Revealing Supernova Progenitors with Las Cumbres Observatory

在拉斯康布雷斯天文台（LCO）工作的一组研究人员将利用这个望远镜网络的观测能力，探索爆炸天体物理瞬态物体研究的几个新前沿。研究小组将：(1)获得第一个观测到的神秘的和最近发现的快速上升发光瞬变样本；(2)开发第一个大样本的某一类型的爆炸恒星或超新星（Ia型），其中爆炸前的祖先的性质是通过观测爆炸抛射物撞击伴星时受到的冲击推断出来的；(3)研究另一种类型的超新星的祖先的后期恒星质量损失，称为核心坍缩超新星。LCO由22个机器人望远镜组成，它们分布在全球各地，能够进行快速的初始观测，随后进行数百天的持续观测。该项目将为全球超新星项目提供资金，该项目汇集了每个主要的本地宇宙超新星搜索计划的发现，筛选数百个潜在的候选者，并触发对电磁波谱中最有趣的目标的及时和长期监测。该研究项目还将通过让LCO学校项目的学生有机会与网络一起观察SNe，获得真实的科学数据，并从提供的课程中学习，从而促进教育。调查人员将进行公众宣传，包括公开演讲、广播、电视、印刷品和YouTube上的露面和采访。最后，通过LCO支持一个成功的公私伙伴关系应该鼓励更多的天文学私人资金。观测计划的目的是回答以下问题。(1)什么是快升光瞬变？提出的答案包括超新星的激波爆发，失败的蓝超巨星超新星，电子捕获超新星，退回到带有喷气机的笼罩的中央引擎，白矮星合并成为磁星，以及中等质量黑洞对恒星的潮汐破坏。这80多个观测不足的瞬态现象（只有AT2018cow被很好地观测到）是相同的现象吗？(2) Ia型超新星是否像目前认为的那样存在两类祖星系？对于单个致密天体祖先，推断出的伴星半径分布是怎样的？这些超新星在宿主星系属性、线速度、组成或亚型方面是否有共同的特征，从而使我们能够将它们划分为一个新的类别或通过其他方法识别它们？(3)有多少比例的超新星在超新星爆发前几周内从其祖先丢失的星周物质中获得了闪光电离特征？这与光度函数和其他特性有何关系？由激波冷却确定的核坍缩前体的半径和结构是什么？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。

A team of researchers working at the Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) will leverage the observing capability of this network of telescopes to probe several new frontiers of research in explosive astrophysical transient objects. The research team will: (1) obtain the first well-observed sample of mysterious and recently discovered Fast Rising Luminous Transients; (2) develop the first large sample of a certain type of exploding star or supernova (Type Ia) for which the nature of the pre-explosion progenitor is inferred from observations of the explosion ejecta being shocked by hitting a companion star, and (3) study late-stage stellar mass loss from the progenitors of a different type of supernova, called a core-collapse supernova. The LCO consists of a network of 22 robotic telescopes spaced around the globe, which are capable of rapid initial observations followed by continuing SNe observations for hundreds of days. This project will help to fund the Global Supernova Project, which pools discoveries from every major local universe supernova search program, screens hundreds of potential candidates, and triggers prompt and long-term monitoring of the most interesting targets across the electromagnetic spectrum. The research project will also foster education by giving students in the LCO schools program opportunities to observe SNe with the network, obtain real science data, and learn from provided curricula. The investigators will engage in public outreach including public talks, radio, TV, print, and YouTube appearances and interviews. Finally, supporting a successful public-private partnership through the LCO should encourage more private funding of astronomy.The observing program has an aim of answering the following questions. (1) What are Fast Rising Luminous Transients? Proposed answers range from the shock breakout of a supernova, a failed blue supergiant supernova, an electron capture supernova, fallback onto a shrouded central engine with jets, the merger of white dwarfs to become a magnetar, and the tidal disruption of a star by an intermediate mass black hole. Are these more than 80 poorly observed transients (only AT2018cow has been well observed) even the same phenomena? (2) Are there two classes of SN Ia progenitors as is currently thought? For the single compact object progenitors, what is the distribution of inferred companion radii? Do these SNe share traits in terms of host galaxy properties, line velocities, composition, or subtype, which would allow us to separate them into a new class or identify them by other means? (3) What fraction of supernovae have flash ionized features from circumstellar material lost by the progenitor in the weeks before the SN and how does this correlate with the luminosity function and other properties? What are the radii and structure of core-collapse progenitors as determined from shock cooling?This 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.