Collaborative Research: Physics and Progenitors of Cosmic Explosions with a Sub-day Cadence Supernova Search

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Supernovae are an essential ingredient for understanding the chemical and star formation history of the Universe. Basic questions about supernovae continue to perplex scientists This proposal seeks to answer the question: What are the progenitor star systems of supernovae, and how do they explode? In the immediate few hours after a supernova explosion, observations can provide clues as to what type of star exploded, and how. This research will carry out a 3-year, sub-day cadence supernova search of very nearby galaxies, within 12 hours of explosion. This will be followed immediately in the hours and days after by observations using Gemini, Swift, and other facilities. This will help determine which types of stars explode into particular types of supernovae and their explosion mechanism. The research team will also participate in public tours at Kitt Peak National Observatory, which are attended by 15,000 daytime guests annually, and will update the docent training program in STEM in the description of the science accomplished at this site. Further, the STEM abilities of students transitioning from high school to college will be improved by a module based on this research entitled ?Introduction to Astronomy? for presentation at the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS).This research will use two small telescopes, one in Chile and one in Australia, to look at the same ~500 nearby galaxies every 12 hours. With a totally automated supernovae detection system, they will find very young supernovae in nearly real time, with very tight limits on when the explosion occurred. Once a supernova is discovered, it will be immediately announced to the astronomical community. The best possible data set on each explosion will be obtained. It is expected that about 10 type Ia supernovae and about 20 core collapse supernovae will be discovered within 1 day of explosion. For type Ia supernovae, study of the early light curve signatures will reveal the distribution of 56Ni and of shocking between the supernova ejecta and any non-degenerate companion star. The research will also hunt for the carbon material most likely associated with a companion progenitor white dwarf. For core collapse supernovae, the research will study the shock breakout from the surface of the progenitor star, and the subsequent cooling in the initial hours to days afterwards, which allows for a measurement of the progenitor star's radius and circumstellar material composition. The results will be used to constrain the progenitor and explosion mechanism of each supernovaThis award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.