The Explosion Geometry of Red Supergiant Stars

红超巨星的爆炸几何

• 批准号: 1009571
• 负责人: Douglas Leonard
• 金额: $ 22.19万
• 依托单位: San Diego State University Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-07-01 至 2015-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1009571&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Explosion; Geometry; Red; Supergiant; Stars

This project will explore the mechanisms responsible for supernova explosions of the Type II-P ("plateau") type. These arise from isolated red supergiant stars with initial masses ranging from 8 to 16 times the mass of the Sun. Current data on a limited number of these events suggest that the mechanism produces strongly non-spherical explosions. Dr. Leonard will conduct new observations of polarized light from type II-P supernovae and will re-analyze data from earlier events. He and collaborators will also compare the data against theoretical models developed specifically for this type of supernova, with the goal of determining whether the explosion geometry of red supergiants is the same for all Type II-P events and to discover what that geometry is. The result will form a key discriminant for stellar explosion models at the lower end of the high-mass star sequence.The project will involve training graduate and undergraduate students in the acquisition, analysis, and publication of scientific data. To provide light curve information critical to the success of the spectropolarimetry program, the PI will exploit the research capabilities of his department's newly upgraded Mount Laguna Observatory facility by initiating a student-led program of optical and near-infrared photometric studies of supernovae.

该项目将探索II-P型(“高原”)超新星爆发的机制。它们来自孤立的红色超巨星，它们的初始质量是太阳的8到16倍。目前关于这些事件中有限数量的数据表明，该机制产生了强烈的非球形爆炸。伦纳德博士将对II-P型超新星的偏振光进行新的观测，并将重新分析早期事件的数据。他和他的合作者还将把这些数据与专门为这类超新星开发的理论模型进行比较，目的是确定红色超巨星的爆炸几何是否对所有II-P型事件都是相同的，并发现这种几何是什么。这一结果将形成大质量恒星序列低端恒星爆炸模型的关键判别式。该项目将包括培训研究生和本科生获取、分析和发布科学数据。为了提供对光谱偏振测量计划的成功至关重要的光曲线信息，PI将利用他所在系新升级的拉古纳山天文台设施的研究能力，启动一个由学生主导的超新星光学和近红外光度学研究计划。