Colloq Abstract - Corsi

September 16

11am Mountain

 

Alessandra Corsi

TTU

 

VLA follow-up of cosmic explosions and collisions

Abstract

Stripped-envelope core-collapse supernovae with broad lines (BL-Ic SNe) are a rare form of massive stellar deaths that provide us with a special window into the rarer-still engine-driven explosions known as long duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The link between BL-Ic SNe and GRBs was first established with GRB980425 and the radio-bright SN 1998bw. However, for more than a decade after this first discovery, the fraction of BL-Ic SNe harboring GRBs was left largely unconstrained due to the very small number of purely BL-Ic events with radio follow-up available to the community.  In this talk, I will describe our systematic follow-up program of BL-Ic SNe with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), enabled by the much-increased rate of BL-Ic discoveries provided by the Palomar Transient Factory.  In 5 years, we have doubled the sample of BL-Ic SNe with radio follow-up collected by the community over the previous decade, and set the first observational upper-limit on the fraction of 1998bw-like explosions. I will also describe how the experience gained by studying radio bright SNe has helped us optimize VLA follow-up strategies of gravitational wave (GW) triggers during the first observing run of Advanced LIGO. I will conclude by discussing the impact of our results on future searches for radio counterparts to GWs from binary neutron star collisions.

 

Connect with NRAO

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."

AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.