Supernovae shock breakouts and their possible relation to gamma-ray bursts and X-ray flashes
by
Eli Waxman(Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel)
→
Europe/Stockholm
Nordita seminar room (132:028)
Nordita seminar room (132:028)
Description
During the past two years, Swift’s detectors provided the first prompt
identifications of supernova explosions: The usual optical SN light
curve of two type Ib/c SNe was observed to be preceded by a luminous
X-ray outburst followed by a ~1day duration UV emission. Following this
discovery, early UV emission was also detected for two type II-p SNe.
These discoveries provide us with new tools for studying SNe, and may
allow us to conduct efficient SN searches. The origin of the X-ray
outburst is still debated- some argue it is consitent with a "shock
breakout", while others argue it requires the presence of a relativistic
jet. This debate is closely related to open questions regarding the
association of SNe and GRBs, and to the physics governing the X/UV
emission. I will discuss the phenomenology and physics of shock
breakouts. Particular emphasis would be given to open questions, to the
underlying physics of relativistic radiation mediated shocks, and to the
proposed SN-GRB/XRF association.
