Revealing Supernova Progenitors with Las Cumbres Observatory

在Las Cumbres天文台（LCO）工作的一组研究人员将利用这一望远镜网络的观测能力，探索爆炸性天体物理瞬态物体研究的几个新领域。研究小组将：（1）获得第一个观测良好的神秘和最近发现的快速上升发光瞬变样本;（2）开发出第一个大样本的某类爆炸星星或超新星（Ia型），根据爆炸喷出物撞击伴星星星的观测结果推断出爆炸前祖先的性质，（3）研究一种不同类型的超新星（称为核心坍缩超新星）的前身的后期恒星质量损失。 LCO由22台机器人望远镜组成的网络组成，这些望远镜分布在地球仪周围，能够进行快速的初始观测，然后继续进行数百天的SNe观测。该项目将有助于资助全球超新星项目，该项目汇集了来自每个主要的地方宇宙超新星搜索计划的发现，筛选了数百个潜在的候选者，并触发了对整个电磁频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为LCO学校计划的学生提供利用网络观察SNe的机会来促进教育，获得真实的科学数据，并从提供的课程中学习。调查人员将参与公共宣传活动，包括公开演讲、广播、电视、印刷品和YouTube露面和采访。 最后，通过LCO支持一个成功的公私合作伙伴关系应该鼓励更多的私人天文学资金。(1)什么是快速上升的发光瞬变？ 提出的答案范围从超新星的冲击爆发，失败的蓝超巨星超新星，电子捕获超新星，回落到一个有喷流的笼罩中央发动机，白色矮星合并成为磁星，以及中等质量黑洞对星星的潮汐破坏。这80多个观测不佳的瞬变（只有AT 2018 cow被很好地观测到）甚至是相同的现象吗？ (2)是否有两类Ia型超新星的祖先是目前认为的？ 对于单个致密天体的祖先，推断出的伴星半径分布是什么？这些SNe是否在宿主星系的性质、线速度、组成或亚型方面具有共同的特征，这将使我们能够将它们分成一个新的类别或通过其他方式识别它们？ (3)在超新星爆发前的几周里，有多少超新星具有星周物质的闪光电离特征？这与光度函数和其他性质有什么关系？由冲击冷却所决定的核心坍缩先驱体的半径和结构是什么？该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是值得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的支持。

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.