by
DrAvishay Gal-Yam(Weizmann Institute Of Science)
→
Europe/Stockholm
FB42
FB42
Description
The term "core collapse" is commonly associated with the death of massive stars exploding as supernovae
(SNe) and leaving behind compact neutron star remnants. The physics of this "standard" scenario are well-studied
theoretically and are founded on the unique observations of the nearby SN 1987A. However, theory predicts that gravitational core collapse can also occur under different
circumstances, and result in physical explosions and observational manifestations that are very different from SN 1987A. I will review some of these alternative
scenarios, going from the lightest to the heaviest cores
that may collapse. I will then present new observations suggesting that we have already identified some of these mechanisms in nature, and with the advent of new wide-field surveys, are likely to further explore this previously uncharted astrophysical territory.