Photometric Evolution of SNe Ib/c 2004ao, 2004gk and 2006gi
  Photometric observations of three core collapse supernovae (SNe 2004ao,
2004gk and 2006gi), covering about 200 days of evolution are presented and
analyzed. The photometric behaviour of the three objects is consistent with
their membership of the envelope-stripped type Ib/c class. Pseudo-bolometric
light curves are constructed. The corresponding measured $e$-folding times are
found to be faster compared to the $^{56}$Co decay (i.e. 111.3 d), suggesting
that a proportion of $\gamma$-rays increasing with time have escaped without
thermalization, owing to the low mass nature of the ejecta. SN 2006gi has
almost identical post maximum decline phase luminosities as SN 1999ex, and
found to be similar to both SNe 1999dn and 1999ex in terms of the
quasi-bolometric shape, placing it among the fast decliner Ib objects. SN
2004ao appears to fit within the slow decliner Ib SNe. SNe 2004ao and 2004gk
display almost identical luminosities in the [50-100] days time interval,
similar to SN 1993J. A preliminary simplified $\gamma -$ray deposition model is
described and applied to the computed pseudo-bolometric light curves, allowing
one to find a range in the ejecta and $^{56}$Ni masses. The optical and
quasi-bolometric light curves, and the $B-V$ colour evolution of SN 2004gk are
found to show a sudden drop after day 150. Correlating this fact to dust
formation is premature and requires further observational evidence.
