JWST Observations of SN 2023ixf. I. Completing the Early Multiwavelength Picture with Plateau-phase Spectroscopy

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Abstract
We present and analyze panchromatic (0.35–14 μ m) spectroscopy of the Type II supernova 2023ixf, including near- and mid-infrared spectra obtained 33.6 days after explosion during the plateau phase, with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This is the first in a series of papers examining the evolution of SN 2023ixf with JWST during the initial 1000 days after explosion and monitoring the formation and growth of molecules and dust in ejecta and the surrounding environment. The JWST infrared spectra are overwhelmingly dominated by H lines, whose profiles reveal ejecta structures, including flat tops, blue notches, and red shoulders, unseen in the optical spectra. We characterize the nature of these structures, concluding that they likely result from a combination of ejecta geometry, viewing angle, and opacity effects. We find no evidence for the formation of dust precursor molecules such as carbon monoxide (CO), nor do we observe an infrared excess attributable to dust. These observations imply that the detections of molecules and dust in SN 2023ixf at later epochs arise either from freshly synthesized material within the ejecta or circumstellar material at radii not yet heated by the supernova at this epoch.
Funding Information
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-GO-02114)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-GO-02122)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-GO-03726)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-DD-04436)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-DD-04522)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-GO-04217)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-DD-04575)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-GO-5057)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-GO-5290)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-GO-6023)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-GO-6582)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (JWST-DD-6677)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (HST-AR-17555)
  • National Science Foundation (AST-230639)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NSSC23K1431)
  • Government of Catalonia ∣ Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (PID2023-151307NB-100)
  • Independent Research Fund Denmark (10.46540/2032-00022B)
  • Aarhus Universitets Forskningsfond (auff-e-2023-9-28)
  • Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2023-240)
  • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (PIE 20215AT016)
  • Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (CEX2020-001058-M)
  • MEC ∣ Agencia Estatal de Investigación (10.13039/501100011033)
  • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ILINK23001)
  • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (COOPB2304)
  • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (2021-SGR-01270)

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