SN 2017egm: A Helium-rich Superluminous Supernova with Multiple Bumps in the Light Curves

Abstract

When discovered, SN 2017egm was the closest (redshift z = 0.03) hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova (SLSN-I) and a rare case that exploded in a massive and metal-rich galaxy. Thus, it has since been extensively observed and studied. We report spectroscopic data showing strong emission at around He i λ10830 and four He i absorption lines in the optical. Consequently, we classify SN 2017egm as a member of an emerging population of helium-rich SLSNe-I (i.e., SLSNe-Ib). We also present our late-time photometric observations. By combining them with archival data, we analyze high-cadence ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared light curves spanning from early pre-peak (∼−20 days) to late phases (∼+300 days). We obtain its most complete bolometric light curve, in which multiple bumps are identified. None of the previously proposed models can satisfactorily explain all main light-curve features, while multiple interactions between the ejecta and circumstellar material (CSM) may explain the undulating features. The prominent infrared excess with a blackbody luminosity of 107–108 L ⊙ detected in SN 2017egm could originate from the emission of either an echo of a pre-existing dust shell or newly formed dust, offering an additional piece of evidence supporting the ejecta–CSM interaction model. Moreover, our analysis of deep Chandra observations yields the tightest-ever constraint on the X-ray emission of an SLSN-I, amounting to an X-ray-to-optical luminosity ratio ≲10−3 at late phases (∼100–200 days), which could help explore its close environment and central engine.