The host galaxies of 106 rapidly evolving transients discovered by the Dark Energy Survey

P. Wiseman; M. Pursiainen; M. Childress; E. Swann; M. Smith; L. Galbany; C. Lidman; T. M. Davis; C. P. Gutiérrez; A. Möller; B. P. Thomas; C. Frohmaier; R. J. Foley; S. R. Hinton; L. Kelsey; R. Kessler; G. F. Lewis; M. Sako; D. Scolnic; M. Sullivan; M. Vincenzi; T. M.C. Abbott; M. Aguena; S. Allam; J. Annis; E. Bertin; S. Bhargava; D. Brooks; D. L. Burke; A. Carnero Rosell; D. Carollo; M. Carrasco Kind; J. Carretero; M. Costanzi; L. N. da Costa; H. T. Diehl; P. Doel; S. Everett; P. Fosalba; J. Frieman; J. García-Bellido; E. Gaztanaga; K. Glazebrook; D. Gruen; R. A. Gruendl; J. Gschwend; G. Gutierrez; D. L. Hollowood; K. Honscheid; D. J. James; K. Kuehn; N. Kuropatkin; M. Lima; M. A.G. Maia; J. L. Marshall; P. Martini; F. Menanteau; R. Miquel; A. Palmese; F. Paz-Chinchón; A. A. Plazas; A. K. Romer; E. Sanchez; V. Scarpine; M. Schubnell; S. Serrano; I. Sevilla-Noarbe; N. E. Sommer; E. Suchyta; M. E.C. Swanson; G. Tarle; B. E. Tucker; D. L. Tucker; T. N. Varga; A. R. Walker

doi:10.1093/mnras/staa2474

The host galaxies of 106 rapidly evolving transients discovered by the Dark Energy Survey

P. Wiseman, M. Pursiainen, M. Childress, E. Swann, M. Smith, L. Galbany, C. Lidman, T. M. Davis, C. P. Gutiérrez, A. Möller, B. P. Thomas, C. Frohmaier, R. J. Foley, S. R. Hinton, L. Kelsey, R. Kessler, G. F. Lewis, M. Sako, D. Scolnic, M. SullivanM. Vincenzi, T. M.C. Abbott, M. Aguena, S. Allam, J. Annis, E. Bertin, S. Bhargava, D. Brooks, D. L. Burke, A. Carnero Rosell, D. Carollo, M. Carrasco Kind, J. Carretero, M. Costanzi, L. N. da Costa, H. T. Diehl, P. Doel, S. Everett, P. Fosalba, J. Frieman, J. García-Bellido, E. Gaztanaga, K. Glazebrook, D. Gruen, R. A. Gruendl, J. Gschwend, G. Gutierrez, D. L. Hollowood, K. Honscheid, D. J. James, K. Kuehn, N. Kuropatkin, M. Lima, M. A.G. Maia, J. L. Marshall, P. Martini, F. Menanteau, R. Miquel, A. Palmese, F. Paz-Chinchón, A. A. Plazas, A. K. Romer, E. Sanchez, V. Scarpine, M. Schubnell, S. Serrano, I. Sevilla-Noarbe, N. E. Sommer, E. Suchyta, M. E.C. Swanson, G. Tarle, B. E. Tucker, D. L. Tucker, T. N. Varga, A. R. Walker

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Rapidly evolving transients (RETs), also termed fast blue optical transients, are a recently discovered group of astrophysical events that display rapid luminosity evolution. RETs typically rise to peak in less than 10 d and fade within 30, a time-scale unlikely to be compatible with the decay of Nickel-56 that drives conventional supernovae (SNe). Their peak luminosity spans a range of −15 < M_g < −22.5, with some events observed at redshifts greater than 1. Their evolution on fast time-scales has hindered high-quality follow-up observations, and thus their origin and explosion/emission mechanism remains unexplained. In this paper, we present the largest sample of RETs to date, comprising 106 objects discovered by the Dark Energy Survey, and perform the most comprehensive analysis of RET host galaxies. Using deep-stacked photometry and emission lines from OzDES spectroscopy, we derive stellar masses and star formation rates (SFRs) for 49 host galaxies, and metallicities ([O/H]) for 37. We find that RETs explode exclusively in star-forming galaxies and are thus likely associated with massive stars. Comparing RET hosts to samples of host galaxies of other explosive transients as well as field galaxies, we find that RETs prefer galaxies with high specific SFRs (〈log (sSFR)〉 ∼ −9.6), indicating a link to young stellar populations, similar to stripped-envelope SNe. RET hosts appear to show a lack of chemical enrichment, their metallicities akin to long-duration gamma-ray bursts and superluminous SN host galaxies (〈12 + log (O/H)〉 ∼ 9.4). There are no clear relationships between mass or SFR of the host galaxies and the peak magnitudes or decline rates of the transients themselves.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	2575-2593
Number of pages	19
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	498
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa2474
State	Published - 2020

