Collaborative Research: The Aspherical Nature and Evolution of Supernovae

该奖项将支持对所有类型的超新星进行长期全面的光谱偏振测量。这项工作的主要目标是通过关注可观测的演化来提高对超新星爆炸中不对称性的特征和重要性的理解。旋光法允许人们探测超新星的空间尺度，这些空间尺度不能通过地球或太空的直接成像来分辨。通过揭示可能由光学深度依赖的几何形状引起的波长依赖的变化，分光偏振法进一步增强了这项技术的能力。近年来，越来越多的证据表明，几乎所有的超新星都偏离了球对称。这些结果，再加上能够进行全三维建模的计算能力的进步，揭示了这样一种可能性，即不对称性不仅是超新星可观察到的后果，而且实际上可能是爆炸机制本身的必然。研究人员将获得最亮的核坍塌和热核的重复光谱偏振测量。这些数据将通过光度学和高分辨率光谱学得到增强。随着偏振测量的诊断能力不断进步，特别是在巨型望远镜和时变天文学的时代，该项目预计将对天体物理学产生影响。该项目还将支持每个机构的若干外联和教育工作，并将有助于本科生和研究生的教育和培训。此外，霍夫曼博士将继续领导丹佛大学的天体物理合作研究(CORA)项目。该计划的基础是研究表明，参与团体研究项目可以增加女学生在科学和技术要求高的专业中的留存率。

This award will support a long-term comprehensive spectropolarimetric survey of all types of supernovae. The principal goal of this effort is to improve the understanding of the characteristics and importance of asymmetries in supernova explosions by focusing on the observable evolution. Polarimetry allows one to probe spatial scales in a supernova that cannot be resolved through direct imaging from earth or space. Spectropolarimetry further enhances the power of this technique by revealing wavelength dependent variations that may result from optical depth dependent geometries. In recent years, evidence has grown that nearly all supernovae exhibit departures from spherical symmetry. These results, together with advances in computing power that enable full three dimensional modeling, are exposing the possibility that asymmetries are not just observable consequences of supernovae, but may in fact be a necessity of the explosion mechanism itself. The investigators will obtain repeat spectropolarimetry of the brightest core collapse and thermonuclear. These data will be augmented with both photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy. The project is expected to have an impact on astrophysics as the diagnostic power of polarimetry continues to advance, especially in the era of giant telescopes and time-variable astronomy. This project will also support a number of outreach and education efforts at each institution and will contribute to the education and training of undergraduate and graduate students. In addition, Dr. Hoffman will continue her leadership of the Collaborative Research in Astrophysics (CORA) program at the University of Denver. This program is based on studies that show that participation in group research projects increases retention of female students in scientifically and technically demanding majors.