Detecting unresolved lensed SNe Ia in LSST using blended light curves

Strong-gravitationally lensed supernovae (LSNe) are promising probes for providing absolute distance measurements using gravitational lens time delays. Spatially unresolved LSNe offer an opportunity to enhance the sample size for precision cosmology. We predict that there will be approximately 3 times more unresolved than resolved LSNe Ia in the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) by the Rubin Observatory. In this article, we explore the feasibility of detecting unresolved LSNe Ia from the shape of the observed blended light curves using deep learning techniques, and we find that ∼ 30% can be detected with a simple 1D CNN using well-sampled rizy-band light curves (with a false-positive rate of ∼ 3%). Even when the light curve is well-observed in only a single band among r, i, and z, detection is still possible with false-positive rates ranging from ∼ 4-7%, depending on the band. Furthermore, we demonstrate that these unresolved cases can be detected at an early stage using light curves up to ∼20 days from the first observation, with well-controlled false-positive rates, providing ample opportunities for triggering follow-up observations. Additionally, we demonstrate the feasibility of time-delay estimations using solely LSST-like data of unresolved light curves, particularly for doubles, when excluding systems with low time delay and magnification ratio. However, the abundance of such systems among those unresolved in LSST poses a significant challenge. This approach holds potential utility for upcoming wide-field surveys, and overall results could significantly improve with enhanced cadence and depth in the future surveys.