DCT and Gemini Spectroscopic Classification of AT 2016bln (=iPTF 16abc)
ATel #8909; S. B. Cenko (GSFC), Y. Cao, M. Kasliwal (Caltech), A. A. Miller (JPL/Caltech), C. Fremling (OKC), M. West (Lowell), M. Gregg (UCD) and S. R. Kulkarni (Caltech) on behalf of the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory
on 5 Apr 2016; 14:27 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Supernovae
Credential Certification: S. Bradley Cenko (cenko@astro.berkeley.edu)
Subjects: Optical, Supernovae
We have obtained a low-resolution spectrum of AT 2016bln (=iPTF 16abc; Atel#8907) on 2016-04-05.27 UT using the DeVeny spectrograph on the Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT). The best match to AT 2016bln using SNID (Blondin and Tonry, 2007, ApJ, 666, 1024) and Superfit (Howell et al. 2005, ApJ, 634, 1190), respectively, were to SNe Ia of the 91T and 99a subclass, suggesting that the transient is an over-luminous SN Ia. A second low-resolution spectrum, obtained on 2016-04-05.38 UT with GMOS on the Gemini-N telescope in Hawaii, further supports the initial classification as an over-luminous Type Ia SN. The GMOS spectrum further provides a secure redshift for the source, z = 0.0235, based on the detection of the Na D absorption in the host galaxy. This unambiguously shows AT 2016bln is associated with NGC 5221.
The initial photometric detection at M_g = -15.8 mag (Atel#8907) means that AT 2016bln is one of the earliest detections of an over-luminous SN Ia made to date. Additional follow-up is ongoing and still encouraged for this young event.
