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Polarimetry as a window into supernova explosions and progenitors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2015

Jennifer L. Hoffman
Jennifer L. Hoffman*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Denver 2112 E. Wesley Ave., Denver, CO 80210, USA email: [email protected]
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Abstract

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Supernovae of all types exhibit time-dependent spectropolarimetric signatures produced primarily by electron scattering. These reveal the presence of aspherical and variable phenomena such as complex velocity structures, changing illumination, and asymmetric or clumpy morphologies within the ejecta or surrounding circumstellar material. In addition, the gradual thinning of the ejecta over time allows us to probe different scattering regions as the supernova evolves. Interpreting the time variations of these spectropolarimetric signatures yields unprecedentedly detailed information about supernova explosion mechanisms, the physical processes that shape the density and velocity distributions of the ejecta and circumstellar material, and the properties of the progenitor star.

I present an overview of supernova spectropolarimetry, highlighting recent observational and computational results. This versatile technique helps us to constrain explosion mechanisms, connect SNe with their massive progenitors (as well as other high-energy transient phenomena such as GRBs), and investigate the process of stellar evolution in other galaxies.

Keywords

polarizationinstrumentation: polarimeterstechniques: polarimetriccatalogsstars: mass lossstars: windsoutflowssupernovae: general
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 10 , Symposium S305: Polarimetry: From the Sun to Stars and Stellar Environments , December 2014 , pp. 269 - 274
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2015 

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