OKC colloquia

The imprint of their explosions: Using supernova remnants to understand stellar death

by Katie Auchettl

Europe/Stockholm
FA32 (AlbaNova Main Building)

FA32

AlbaNova Main Building

Description

One of the most uncertain aspects related to our understanding of the end points of stellar evolution is the link between the progenitor star and the nature of the supernova explosion that the progenitor will undergo. Even though hundreds of supernovae are discovered each year by optical surveys, these sources are usually too distant to resolve the ejecta and immediate surrounding of the exploded star. However, due to their long lifetimes and close proximity, supernova remnants which are the long lived structures that result from the supernova explosion of either a white dwarf or a massive star, provide us with a unique opportunity to study supernova explosion and dynamics up close and in detail. In this talk, I will highlight some recent advances that have been made in the understanding of supernovae and their progenitors using multi-wavelength studies of supernovae and their remnants.