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Title: THE LATE-TIME REBRIGHTENING OF TYPE Ia SN 2005gj IN THE MID-INFRARED

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal Letters

A growing number of observations reveal a subset of Type Ia supernovae undergoing circumstellar interaction (SNe Ia-CSM). We present unpublished archival Spitzer Space Telescope data on SNe Ia-CSM 2002ic and 2005gj obtained >1300 and 500 days post-discovery, respectively. Both SNe show evidence for late-time mid-infrared (mid-IR) emission from warm dust. The dust parameters are most consistent with a preexisting dust shell that lies beyond the forward-shock radius, most likely radiatively heated by optical and X-ray emission continuously generated by late-time CSM interaction. In the case of SN 2005gj, the mid-IR luminosity more than doubles after 1 yr post-discovery. While we are not aware of any late-time optical-wavelength observations at these epochs, we attribute this rebrightening to renewed shock interaction with a dense circumstellar shell.

OSTI ID:
22140344
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 772, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English