Supernovae and their Environments

超新星是宇宙中能量最大的瞬态天体之一。它们的亮度短暂地超过了整个恒星星系，几乎所有重元素的形成都是由它们造成的。它们支配着星际介质的能量学。Ia型超新星可以说是研究暗能量最精确的宇宙探测器。

Supernovae are among the most energetic transient objects in the Universe. They briefly outshine entire galaxies of stars, and are responsible for the formation of almost all of the heavy elements. They dominate the energetics of the interstellar medium. Type Ia supernovae are arguably the most accurate cosmological probes for studying dark energy. In this proposal we will explore the many implications of the recently developed "white dwarf lifetime" model that explains the dependence of supernova rate on star formation rate. We will determine the delay time distribution of supernovae, a function that characterizes and constrains the nature of the stars that ultimately become supernovae. We will also extend our work to Type II supernovae (massive stars undergoing core collapse) in very luminous obscured galaxies known as ULIRGs. We will study the systematics of supernovae in different galaxy environments (clusters, radio galaxies, far infrared emitters). Finally we will improve the calibration of supernovae as distance indicators; this should lead to a better understanding of the nature of the elusive dark energy that dominates the expansion dynamics of the Universe.