Detailed Study of Obscured Star Formation Activity and Molecular Gas in Superluminous Supernova Host Galaxies

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K03925
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 16010:Astronomy-related
• Research Institution: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (2022-2023); The University of Tokyo (2019-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Hatsukade Bunyo 国立天文台, アルマプロジェクト, 准教授 (70719484)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 超高光度超新星 / 分子ガス / 星形成 / 電波観測 / ALMA / VLA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recent large-scale surveys have discovered superluminous supernovae that are 10 to 100 times brighter than normal supernovae, but the environment in which these supernovae originate is still unknown. In order to systematically probe star formation hidden in dust, we conducted VLA radio observations of host galaxies. We successfully constrain their star formation activity, time variability of radio emission from superluminous supernovae, and theoretical models. We also observed the host galaxy of Type-I superluminous using ALMA and succeeded in detecting molecular gas for the first time in the world. In addition, for an integrated understanding of the environment of astronomical transients, molecular gas observations of the host galaxies of gamma-ray bursts and fast radio bursts were also carried out to construct the largest sample in the world, allowing comparison with other star-forming environments.

Free Research Field

電波天文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、超高光度超新星の起源に迫るため、塵による吸収の影響を受けない電波での観測を行った。これにより、塵に隠された星形成活動の有無を含めて正確な星形成活動を理解することができるようになった。大規模サンプルにおいて電波観測を行ったのは本研究が初めてであり、超高光度超新星研究の分野に重要な知見を与えた。また、星形成の材料である分子ガスに着目した点も独創的であり、I型の超高光度超新星母銀河において世界で初めて分子ガスを検出するなど、新たな展開をもたらした。