VLBI Observations of SN 1979C and SN 1986J

Abstract

We summarize our results on multi-epoch VLBI observations of SN 1979C in the galaxy M100 in Virgo, and of SN 1986 in the galaxy NGC 891. From t = 3.7 to 22 yr after the explosion, SN 1979C expands ≽ t m, almost freely, with m = 0.95 ± 0.03. For a total kinetic energy of 3 × 1051 erg, the expansion result requires a mass-loss to wind-velocity ratio for the progenitor of only 1 × 10−5 M⨀ yr−1per 10 km s−1, an order of magnitude smaller than estimated from radio light-curve fitting. We show a first image with slightly discernible structure of the supernova. For SN 1986J we present five images from 1987 to 2002 and show our result on moderately to strongly decelerated expansion with m = 0.71 ± 0.11. We comment on our result of an inversion of the radio spectrum in terms of the emergence of a possible pulsar nebula.