Colloquium on Jun. 6th, 2019

Probe of Supernova Progenitors with Gamma-rays

Speaker: Wei Wang (Wuhan University)

Venue: Room 2317, SWIFAR Building

Time: 3:00 PM, Thursday, 6th June, 2019

Abstract: 

Supernovae (SNe) have the subclasses of core-collapse supernovae (Type II, Type Ib/Ic) and thermonuclear explosions (Type Ia). However, the central explosion mechanisms for the different types of SNe are not well understood. The radioactivity isotopes, i.e., 44Ti and 56Ni, are produced in the central explosion region of SNe. Detection of the gamma-rays emitted by these isotopes can constrain the mechanism of supernova explosions and the supernova progenitors. I will introduce the recent results of gamma-ray observations: constraining explosion mechanism of core-collapse SNe by detecting 44Ti in CAS A and SN 1987A; progenitors of Type Ia SNe probed by 44Ti in Tycho and 56Ni in SN 2014J. In addition, the diffuse 60Fe gamma-ray emission in the Galaxy can constrain the nuclear reactions and nucleosynthesis models in SNe. Future possible development of gamma-ray detectors is also discussed.