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The type Ia supernova SNLS-03D3bb from a super-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf star - Nature

  • ️Pritchet, Christopher J.
  • ️Thu Sep 21 2006

Abstract

The accelerating expansion of the Universe, and the need for dark energy, were inferred from observations1,2 of type Ia supernovae. There is a consensus that type Ia supernovae are thermonuclear explosions that destroy carbon–oxygen white dwarf stars that have accreted matter from a companion star3, although the nature of this companion remains uncertain. These supernovae are thought to be reliable distance indicators because they have a standard amount of fuel and a uniform trigger: they are predicted to explode when the mass of the white dwarf nears the Chandrasekhar mass4 of 1.4 solar masses (M⊙). Here we show that the high-redshift supernova SNLS-03D3bb has an exceptionally high luminosity and low kinetic energy that both imply a super-Chandrasekhar-mass progenitor. Super-Chandrasekhar-mass supernovae should occur preferentially in a young stellar population, so this may provide an explanation for the observed trend that overluminous type Ia supernovae occur only in ‘young’ environments5,6. As this supernova does not obey the relations that allow type Ia supernovae to be calibrated as standard candles, and as no counterparts have been found at low redshift, future cosmology studies will have to consider possible contamination from such events.

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Acknowledgements

SNLS relies on observations with MegaCam, a joint project of CFHT and CEA/DAPNIA, at the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). We used data products from the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre as part of the CFHT Legacy Survey. Some data were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory. We acknowledge support from NSERC, NERSC, CIAR, CNRS/IN2P3, CNRS/INSU, CEA and the DOE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 60 St George Street, Ontario, M5S 3H8, Toronto, Canada

    D. Andrew Howell, Mark Sullivan, Alexander J. Conley, Raymond G. Carlberg & Kathryn M. Perrett

  2. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Mail Stop 50-232, 1 Cyclotron Road, California, 94720, Berkeley, USA

    Peter E. Nugent

  3. California Institute of Technology, East California Blvd, California, 91125, Pasadena, USA

    Richard S. Ellis

  4. DAPNIA/Service d'Astrophysique, CEA/Saclay, 91191 Cedex, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Damien Le Borgne

  5. LPNHE, CNRS-IN2P3 and University of Paris VI and VII, 75005, Paris, France

    Julien Guy & Reynald Pain

  6. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, P O Box 3055, British Columbia, V8W 3P6, Victoria, Canada

    David Balam, Eric Y. Hsiao, James D. Neill & Christopher J. Pritchet

  7. LAM CNRS, BP8, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Cedex 12, Marseille, France

    Stephane Basa

  8. CPPM, CNRS-IN2P3 and University Aix Marseille II, Case 907, 13288 Cedex 9, Marseille, France

    Dominique Fouchez

  9. University of Oxford Astrophysics, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, OX1 3RH, Oxford, UK

    Isobel M. Hook

Authors

  1. D. Andrew Howell

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  2. Mark Sullivan

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  3. Peter E. Nugent

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  4. Richard S. Ellis

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  5. Alexander J. Conley

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  6. Damien Le Borgne

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  7. Raymond G. Carlberg

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  8. Julien Guy

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  9. David Balam

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  10. Stephane Basa

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  11. Dominique Fouchez

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  12. Isobel M. Hook

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  13. Eric Y. Hsiao

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  14. James D. Neill

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  15. Reynald Pain

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  16. Kathryn M. Perrett

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  17. Christopher J. Pritchet

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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Andrew Howell.

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Andrew Howell, D., Sullivan, M., Nugent, P. et al. The type Ia supernova SNLS-03D3bb from a super-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf star. Nature 443, 308–311 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05103

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  • Received: 07 April 2006

  • Accepted: 18 July 2006

  • Issue Date: 21 September 2006

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05103

Editorial Summary

Candle in the wind

Type Ia supernovae are used as cosmological distance indicators. It is through them that the accelerating expansion of the Universe was detected, and with it the implied existence of dark energy. Their presumed reliability as 'standard candles' stems from the fact they have a fixed amount of fuel and a uniform trigger: they are predicted to explode when the mass of the white dwarf nears 1.4 solar masses, the 'Chandrasekhar' mass. Howell et al. now show that the high-redshift supernova SNLS-03D3bb does not play by these rules: its exceptionally high luminosity and low kinetic energy imply a super-Chandrasekhar mass progenitor. So future cosmological studies may need to consider possible contamination from such events when calculating distances.