Keywords

Galaxies: abundances
Galaxies: photometry
Galaxies: star formation
Transients: supernovae

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Online availability

10.1093/mnras/staa2474

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Wiseman, P., Pursiainen, M., Childress, M., Swann, E., Smith, M., Galbany, L., Lidman, C., Davis, T. M., Gutiérrez, C. P., Möller, A., Thomas, B. P., Frohmaier, C., Foley, R. J., Hinton, S. R., Kelsey, L., Kessler, R., Lewis, G. F., Sako, M., Scolnic, D., ... Walker, A. R. (2020). The host galaxies of 106 rapidly evolving transients discovered by the Dark Energy Survey. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 498(2), 2575-2593. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa2474

Wiseman, P, Pursiainen, M, Childress, M, Swann, E, Smith, M, Galbany, L, Lidman, C, Davis, TM, Gutiérrez, CP, Möller, A, Thomas, BP, Frohmaier, C, Foley, RJ, Hinton, SR, Kelsey, L, Kessler, R, Lewis, GF, Sako, M, Scolnic, D, Sullivan, M, Vincenzi, M, Abbott, TMC, Aguena, M, Allam, S, Annis, J, Bertin, E, Bhargava, S, Brooks, D, Burke, DL, Carnero Rosell, A, Carollo, D, Carrasco Kind, M, Carretero, J, Costanzi, M, da Costa, LN, Diehl, HT, Doel, P, Everett, S, Fosalba, P, Frieman, J, García-Bellido, J, Gaztanaga, E, Glazebrook, K, Gruen, D, Gruendl, RA, Gschwend, J, Gutierrez, G, Hollowood, DL, Honscheid, K, James, DJ, Kuehn, K, Kuropatkin, N, Lima, M, Maia, MAG, Marshall, JL, Martini, P, Menanteau, F, Miquel, R, Palmese, A, Paz-Chinchón, F, Plazas, AA, Romer, AK, Sanchez, E, Scarpine, V, Schubnell, M, Serrano, S, Sevilla-Noarbe, I, Sommer, NE, Suchyta, E, Swanson, MEC, Tarle, G, Tucker, BE, Tucker, DL, Varga, TN & Walker, AR 2020, 'The host galaxies of 106 rapidly evolving transients discovered by the Dark Energy Survey', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 498, no. 2, pp. 2575-2593. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa2474

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title = "The host galaxies of 106 rapidly evolving transients discovered by the Dark Energy Survey",

abstract = "Rapidly evolving transients (RETs), also termed fast blue optical transients, are a recently discovered group of astrophysical events that display rapid luminosity evolution. RETs typically rise to peak in less than 10 d and fade within 30, a time-scale unlikely to be compatible with the decay of Nickel-56 that drives conventional supernovae (SNe). Their peak luminosity spans a range of −15 < Mg < −22.5, with some events observed at redshifts greater than 1. Their evolution on fast time-scales has hindered high-quality follow-up observations, and thus their origin and explosion/emission mechanism remains unexplained. In this paper, we present the largest sample of RETs to date, comprising 106 objects discovered by the Dark Energy Survey, and perform the most comprehensive analysis of RET host galaxies. Using deep-stacked photometry and emission lines from OzDES spectroscopy, we derive stellar masses and star formation rates (SFRs) for 49 host galaxies, and metallicities ([O/H]) for 37. We find that RETs explode exclusively in star-forming galaxies and are thus likely associated with massive stars. Comparing RET hosts to samples of host galaxies of other explosive transients as well as field galaxies, we find that RETs prefer galaxies with high specific SFRs (〈log (sSFR)〉 ∼ −9.6), indicating a link to young stellar populations, similar to stripped-envelope SNe. RET hosts appear to show a lack of chemical enrichment, their metallicities akin to long-duration gamma-ray bursts and superluminous SN host galaxies (〈12 + log (O/H)〉 ∼ 9.4). There are no clear relationships between mass or SFR of the host galaxies and the peak magnitudes or decline rates of the transients themselves.",

