Calculations by scientists have found highly magnetized, rapidly spinning neutron¹ stars called magnetars could explain the energy source behind two extremely unusual stellar explosions. Stellar explosions known as supernovae usually shine a billion times brighter than the Sun. Super-luminous² supernovae (SLSNe) are a relatively³ new and rare class of stellar explosions, 10 to 100 times brighter than normal supernovae. But the energy source of their super-luminosity, and explosion mechanisms⁴ are a mystery and remain controversial amongst scientists.

 

A group of researchers led by Melina Bersten, an Instituto de Astrofisica de La Plata Researcher and affiliate⁵ member of Kavli IPMU, and including Kavli IPMU Principal Investigator⁶ Ken'ichi Nomoto, tested a model that suggests that the energy to power the luminosity of two recently discovered SLSNe, SN 2011kl and ASASSN-15lh, is mainly due to the rotational⁷ energy lost by a newly born magnetar. They analyzed⁸ two recently discovered super-luminous supernovae: SN 2011kl and ASASSN-15lh.

 

"These supernovae can be found in very distant universe, thus possibly informing us the properties of the first stars of the universe," said Nomoto.

 

Interestingly, both explosions were found to be extreme cases of SLSNe. First, SN 2011kl was discovered in 2011 and is the first supernovae to have an ultra long gamma-ray burst that lasted several hours, whereas typical long-duration gamma-ray bursts fade in a matter of minutes. The second, ASASSN-15lh, was discovered in 2015 and is possibly the most luminous and powerful explosion ever seen, more than 500 times brighter than normal supernovae. For more than a month its luminosity was 20 times brighter than the whole Milky⁹ Way galaxy¹⁰.

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