Double “acct”: A Distinct Double-peaked Supernova Matching Pulsational Pair Instability Models

Abstract

We present multiwavelength data of SN 2020acct, a double-peaked stripped-envelope supernova (SN) in NGC 2981 at ∼150 Mpc. The two peaks are temporally distinct, with maxima separated by 58 rest-frame days and a factor of 20 reduction in flux between. The first is luminous (Mr = −18.00 ± 0.02 mag) and blue (g − r = 0.27 ± 0.03 mag) and displays spectroscopic signatures of interaction with hydrogen-free circumstellar material. The second peak is fainter (Mr = −17.29 ± 0.03 mag) and has some spectroscopic similarities to an evolved stripped-envelope SN, with strong forbidden [Ca ii] and [O ii] features. No other known double-peaked SN exhibits a light curve similar to that of SN 2020acct. We find the likelihood of two individual SNe occurring in the same star-forming region within that time to be highly improbable, while an implausibly fine-tuned configuration would be required to produce two SNe from a single binary system. We find that the peculiar properties of SN 2020acct match models of pulsational pair instability (PPI), in which the initial peak is produced by collisions of shells of ejected material, shortly followed by core collapse. Pulsations from a star with a 72 M⊙ helium core provide an excellent match to the double-peaked light curve. The local galactic environment has a metallicity of 0.4 Z⊙, a level where massive single stars are not expected to retain enough mass to encounter the PPI. However, late binary mergers or a low-metallicity pocket may allow the required core mass. We measure the rate of SN 2020acct–like events to be <3.3 × 10−8 Mpc−3 yr−1 at z = 0.07, or <0.1% of the total core-collapse SN rate.