keywords = "Galaxies: abundances, Galaxies: photometry, Galaxies: star formation, Transients: supernovae",

author = "P. Wiseman and M. Pursiainen and M. Childress and E. Swann and M. Smith and L. Galbany and C. Lidman and Davis, {T. M.} and Guti{\'e}rrez, {C. P.} and A. M{\"o}ller and Thomas, {B. P.} and C. Frohmaier and Foley, {R. J.} and Hinton, {S. R.} and L. Kelsey and R. Kessler and Lewis, {G. F.} and M. Sako and D. Scolnic and M. Sullivan and M. Vincenzi and Abbott, {T. M.C.} and M. Aguena and S. Allam and J. Annis and E. Bertin and S. Bhargava and D. Brooks and Burke, {D. L.} and {Carnero Rosell}, A. and D. Carollo and {Carrasco Kind}, M. and J. Carretero and M. Costanzi and {da Costa}, {L. N.} and Diehl, {H. T.} and P. Doel and S. Everett and P. Fosalba and J. Frieman and J. Garc{\'i}a-Bellido and E. Gaztanaga and K. Glazebrook and D. Gruen and Gruendl, {R. A.} and J. Gschwend and G. Gutierrez and Hollowood, {D. L.} and K. Honscheid and James, {D. J.} and K. Kuehn and N. Kuropatkin and M. Lima and Maia, {M. A.G.} and Marshall, {J. L.} and P. Martini and F. Menanteau and R. Miquel and A. Palmese and F. Paz-Chinch{\'o}n and Plazas, {A. A.} and Romer, {A. K.} and E. Sanchez and V. Scarpine and M. Schubnell and S. Serrano and I. Sevilla-Noarbe and Sommer, {N. E.} and E. Suchyta and Swanson, {M. E.C.} and G. Tarle and Tucker, {B. E.} and Tucker, {D. L.} and Varga, {T. N.} and Walker, {A. R.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society",

year = "2020",

doi = "10.1093/mnras/staa2474",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "498",

pages = "2575--2593",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society",

issn = "0035-8711",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "2",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - The host galaxies of 106 rapidly evolving transients discovered by the Dark Energy Survey

AU - Wiseman, P.

AU - Pursiainen, M.

AU - Childress, M.

AU - Swann, E.

AU - Smith, M.

AU - Galbany, L.

AU - Lidman, C.

AU - Davis, T. M.

AU - Gutiérrez, C. P.

AU - Möller, A.

AU - Thomas, B. P.

AU - Frohmaier, C.

AU - Foley, R. J.

AU - Hinton, S. R.

AU - Kelsey, L.

AU - Kessler, R.

AU - Lewis, G. F.

AU - Sako, M.

AU - Scolnic, D.

AU - Sullivan, M.

AU - Vincenzi, M.

AU - Abbott, T. M.C.

AU - Aguena, M.

AU - Allam, S.

AU - Annis, J.

AU - Bertin, E.

AU - Bhargava, S.

AU - Brooks, D.

AU - Burke, D. L.

AU - Carnero Rosell, A.

AU - Carollo, D.

AU - Carrasco Kind, M.

AU - Carretero, J.

AU - Costanzi, M.

AU - da Costa, L. N.

AU - Diehl, H. T.

AU - Doel, P.

AU - Everett, S.

AU - Fosalba, P.

AU - Frieman, J.

AU - García-Bellido, J.

AU - Gaztanaga, E.

AU - Glazebrook, K.

AU - Gruen, D.

AU - Gruendl, R. A.

AU - Gschwend, J.

AU - Gutierrez, G.

AU - Hollowood, D. L.

AU - Honscheid, K.

AU - James, D. J.

AU - Kuehn, K.

