Studying the populations of nature’s brightest fireworks

The last ten years have opened up a new parameter space in time-domain astronomy with the surprising discovery of transients defying our understanding of how stars explode. Probing the physics of these transients can reveal the enrichment of the Universe and can offer the tantalising possibility of a new era in the study of the Universe and its evolution. Among such transients, there are the brightest and long lasting supernovae explosions called ‘superluminous supernovae’. They are characterized by absolute luminosities at maximum light of M ~ −21 magnitudes (5-100 times brighter than any other supernova) and a preference for low-metallicity, star-forming environments.

Ten years after their discovery and with a sample of 100 objects, we advanced in sampling their observational properties (luminosity and electromagnetic spectrum evolution) and grouping them in two well distinct classes. Nevertheless, the most compelling questions are still unanswered. What is their origin? Why only some of them can be used in cosmological studies up to distances beyond any other supernova explosion?

Several research directions are possible to answer such questions, including population studies of the two subclasses and their connection to the environment harbouring such violent and enigmatic phenomena. These studies could also answer the second question, providing new information on the standardisable superluminous supernovae, refining their standardization and use in cosmology similarly to what done by the Nobel winning studies on thermonuclear (type Ia) SNe.

In this project, the PhD student will gather knowledge of supernova explosions linked to the life and death of massive stars as well as programming skills in python, experience in observational astronomy, cosmology and statistics.

Consideration is automatic upon application for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Physics and Astronomy with an October 2019 start date.

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