Exploring Stellar Explosions: A Comprehensive Analysis with the PESSTO Programme’s Phase-luminosity Diagram
陳婷琬 Ting-Wan Chen (NCU)
※Keywords:
Sky Surveys, Supernovae, Galaxies
※Description:
We are in an exciting era for transient astronomy, thanks to advances in wide-field sky surveys and efficient spectroscopic follow-up observations, which have led to unexpected discoveries and the unveiling of great, rare, and exotic phenomena among stellar transients. Since 2019, I have been co-leading the advanced (extended) Public ESO Spectroscopic Survey of Transient Objects (ePESSTO+) programme. This collaborative effort, involving over 300 experters and early career researchers in supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, and nuclear transients, contributes crucial data on gravitational wave counterparts, unique supernovae, rapid transients, and tidal disruption events through the ESO New Technology Telescope observations, significantly broadening our observational scope and enhancing our cosmic understanding.
This summer student project is geared towards constructing the first phase-luminosity diagram for all PESSTO/ePESSTO/ePESSTO+ objects. According to observational properties, we can group different types of stellar transients. With over 1180 transients being followed and more than 3750 transients classified by the programme, this project seeks to address key questions surrounding these spectacular celestial explosions. We aim to determine when transients receive spectroscopic confirmation post-explosion, assess the efficiency of the PESSTO spectroscopic follow-up campaign, and unravel the aftermath of these events. Based on the derived results, we will characterise different populations of stellar transients using their locations in the phase-luminosity diagram and investigate their various physical origins.
Please note that the supervisor will conduct remote weekly meetings with the student from mid-July to mid-August. If the student prefers in-person meetings with the supervisor, careful consideration of this matter is advised.
※Required Background:
Programming languages such as Python.
Fundamental knowledge of astronomy.