Magnetar Driven Shock Breakout and Double Peaked Supernova Light Curves

Understand

The light curves of some luminous supernovae are suspected to be powered by the spindown energy of a rapidly rotating magnetar.

• Here we describe a possible signature of the central engine: a burst of shock breakout emission occurring several days after the supernova explosion.
• The energy input from the magnetar inflates a high-pressure bubble that drives a shock through the pre-exploded supernova ejecta.
• If the magnetar is powerful enough, that shock will near the ejecta surface and become radiative.