Modeling Asymmetric Forbidden Line Emission Profiles in Supernovae with Clumping

There are some supernovae that display emission line profiles that are asymmetric in shape. One cause for asymmetry could be an in-homogeneous density distribution, or “clumps”. We explore the effects of clumps on the emission line profiles of forbidden lines. Our model assumes the ejecta shell is spherically symmetric in velocity, with a central cavity. The model assigns density perturbations to conical sections in the ejecta. To model the emission profile for a forbidden line, we use Sobolev theory. Our model gives asymmetric profiles when the clumping is introduced. The amount of asymmetry varies with the range of density perturbations allowed, and the relative asymmetry evolves in time. Subject headings: line: profiles—supernovae: core-collapse