A young stellar environment for the superluminous supernova PTF12dam

DOI: 
10.1093/mnrasl/slv051
Publication date: 
21/07/2015
Main author: 
Thöne C.C.
IAA authors: 
Thöne C.C.;De Ugarte Postigo A.;García-Benito R.
Authors: 
Thöne C.C., De Ugarte Postigo A., García-Benito R., Leloudas G., Schulze S., Amorín R.
Journal: 
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
451
Pages: 
L65-L69
Number: 
Abstract: 
The progenitors of superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) are still a mystery. Hydrogen-poor SLSN hosts are young, highly star-forming dwarf galaxies and the majority belongs to the class of 'extreme emission line galaxies'. Here we present a resolved long-slit study of the host of the hydrogen-poor SLSN PTF12dam probing the kiloparsec environment of the SN site to determine the age of the progenitor. The SN occurred in a star-forming region in the head of a 'tadpole' galaxy with largely uniform properties. The galaxy experienced a recent starburst superimposed on an underlying old stellar population (SP). We determine a very young SP at the SN site of ~3 Myr and a metallicity of 12+log(O/H)=8.0 but do not observe any Wolf-Rayet features. The progenitor of PTF12dam was likely a massive star of >60 M⊙ and one of the first stars exploding as an SN in the most recent starburst episode. © 2015 The Authors.
Database: 
WOK
SCOPUS
ADS
URL: 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/2015MNRAS.451L..65T/abstract
ADS Bibcode: 
2015MNRAS.451L..65T
Keywords: 
Galaxies starburst; Galaxies: abundances; Supernovae: individual: PTF12dam