R-matrix calculation of differential cross sections for low-energy electron collisions with ground and electronically excited state O2 molecules

Differential cross sections for electron collisions with the O$_2$ molecule in its ground ${X}^{3}\Sigma_g^-$ state, as well as excited ${a}^{1}\Delta_g$ and ${b}^{1}\Sigma_g^+$ states are calculated. As previously, the fixed-bond R-matrix method based on state-averaged complete active space SCF orbitals is employed. In additions to elastic scattering of electron with the O$_2$ ${X}^{3}\Sigma_g^-$, ${a}^{1}\Delta_g$ and ${b}^{1}\Sigma_g^+$ states, electron impact excitation from the ${X}^{3}\Sigma_g^-$ state to the ${a}^{1}\Delta_g$ and ${b}^{1}\Sigma_g^+$ states as well as '6 eV states' of ${c}^{1}\Sigma_u^{-}$, ${A'}^{3}\Delta_u$ and ${A}^{3}\Sigma_u^{+}$ states is studied. Differential cross sections for excitation to the '6 eV states' have not been calculated previously. Electron impact excitation to the ${b}^{1}\Sigma_g^+$ state from the metastable ${a}^{1}\Delta_g$ state is also studied. For electron impact excitation from the O$_2$ ${X}^{3}\Sigma_g^-$ state to the ${b}^{1}\Sigma_g^+$ state, our results agree better with the experimental measurements than previous theoretical calculations. Our cross sections show angular behaviour similar to the experimental ones for transitions from the ${X}^{3}\Sigma_g^-$ state to the '6 eV states', although the calculated cross sections are up to a factor two larger at large scattering angles. For the excitation from the ${a}^{1}\Delta_g$ state to the ${b}^{1}\Sigma_g^+$ state, our results marginally agree with the experimental data except for the forward scattering direction

Properties of Type II Plateau Supernova SNLS-04D2dc: Multicolor Light Curves of Shock Breakout and Plateau

Shock breakout is the brightest radiative phenomenon in a Type II supernova (SN). Although it was predicted to be bright, the direct observation is difficult due to the short duration and X-ray/ultraviolet-peaked spectra. First entire observations of the shock breakouts of Type II Plateau SNe (SNe IIP) were reported in 2008 by ultraviolet and optical observations by the {\it GALEX} satellite and supernova legacy survey (SNLS), named SNLS-04D2dc and SNLS-06D1jd. We present multicolor light curves of a SN IIP, including the shock breakout and plateau, calculated with a multigroup radiation hydrodynamical code {\sc STELLA} and an evolutionary progenitor model. The synthetic multicolor light curves reproduce well the observations of SNLS-04D2dc. This is the first study to reproduce the ultraviolet light curve of the shock breakout and the optical light curve of the plateau consistently. We conclude that SNLS-04D2dc is the explosion with a canonical explosion energy $1.2\times10^{51}$ ergs and that its progenitor is a star with a zero-age main-sequence mass $20M_\odot$ and a presupernova radius $800R_\odot$. The model demonstrates that the peak apparent $B$-band magnitude of the shock breakout would be $m_{\rm B}\sim26.4$ mag if a SN being identical to SNLS-04D2dc occurs at a redshift $z=1$, which can be reached by 8m-class telescopes. The result evidences that the shock breakout has a great potential to detect SNe IIP at z\gsim1.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letter

Subaru FOCAS spectroscopic observations of high-redshift supernovae

Journal ArticleWe present spectra of high-redshift supernovae (SNe) that were taken with the Subaru low-resolution optical spectrograph, FOCAS. These SNe were found in SN surveys with Suprime-Cam on Subaru, the CFH12k camera on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, and the Advanced Camera for Surveys on the Hubble Space Telescope. These SN surveys specifically targeted z > 1 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). From the spectra of 39 candidates, we obtained redshifts for 32 candidates and spectroscopically identified 7 active candidates as probable SNe Ia, including one at z = 1.35, which is the most distant SN Ia to be spectroscopically confirmed with a ground-based telescope. An additional 4 candidates were identified as likely SNe Ia from the spectrophotometric properties of their host galaxies. Seven candidates are not SNe Ia, either being SNe of another type or active galactic nuclei. When SNe Ia were observed within one week of the maximum light, we found that we could spectroscopically identify most of them up to z = 1.1. Beyond this redshift, very few candidates were spectroscopically identified as SNe Ia. The current generation of super red-sensitive, fringe-free CCDs will push this redshift limit higher

Constraints on core-collapse supernova progenitors from explosion site integral field spectroscopy

