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The Carnegie Supernova Project: Intrinsic Colors of Type Ia Supernovae
  • Chris Burns
Chris Burns

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

We present an updated analysis of the intrinsic colors of SNe Ia using the latest data release of the Carnegie Supernova Project. We introduce a new light-curve parameter very similar to stretch that is better suited for fast-declining events, and find that these peculiar types can be seen as extensions to the population of “normal” SNe Ia. With a larger number of objects, an updated fit to the Lira relation is presented along with evidence for a dependence on the late-time slope of the \(B-V\) light-curves with stretch and color. Using the full wavelength range from \(u\) to \(H\) band, we place constraints on the reddening law for the sample as a whole and also for individual events/hosts based solely on the observed colors. The photometric data continue to favor low values of \(R_{V}\), though with large variations from event to event, indicating an intrinsic distribution. We confirm the findings of other groups that there appears to be a correlation between the derived reddening law, \(R_{V}\), and the color excess, \(E(B-V)\), such that larger \(E(B-V)\) tends to favor lower \(R_{V}\). The intrinsic \(u\)-band colors show a relatively large scatter that cannot be explained by variations in \(R_{V}\) or by the \citet{Goobar:2008} power-law for circumstellar dust, but rather is correlated with spectroscopic features of the supernova and is therefore likely due to metallicity effects.