Chandra X-ray constraints on the candidate Ca-rich gap transient SN 2016hnk



: Sell PH, Arur K, Maccarone TJ, Kotak R, Knigge C, Sand DJ, Valenti S

Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS

: 2018

: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

: MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

: MON NOT R ASTRON SOC

: 475

: 1

: L111

: L115

: 5

: 0035-8711

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/sly011

: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/38783567


We present a Chandra observation of SN 2016hnk, a candidate Ca-rich gap transient. This observation was specifically designed to test whether or not this transient was the result of the tidal detonation of a white dwarf by an intermediate-mass black hole. Since we detect no X-ray emission 28 d after the discovery of the transient, as predicted from fall-back accretion, we rule out this model. Our upper limit of similar to 10M(circle dot) does not allow us to rule out a neutron star or stellar-mass black hole detonator due limits on the sensitivity of Chandra to soft X-rays and unconstrained variables tied to the structure of super-Eddington accretion discs. Together with other Chandra and multiwavelength observations, our analysis strongly argues against the intermediate-mass black hole tidal detonation scenario for Ca-rich gap transients more generally.

Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 20:10