Interaction-powered supernovae: Rise-time vs. peak-luminosity correlation and the shock-breakout velocity

Understand

Interaction of supernova (SN) ejecta with the optically thick circumstellar medium (CSM) of a progenitor star can result in a bright, long-lived shock breakout event.

• Candidates for such SNe include Type IIn and superluminous SNe.
• If some of these SNe are powered by interaction, then there should be a relation between their peak luminosity, bolometric light-curve rise time, and shock-breakout velocity.
• Given that the shock velocity during shock breakout is not measured, we expect a correlation, with a significant spread, between the rise time and the peak luminosity of these SNe.