Astron. Astrophys. 337, 207-215 (1998)

5. Conclusions

We have studied the Type Ib SN 1996N both photometrically and spectroscopically at rather late phases. The optical light curves decline substantially faster than the decay rate of 56 Co , indicating leakage of -rays. The light curve slopes seem similar, but somewhat steeper, than the light curves of SN 1993J. Unless SN 1996N is heavily reddened, it is underluminous compared to SN 1993J. The spectra of SN 1996N are strikingly similar to those of SN 1993J. In particular, it is tempting to identify the broad red wing of [O i] 6364 with also in SN 1996N. The presence of in the late spectrum of a SN Ib would further strengthen the belief that SN II and SN Ib/c are just variations of the same core collapse theme. Finally, the substantial blueshifts of the emission lines of SN 1996N may be an indication of large scale asymmetries in the ejecta. Further studies of core-collapse SNe at late epochs will clarify how common the phenomena discussed in this paper are.

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1998

Online publication: August 6, 1998
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