Observationally, supernovae (SNe) are divided into subclasses pertaining to their distinct characteristics. This diversity reflects the diversity in the progenitor stars. It is not entirely clear how different evolutionary paths leading massive stars to become a SN are governed by fundamental parameters such as progenitor initial mass and metallicity. This paper places constraints on progenitor initial mass and metallicity in distinct core-collapse SN subclasses, through a study of the parent stellar populations at the explosion sites. Integral field spectroscopy (IFS) of 83 nearby SN explosion sites with a median distance of 18 Mpc has been collected and analysed, enabling detection and spectral extraction of the parent stellar population of SN progenitors. From the parent stellar population spectrum, the initial mass and metallicity of the coeval progenitor are derived by means of comparison to simple stellar population models and strong-line methods. Additionally, near-infrared IFS was employed to characterise the star formation history at the explosion sites. No significant metallicity differences are observed among distinct SN types. The typical progenitor mass is found to be highest for SN Ic, followed by type Ib, then types IIb and II. SN IIn is the least associated with young stellar populations and thus massive progenitors. However, statistically significant differences in progenitor initial mass are observed only when comparing SNe IIn with other subclasses. Stripped-envelope SN progenitors with initial mass estimate lower than 25~$M_\odot$ are found; these are thought to be the result of binary progenitors. Confirming previous studies, these results support the notion that core-collapse SN progenitors cannot arise from single-star channel only, and both single and binary channels are at play in the production of core-collapse SNe. [ABRIDGED]Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, accepted to A&

The Quasar-LBG Two-point Angular Cross-correlation Function at z ~ 4 in the COSMOS Field

In order to investigate the origin of quasars, we estimate the bias factor for low-luminosity quasars at high redshift for the first time. In this study, we use the two-point angular cross-correlation function (CCF) for both low-luminosity quasars at $-24<M_{\rm 1450}<-22$ and Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs). Our sample consists of both 25 low-luminosity quasars (16 objects are spectroscopically confirmed low-luminosity quasars) in the redshift range $3.1<z<4.5$ and 835 color-selected LBGs with $z^{\prime}_{\rm LBG}<25.0$ at $z\sim4$ in the COSMOS field. We have made our analysis for the following two quasar samples; (1) the spectroscopic sample (the 16 quasars confirmed by spectroscopy), and (2) the total sample (the 25 quasars including 9 quasars with photometric redshifts). The bias factor for low-luminosity quasars at $z\sim4$ is derived by utilizing the quasar-LBG CCF and the LBG auto-correlation function. We then obtain the $86\%$ upper limits of the bias factors for low-luminosity quasars, that are 5.63 and 10.50 for the total and the spectroscopic samples, respectively. These bias factors correspond to the typical dark matter halo masses, log $(M_{\rm DM}/(h^{-1}M_{\odot}))=$$12.7$ and $13.5$, respectively. This result is not inconsistent with the predicted bias for quasars which is estimated by the major merger models.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, Accepted for publication in Ap

Shock Breakout in Type II Plateau Supernovae: Prospects for High Redshift Supernova Surveys

Shock breakout is the brightest radiative phenomenon in a supernova (SN) but is difficult to be observed owing to the short duration and X-ray/ultraviolet (UV)-peaked spectra. After the first observation from the rising phase reported in 2008, its observability at high redshift is attracting enormous attention. We perform multigroup radiation hydrodynamics calculations of explosions for evolutionary presupernova models with various main-sequence masses $M_{\rm MS}$, metallicities $Z$, and explosion energies $E$. We present multicolor light curves of shock breakout in Type II plateau SNe, being the most frequent core-collapse SNe, and predict apparent multicolor light curves of shock breakout at various redshifts $z$. We derive the observable SN rate and reachable redshift as functions of filter $x$ and limiting magnitude $m_{x,{\rm lim}}$ by taking into account an initial mass function, cosmic star formation history, intergalactic absorption, and host galaxy extinction. We propose a realistic survey strategy optimized for shock breakout. For example, the $g'$-band observable SN rate for $m_{g',{\rm lim}}=27.5$ mag is 3.3 SNe degree$^{-2}$ day$^{-1}$ and a half of them locates at $z\geq1.2$. It is clear that the shock breakout is a beneficial clue to probe high-$z$ core-collapse SNe. We also establish ways to identify shock breakout and constrain SN properties from the observations of shock breakout, brightness, time scale, and color. We emphasize that the multicolor observations in blue optical bands with $\sim$ hour intervals, preferably over $\geq2$ continuous nights, are essential to efficiently detect, identify, and interpret shock breakout.Comment: 26 pages, 23 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Serie