SPIRITS: Uncovering Unusual Infrared Transients with Spitzer

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dc.contributor.authorKasliwal, Mansi M
dc.contributor.authorBally, John
dc.contributor.authorMasci, Frank
dc.contributor.authorCody, Ann Marie
dc.contributor.authorBond, Howard E
dc.contributor.authorJencson, Jacob E
dc.contributor.authorCao, Yi
dc.contributor.authorBoyer, Martha
dc.contributor.authorCantiello, Matteo
dc.contributor.authorCook, David
dc.contributor.authorHsiao, Eric
dc.contributor.authorKhan, Rubab M
dc.contributor.authorMilne, Peter
dc.contributor.authorMorrell, Nidia
dc.contributor.authorOfek, Eran O
dc.contributor.authorPerley, Daniel A
dc.contributor.authorPhillips, Mark
dc.contributor.authorPrince, Thomas A
dc.contributor.authorShenoy, Dinesh
dc.contributor.authorSurace, Jason
dc.contributor.authorDyk, Schuyler D Van
dc.contributor.authorWhitelock, Patricia A
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, Robert
dc.date.accessioned2021-10-08T07:20:41Z
dc.date.available2021-10-08T07:20:41Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.description.abstractWe present an ongoing, five-year systematic search for extragalactic infrared transients, dubbed SPIRITS—SPitzer InfraRed Intensive Transients Survey. In the first year, using Spitzer /IRAC, we searched 190 nearby galaxies with cadence baselines of one month and six months. We discovered over 1958 variables and 43 transients. Here, we describe the survey design and highlight 14 unusual infrared transients with no optical counterparts to deep limits, which we refer to as SPRITEs (eSPecially Red Intermediate-luminosity Transient Events). SPRITEs are in the infrared luminosity gap between novae and supernovae, with [4.5] absolute magnitudes between −11 and −14 (Vega-mag) and [3.6]–[4.5] colors between 0.3 mag and 1.6 mag. The photometric evolution of SPRITEs is diverse, ranging from <0.1 mag yr{sup −1} to >7 mag yr{sup −1}. SPRITEs occur in star-forming galaxies. We present an in-depth study of one of them, SPIRITS 14ajc in Messier 83, which shows shock-excited molecular hydrogen emission. This shock may have been triggered by the dynamic decay of a non-hierarchical system of massive stars that led to either the formation of a binary or a protostellar merger.
dc.identifier.apacitationKasliwal, M. M., Bally, J., Masci, F., Cody, A. M., Bond, H. E., Jencson, J. E., ... Williams, R. (2017). SPIRITS: Uncovering Unusual Infrared Transients with Spitzer. <i>The Astrophysical Journal</i>, 839(2), 88 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34981en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationKasliwal, Mansi M, John Bally, Frank Masci, Ann Marie Cody, Howard E Bond, Jacob E Jencson, Yi Cao, et al "SPIRITS: Uncovering Unusual Infrared Transients with Spitzer." <i>The Astrophysical Journal</i> 839, 2. (2017): 88 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34981en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationKasliwal, M.M., Bally, J., Masci, F., Cody, A.M., Bond, H.E., Jencson, J.E., Cao, Y. & Boyer, M. et al. 2017. SPIRITS: Uncovering Unusual Infrared Transients with Spitzer. <i>The Astrophysical Journal.</i> 839(2):88 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34981en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0004-637X
dc.identifier.issn1538-4357
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Kasliwal, Mansi M AU - Bally, John AU - Masci, Frank AU - Cody, Ann Marie AU - Bond, Howard E AU - Jencson, Jacob E AU - Cao, Yi AU - Boyer, Martha AU - Cantiello, Matteo AU - Cook, David AU - Hsiao, Eric AU - Khan, Rubab M AU - Milne, Peter AU - Morrell, Nidia AU - Ofek, Eran O AU - Perley, Daniel A AU - Phillips, Mark AU - Prince, Thomas A AU - Shenoy, Dinesh AU - Surace, Jason AU - Dyk, Schuyler D Van AU - Whitelock, Patricia A AU - Williams, Robert AB - We present an ongoing, five-year systematic search for extragalactic infrared transients, dubbed SPIRITS—SPitzer InfraRed Intensive Transients Survey. In the first year, using Spitzer /IRAC, we searched 190 nearby galaxies with cadence baselines of one month and six months. We discovered over 1958 variables and 43 transients. Here, we describe the survey design and highlight 14 unusual infrared transients with no optical counterparts to deep limits, which we refer to as SPRITEs (eSPecially Red Intermediate-luminosity Transient Events). SPRITEs are in the infrared luminosity gap between novae and supernovae, with [4.5] absolute magnitudes between −11 and −14 (Vega-mag) and [3.6]–[4.5] colors between 0.3 mag and 1.6 mag. The photometric evolution of SPRITEs is diverse, ranging from <0.1 mag yr{sup −1} to >7 mag yr{sup −1}. SPRITEs occur in star-forming galaxies. We present an in-depth study of one of them, SPIRITS 14ajc in Messier 83, which shows shock-excited molecular hydrogen emission. This shock may have been triggered by the dynamic decay of a non-hierarchical system of massive stars that led to either the formation of a binary or a protostellar merger. DA - 2017 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town IS - 2 J1 - The Astrophysical Journal LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2017 SM - 0004-637X SM - 1538-4357 T1 - SPIRITS: Uncovering Unusual Infrared Transients with Spitzer TI - SPIRITS: Uncovering Unusual Infrared Transients with Spitzer UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34981 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/34981
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationKasliwal MM, Bally J, Masci F, Cody AM, Bond HE, Jencson JE, et al. SPIRITS: Uncovering Unusual Infrared Transients with Spitzer. The Astrophysical Journal. 2017;839(2):88 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34981.en_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Astronomy
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Science
dc.sourceThe Astrophysical Journal
dc.source.journalissue2
dc.source.journalvolume839
dc.source.pagination88 - 177
dc.source.urihttps://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa6978
dc.subject.otherastrophysics
dc.subject.othercosmology and astronomy
dc.subject.othercolor
dc.subject.otherdecay
dc.subject.otheremission
dc.subject.othergalaxies
dc.subject.otherhydrogen
dc.subject.otherluminosity
dc.subject.othermass transfer
dc.subject.othernovae
dc.subject.otherstar evolution
dc.subject.otherstellar winds
dc.subject.othersupernovae
dc.titleSPIRITS: Uncovering Unusual Infrared Transients with Spitzer
dc.typeJournal Article
uct.type.publicationResearch
uct.type.resourceJournal Article
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