Exploring Massive Star Evolution and Supernova Explosions

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Aug 05, 2024 - A team of researchers led by Mr. Kai-An You and Dr. Ke-Jung Chen at the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA) has made notable advancements in the modeling of massive star evolution and their supernova explosions. Their findings are featured in the latest issue of the Astrophysical Journal.

Supernova explosions mark the dramatic end of massive stars, releasing an immense amount of light equivalent to billions of suns. These explosions disperse the heavy elements formed within the star, fostering the creation of new stars and planets, thus playing a vital role in the origin of life. As such, supernovae remain a key subject in modern astrophysics.

Current large-scale supernova surveys are generating observational data at a rapid pace. However, many existing studies focus solely on individual supernovae characteristics, lacking comprehensive models to explain the origins and physical properties of their progenitor stars. This often results in an incomplete understanding of supernova observations.

The ASIAA research team, led by Mr. Kai-An You and Dr. Ke-Jung Chen, has developed over 1152 advanced models of stellar evolution and supernova explosions. They have successfully compiled an extensive database of supernova multi-band light curves and conducted detailed comparisons with observational data. These findings enhance our understanding of how stellar parameters influence supernova observations.

For the first time, the study systematically explores the observational data of Type IIP supernovae and the evolution of their progenitor stars. The researchers discovered that the metallicity and spin of massive stars significantly impact stellar winds, which govern the mass of the progenitor star before the explosion. Additionally, the explosion energy and the production of radioactive isotopes determine the luminosity and duration of the supernova's brightness.

The paper's first author, Kai-An You, is a sophomore in the Department of Electrical Engineering at National Tsing Hua University. He initiated this research in his second year of high school, and after more than four years of dedication, he transformed his high school science project into a cutting-edge research topic, ultimately publishing his results in an international journal.

"This research lays a solid theoretical foundation for the currently known Type IIP supernova observations," said co-author Professor Yen-Chen Pan from the Graduate Institute of Astronomy at National Central University. Dr. Ke-Jung Chen, an assistant research fellow at ASIAA, commented, "This research helps us systematically understand the observational data of supernovae and the underlying physical mechanisms."

Research Report:Modeling the Progenitor Stars of Observed IIP Supernovae