AU - Kuropatkin, N.

AU - Lima, M.

AU - Maia, M. A.G.

AU - Marshall, J. L.

AU - Martini, P.

AU - Menanteau, F.

AU - Miquel, R.

AU - Palmese, A.

AU - Paz-Chinchón, F.

AU - Plazas, A. A.

AU - Romer, A. K.

AU - Sanchez, E.

AU - Scarpine, V.

AU - Schubnell, M.

AU - Serrano, S.

AU - Sevilla-Noarbe, I.

AU - Sommer, N. E.

AU - Suchyta, E.

AU - Swanson, M. E.C.

AU - Tarle, G.

AU - Tucker, B. E.

AU - Tucker, D. L.

AU - Varga, T. N.

AU - Walker, A. R.

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Rapidly evolving transients (RETs), also termed fast blue optical transients, are a recently discovered group of astrophysical events that display rapid luminosity evolution. RETs typically rise to peak in less than 10 d and fade within 30, a time-scale unlikely to be compatible with the decay of Nickel-56 that drives conventional supernovae (SNe). Their peak luminosity spans a range of −15 < Mg < −22.5, with some events observed at redshifts greater than 1. Their evolution on fast time-scales has hindered high-quality follow-up observations, and thus their origin and explosion/emission mechanism remains unexplained. In this paper, we present the largest sample of RETs to date, comprising 106 objects discovered by the Dark Energy Survey, and perform the most comprehensive analysis of RET host galaxies. Using deep-stacked photometry and emission lines from OzDES spectroscopy, we derive stellar masses and star formation rates (SFRs) for 49 host galaxies, and metallicities ([O/H]) for 37. We find that RETs explode exclusively in star-forming galaxies and are thus likely associated with massive stars. Comparing RET hosts to samples of host galaxies of other explosive transients as well as field galaxies, we find that RETs prefer galaxies with high specific SFRs (〈log (sSFR)〉 ∼ −9.6), indicating a link to young stellar populations, similar to stripped-envelope SNe. RET hosts appear to show a lack of chemical enrichment, their metallicities akin to long-duration gamma-ray bursts and superluminous SN host galaxies (〈12 + log (O/H)〉 ∼ 9.4). There are no clear relationships between mass or SFR of the host galaxies and the peak magnitudes or decline rates of the transients themselves.

AB - Rapidly evolving transients (RETs), also termed fast blue optical transients, are a recently discovered group of astrophysical events that display rapid luminosity evolution. RETs typically rise to peak in less than 10 d and fade within 30, a time-scale unlikely to be compatible with the decay of Nickel-56 that drives conventional supernovae (SNe). Their peak luminosity spans a range of −15 < Mg < −22.5, with some events observed at redshifts greater than 1. Their evolution on fast time-scales has hindered high-quality follow-up observations, and thus their origin and explosion/emission mechanism remains unexplained. In this paper, we present the largest sample of RETs to date, comprising 106 objects discovered by the Dark Energy Survey, and perform the most comprehensive analysis of RET host galaxies. Using deep-stacked photometry and emission lines from OzDES spectroscopy, we derive stellar masses and star formation rates (SFRs) for 49 host galaxies, and metallicities ([O/H]) for 37. We find that RETs explode exclusively in star-forming galaxies and are thus likely associated with massive stars. Comparing RET hosts to samples of host galaxies of other explosive transients as well as field galaxies, we find that RETs prefer galaxies with high specific SFRs (〈log (sSFR)〉 ∼ −9.6), indicating a link to young stellar populations, similar to stripped-envelope SNe. RET hosts appear to show a lack of chemical enrichment, their metallicities akin to long-duration gamma-ray bursts and superluminous SN host galaxies (〈12 + log (O/H)〉 ∼ 9.4). There are no clear relationships between mass or SFR of the host galaxies and the peak magnitudes or decline rates of the transients themselves.

KW - Galaxies: abundances

KW - Galaxies: photometry

KW - Galaxies: star formation

KW - Transients: supernovae

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85094615894&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/mnras/staa2474

DO - 10.1093/mnras/staa2474

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VL - 498

SP - 2575

EP - 2593

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 2

ER -

The host galaxies of 106 rapidly evolving transients discovered by the Dark Energy Survey

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