Keele Research Repository

The recently discovered bright Type  II supernova OGLE14-073 evolved very slowly. The light curve rose to maximum for 90 d from discovery and then declined at a rate compatible with the radioactive decay of 56Co. In this study, we show that a pair-instability supernova is a plausible mechanism for this event. We calculate explosion models and light curves with the radiation hydrodynamics code STELLA starting from two MZAMS = 150 M⊙, Z = 0.001 progenitors. We obtain satisfactory fits to OGLE14-073 broad-band light curves by including additional 56Ni in the centre of the models and mixing hydrogen down into the inner layers of the ejecta to a radial mass coordinate of 10 M⊙. The extra 56Ni required points to a slightly more massive progenitor star. The mixing of hydrogen could be due to large-scale mixing during the explosion. We also present synthetic spectra for our models simulated with the Monte Carlo radiative transfer code ARTIS. The synthetic spectra reproduce the main features of the observed spectra of OGLE14-073. We conclude that OGLE14-073 is one of the most promising candidates for a pair-instability explosion.