Insights from modelling magnetar-driven light curves of stripped-envelope supernovae

Abstract

This work presents the semi-analytical light curve modelling results of 11 stripped-envelope SNe (SESNe), where millisecond magnetars potentially drive their light curves. The light-curve modelling is performed utilizing the ${\chi }^2$-minimization code MINIM considering millisecond magnetar as a central engine powering source. The magnetar model well regenerates the bolometric light curves of all the SESNe in the sample and constrains numerous physical parameters, including magnetar’s initial spin period ($P_i$) and magnetic field ($B$), explosion energy of supernova ($E_{\text{exp}}$), progenitor radius ($R_{\text{p}}$), etc. Within the sample, the superluminous SNe 2010kd and 2020ank exhibit the lowest $B$ and $P_i$ values, while the relativistic Ic broad-line SN 2012ap shows the highest values for both parameters. The explosion energy for all SESNe in the sample (except SN 2019cad), exceeding $\gtrsim$2 × 10⁵¹ erg, indicates there is a possibility of a jittering jet explosion mechanism driving these events. Additionally, a correlation analysis identifies linear dependencies among parameters derived from light curve analysis, revealing positive correlations between rise and decay times, $P_i$ and $B$, $P_i$ and $R_{\text{p}}$, and $E_{\text{exp}}$ and $R_{\text{p}}$, as well as strong anti-correlations of $P_i$ and $B$ with the peak luminosity. Principal Component Analysis is also applied to key parameters to reduce dimensionality, allowing a clearer visualization of SESNe distribution in a lower-dimensional space. This approach highlights the diversity in SESNe characteristics, underscoring unique physical properties and behaviour across different events in the sample. This study motivates further study on a more extended sample of SESNe to look for millisecond magnetars as their powering source.