The Radio Luminosity-risetime Function of Core-collapse Supernovae

We assemble a large set of 2-10 GHz radio flux density measurements and upper limits of 294 different supernovae (SNe), from the literature and our own and archival data. Only 31% of SNe were detected. We characterize the SN radio lightcurves near the peak using a two-parameter model, with t(pk) being the time to rise to a peak and L-pk the spectral luminosity at that peak. Over all SNe in our sample at D < 100 Mpc, we find that t(pk) = 10(1.7 +/- 0.9) days and that L-pk = 10(25.5 +/- 1.6) erg s(-1) Hz(-1), and therefore that generally 50% of SNe will have L-pk L-pk values are similar to 30 times lower than those for only detected SNe. Types Ib/c and II (excluding IIn's) have similar mean values of L-pk but the former have a wider range, whereas Type IIn SNe have similar to 10 times higher values with L-pk = 10(26.5 +/- 1.1) erg s(-1) Hz(-1). As for t(pk), Type Ib/c have t(pk) of only 10(1.1 +/- 0.5) days while Type II have t(pk) = 10(1.6 +/- 1.0) and Type IIn the longest timescales with t(pk) = 10(3.1 +/- 0.7) days. We also estimate the distribution of progenitor mass-loss rates, (M) over dot, and find that the mean and standard deviation of log(10) ((M) over dot[M-circle dot yr(-1)]) are -5.4 +/- 1.2 (assuming v(wind) = 1000 km s(-1)) for Type Ib/c SNe, and -6.9 +/- 1.4 (assuming v(wind) = 10 km s(-1)) for Type II SNe excluding Type IIn.

Automated summary

The study found that 50% of supernovae within a distance less than 100 Mpc have similar spectral luminosity at peak, but the spectral luminosity values of undetected supernovae are generally about 30 times lower than those detected. Different types of supernovae show variations in spectral luminosity and time to peak, with Type IIn supernovae having the highest spectral luminosity and longest time to peak.