[O I] λλ6300, 6364 IN THE NEBULAR SPECTRUM OF A SUBLUMINOUS TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA

In this Letter, a late-phase spectrum of SN 2010lp, a subluminous Type Ia supernova (SN Ia), is presented and analyzed. As in 1991bg-like SNe Ia at comparable epochs, the spectrum is characterized by relatively broad [Fe II] and [Ca II] emission lines. However, instead of narrow [Fe III] and [Co III] lines that dominate the emission from the innermost regions of 1991bg-like supernovae (SNe), SN 2010lp shows [O I] λλ6300, 6364 emission, usually associated with core-collapse SNe and never previously observed in a subluminous thermonuclear explosion. The [O I] feature has a complex profile with two strong, narrow emission peaks. This suggests that oxygen is distributed in a non-spherical region close to the center of the ejecta, severely challenging most thermonuclear explosion models discussed in the literature. We conclude that, given these constraints, violent mergers are presently the most promising scenario to explain SN 2010lp