although there is no detection in a contemporaneous narrow-band {{H}}α image. The spectral energy distribution of the late-time source is well-fit by a stellar-like spectrum ({log} {T}{eff}\gt 3.7 and {log} L/{L}☉ \gt 4), subject to only a small degree of reddening—consistent with that estimated for SN 2006jc itself at early-times. The lack of further outbursts after the explosion of SN 2006jc suggests that the precursor outburst originated from the progenitor. The possibility of the source being a compact host cluster is ruled out on the basis of the source’s faintness; however, the possibility that the late-time source may be an unresolved light echo originating in a shell or sphere of pre-SN dust (within a radius 1 {pc}) is also discussed. Irrespective of the nature of the late-time source, these observations rule out a luminous blue variable as a companion to the progenitor of SN 2006jc.
Volume
833
Issue
2
Start page
128
Issn Identifier
0004-637X
Ads BibCode
2016ApJ...833..128M
Rights
open.access
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