SN 2021wvw: A core-collapse supernova at the sub-luminous, slower, and shorter end of Type IIPs

We present detailed multi-band photometric and spectroscopic observations and analysis of a rare core-collapse supernova SN 2021wvw, that includes photometric evolution up to 250 d and spectroscopic coverage up to 100 d post-explosion. A unique event that does not fit well within the general trends observed for Type II-P supernovae, SN 2021wvw shows an intermediate luminosity with a short plateau phase of just about 75 d, followed by a very sharp (~10 d) transition to the tail phase. Even in the velocity space, it lies at a lower velocity compared to a larger Type II sample. The observed peak absolute magnitude is -16.1 mag in r-band, and the nickel mass is well constrained to 0.020(6) Msol. Detailed hydrodynamical modeling using MESA+STELLA suggests a radially compact, low-metallicity, high-mass Red Supergiant progenitor (ZAMS mass=18 Msol), which exploded with ~0.2e51 erg/s leaving an ejecta mass of Mej~5 Msol. Significant late-time fallback during the shock propagation phase is also seen in progenitor+explosion models consistent with the light curve properties. As the faintest short-plateau supernova characterized to date, this event adds to the growing diversity of transitional events between the canonical ~100 d plateau Type IIP and stripped-envelope events.