Magnetar-powered Superluminous Supernovae Must First Be Exploded by Jets

Abstract

We analyze recent magnetar light-curve modeling of 38 hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) and find that the energies of the explosions themselves, which take place before the magnetar energy is released, are more than what the neutrino-driven explosion mechanism can supply for about half of the systems. These SLSNe must have been exploded by a different process than the delayed neutrino mechanism, most likely the jet feedback mechanism. The conclusion for magnetar modeling of SLSNe is that jets launched at magnetar birth cannot be ignored, not at the explosion itself and not later when mass fall-back might occur. More generally, the present analysis strengthens the call for a paradigm shift from neutrino-driven to jet-driven explosion models of all core collapse supernovae.