Supernova Explosions: Lessons from Spectropolarimetry
Astrophysics
2007-05-23 v2
Abstract
Supernova can be polarized by an asymmetry in the explosion process, an off-center source of illumination, scattering in an envelope distorted by rotation or a binary companion, or scattering by the circumstellar dust. Careful polarimetry is the most powerful tool to study the 3-D geometry of supernovae. A deep understanding of the 3-D geometry of SNe is essential in using them for calibrated distance indicators.
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0311299,
title = {Supernova Explosions: Lessons from Spectropolarimetry},
author = {Lifan Wang},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0311299},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
To appear on the proceedings of the workshop on 3-D Signatures in Stellar Explosions honoring J. Craig Wheeler's 60th Birthday