Probing type Ia supernova properties using bolometric light curves from the Carnegie Supernova Project and the CfA Supernova Group

Richard A. Scalzo, Emilie Parent, Christopher Burns, Michael J. Childress, Brad E. Tucker, Peter J. Brown, Carlos Contreras, Eric Hsiao, Kevin Krisciunas, Nidia Morrell, Mark M. Phillips, Anthony L. Piro, Maximilian Stritzinger, Nicholas Suntzeff

Published 2018-11-21Version 1

We present bolometric light curves constructed from multi-wavelength photometry of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the Carnegie Supernova Project and the CfA Supernova Group, using near-infrared observations to provide robust constraints on host galaxy dust extinction. This set of light curves form a well-measured reference set for comparison with theoretical models. Ejected mass and synthesized $^{56}$Ni mass are inferred for each SN Ia from its bolometric light curve using a semi-analytic Bayesian light curve model, and fitting formulae provided in terms of light curve width parameters from the SALT2 and SNooPy light curve fitters. A weak bolometric width-luminosity relation is confirmed, along with a correlation between ejected mass and the bolometric light curve width. SNe Ia likely to have sub-Chandrasekhar ejected masses belong preferentially to the broad-line and cool-photosphere spectroscopic subtypes, and have higher photospheric velocities and populate older, higher-mass host galaxies than SNe Ia consistent with Chandrasekhar-mass explosions. Two peculiar events, SN 2006bt and SN 2006ot, have normal peak luminosities but appear to have super-Chandrasekhar ejected masses.