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Supernovae 鈥 the Explosions of Stars
Supernovae 鈥 brilliant explosions of stars at the ends of their lives 鈥 have been observed and studied by humanity for hundreds of years. Yet we are still working out which types of stars end up exploding as the different types of supernovae we observe in the night sky.
The answer to this question will impact our understanding of how stars evolve, how they create and spread the elements that comprise the periodic table (and our bodies), and how we use them as tools for other experiments in astrophysics.
Type Ia supernovae, specifically, have famously been used as 鈥渟tandard candles鈥 to measure distances to other galaxies. This use led to the discovery that the Universe鈥檚 expansion is accelerating under the influence of something new and mysterious we call 鈥渄ark energy.鈥 But the use of Type Ia supernovae as standard candles is based on the assumption that the supernovae we see in the nearby Universe are identical in nature to the ones we observe in faraway galaxies.
Until we figure out exactly which stars explode as Type Ia supernovae, and how those explosions take place, we will never be wholly certain that we are using them correctly.
At the University's Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG), Dr Or Graur and his research group conduct observations of supernovae using the world's leading observatories and surveys in order to reveal their workings.
<91日韩AV>Our research methods
We use several avenues of research to try and figure out what kinds of stars explode as different types of supernovae, with an emphasis on Type Ia supernovae. Each of these research projects provides a different angle on the physics of the progenitor stars and the way in which the explosions unfurl.
Supernova rates
We use both ground- and space-based surveys to discover supernovae and measure the rates at which different types of supernovae explode throughout cosmic history and in different types of galaxies.
- Watch:
- In the news:
Population studies
We use large supernova surveys to conduct population studies of supernovae, such as examining correlations between properties of the supernovae and those of the galaxies in which they explode.
Observations of old supernovae
We use the Hubble Space Telescope to observe Type Ia supernovae hundreds of days after they explode. These observations provide clues to the physics of the explosion mechanism and the state of the star before it exploded.
- Watch:
- In the news:
- In the news: shows it shines in
- Podcast: Using the Hubble Space Telescope
Supernova archaeology
We use images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope before and after the explosions to search for predicted impacts of the supernovae on their environments.
New methods
We develop new ways to discover supernovae, such as picking out the signatures they leave on the spectra of their host galaxies.
Outputs
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Or Graur, David Zurek, Michael M. Shara, Adam G. Riess, Ivo R. Seitenzahl, Armin Rest
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Graur, O., Maguire, K., Ryan, R., Nicholl, M., Avelino, A., Riess, A. G., Shingles, L., Seitenzahl, I. R. & Fisher, R., 1 Feb 2020, In: Nature Astronomy. 4, p. 188鈥195 8 p.
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Or Graur
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Graur, O., Rodney, S. A., Maoz, D., Riess, A. G., Jha, S. W., Postman, M., Dahlen, T., Holoien, T. W. -S., McCully, C., Patel, B., Strolger, L. -G., Benitez, N., Coe, D., Jouvel, S., Medezinski, E., Molino, A., Nonino, M., Bradley, L., Koekemoer, A., Balestra, I. & 21 others, , 10 Feb 2014, In: The Astrophysical Journal. 783, 1, 19 p., 28.
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Kelly, P. L., Rodney, S. A., Treu, T., Foley, R. J., Brammer, G., Schmidt, K. B., Zitrin, A., Sonnenfeld, A., Strolger, L-G., Graur, O., Filippenko, A. V., Jha, S. W., Riess, A. G., Bradac, M., Weiner, B. J., Scolnic, D., Malkan, M. A., Linden, A. V. D., Trenti, M., Hjorth, J. & 11 others, , 6 Mar 2015, In: Science. 347, 6226, p. 1123鈥1126 4 p.
<91日韩AV>Resources
<91日韩AV>Supernova by Or Graur
Supernova: A concise illustrated introduction to the history and physics of supernovae by Dr Or Graur was published by in February 2022.
Understanding the science of exploding stars: .
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Researchers
Dr Or Graur
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Discover our areas of expertise
Astrophysics
We're working to better understand the basic building blocks of our Universe, the origin of stars, the formation and evolution of galaxies, and stellar population models. Explore our astrophysics research
Observational Cosmology
We're mapping the Universe on the largest scales to understand dark energy, studying the clustering of galaxies and dark matter, and observing transient events and supernovae.
Theoretical cosmology
We're exploring the inflation of the very early Universe, the impact of dark energy on its geometry and developing tests to monitor its expansion.
<91日韩AV>Interested in a PhD in Cosmology and Astrophysics?
Browse our postgraduate research degrees 鈥 including PhDs and MPhils 鈥 at our Cosmology and Astrophysics postgraduate research degrees page.