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

超新星是了解宇宙化学和恒星形成历史的重要组成部分。关于超新星的基本问题仍然困扰着科学家们。这个提议试图回答这样一个问题：超新星的祖先恒星系统是什么？它们是如何爆炸的？在超新星爆炸后的几个小时内，观测可以提供关于哪种类型的恒星爆炸以及如何爆炸的线索。这项研究将在爆炸后的12小时内，对非常近的星系进行为期3年、以次天为周期的超新星搜索。随后几小时或几天内，将立即使用双子座、雨燕和其他设施进行观测。这将有助于确定哪种类型的恒星爆炸成特定类型的超新星及其爆炸机制。该团队还将参加基特峰国家天文台的公众参观，每年有15,000名日间游客参加，并将更新STEM讲演员培训计划，介绍在该地点完成的科学。此外，学生从高中过渡到大学的STEM能力将通过基于本研究的一个模块来提高。天文学概论？在加州州立数学与科学暑期学校（COSMOS）上做报告。这项研究将使用两个小型望远镜，一个在智利，一个在澳大利亚，每12小时观察大约500个附近的星系。有了一个完全自动化的超新星探测系统，他们将几乎实时地发现非常年轻的超新星，对爆炸发生的时间有非常严格的限制。一旦发现超新星，就会立即向天文学界公布。将获得每次爆炸的最佳数据集。预计在爆炸后1天内将发现约10颗Ia型超新星和约20颗核心坍缩超新星。对于Ia型超新星，对早期光曲线特征的研究将揭示超新星喷发物与任何非简并伴星之间的56Ni分布和震波。这项研究还将寻找最有可能与白矮星伴星有关的碳物质。对于核心坍缩超新星，研究将研究从原始恒星表面爆发的激波，以及随后在最初数小时到数天内的冷却，从而可以测量原始恒星的半径和星周物质组成。研究结果将用于约束每颗超新星的起源和爆炸机制。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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 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.