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[54.06] Late Light Curves of Normally-luminous Type Ia Supernovae.

J. C. Lair, M. D. Leising (Clemson University), P. A. Milne, G. G. Williams (Steward Observatory)

The use of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) as cosmological tools has reinforced the need to better understand these objects and their light curves. The light curves of Type Ia supernovae are powered by the products of the ⁵⁶Ni and ⁵⁶Co decay, with the late time light curve being powered specifically by the deposition of positron kinetic energy (from the ⁵⁶Co decay) into the supernova ejecta. Previous studies of the late light curves of SNe Ia have modeled two different treatments of the positron energy deposition. One treatment being the complete and instantaneous trapping of all positrons in radiation transport and the other being energy deposition modeling transporting the positrons through the ejecta and allowing a fraction of them to escape. The latter technique resulting from the idea that SNe Ia could be the source of positrons contributing to the Galactic 511 keV line emission. One way to attempt to distinguish between the models is studying the shape of the late light curves. We present the late light curves of seven ``normal" SNe Ia, with photometry obtained by template image subtraction, and discuss their implications for the treatment of positrons in SNe Ia models.

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #4
© 2005. The American Astronomical Soceity.