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WorksPhysics and Astronomy

A universal relation predicts the observed reversal of a supernova chirp

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Abstract · v1

Superluminous supernovae, among the brightest stellar explosions, are thought to be powered by newborn magnetars. One such event, SN 2024afav, ``chirped'', displaying sinusoidal, increasing-frequency (P(99 d)∼39±8P(99\textrm{ d})\sim39\pm8 d to P(166 d)∼17±5P(166\textrm{ d})\sim17\pm5 d) light-curve modulations. The model explaining this chirp, a precessing disk falling onto the dimming magnetar, generalizes to a normalization-independent universal relation between the period derivative and the dimming rate of the light curve. Applied to the published chirp alone, with the spin-down time measured from the unmodulated light curve, the relation predicts that the chirp must halt near t≈150t \approx 150 d and reverse. With continued follow-up of SN 2024afav, we report the discovery of five new modulations in which the chirp reverses (P(177 d)∼24±4P(177\textrm{ d})\sim24\pm4 d to P(208 d)∼38±2P(208\textrm{ d})\sim38\pm2 d) at t=147±3t=147\pm3 d, as predicted. Applied to chirping events from upcoming surveys, the relation could identify the precession mechanism and disk physics of each engine.

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