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Energy release from radioactive decays contributes significantly to supernova light curves. Previous works, which considered the energy deposited by gamma-rays and positrons produced by 56Ni, 56Co, 57Ni, 57Co, 44Ti and 44Sc, have been quite…
Compact object mergers can produce a thermal electromagnetic counterpart (a "kilonova") powered by the decay of freshly synthesized radioactive isotopes. The luminosity of kilonova light curves depends on the efficiency with which…
The use of Type Ia supernovae as cosmological tools has reinforced the need to better understand these objects and their light curves. The light curves of Type Ia supernovae are powered by the nuclear decay of $^{56}Ni \to ^{56}Co \to…
The finite time, $\tau_{\rm dep}$, over which positrons from $\beta^{+}$ decays of $^{56}$Co deposit energy in type Ia supernovae ejecta lead, in case the positrons are trapped, to a slower decay of the bolometric luminosity compared to an…
The thermalized energy from the radioactive decays of 56Ni and 57Ni and their daughter nuclides power the light curves of supernovae near maximum light. The bolometric light curve gives us a fundamental understanding of the energy evolution…
We argue that the decays of radioactive nuclei related to $^{44}$Ti and $^{56}$Ni ejected during supernova explosions can provide a vast pool of mildly relativistic positrons and electrons which are further accelerated to ultrarelativistic…
The kilonova emission observed following the binary neutron star merger event GW170817 provided the first direct evidence for the synthesis of heavy nuclei through the r-process. The late-time transition in the spectral energy distribution…
The measurement of gamma-ray lines from the decay chain of 56Ni provides unique information about the explosion in supernovae. The 56Ni freshly-produced in the supernova powers the optical light curve, as it emits gamma-rays upon its…
Though the neutrino-driven convection model for the core-collapse explosion mechanism has received strong support in recent years, there are still many uncertainties in the explosion parameters -- such as explosion energy, remnant mass, and…
We ensure successful explosions (of otherwise non-explosive models) by enhancing the neutrino luminosity via reducing the neutrino scattering cross sections or by increasing the heating efficiency via enhancing the neutrino absorption cross…
We study the heating rate of r-process nuclei and thermalization of decay products in neutron star merger ejecta and macronova (kilonova) light curves. Thermalization of charged decay products, i.e., electrons, $\alpha$-particles, and…
Seitenzahl et al. (2009) have predicted that roughly three years after its explosion, the light we receive from a Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) will come mostly from reprocessing of electrons and X-rays emitted by the radioactive decay chain…
Type Ia supernovae are thought to be the outcome of the thermonuclear explosion of a carbon/oxygen white dwarf in a close binary system. Their optical light curve is powered by thermalized gamma-rays produced by the radioactive decay of…
The energy deposition into the ejecta of type Ia supernovae is dominated at late times by the slowing of positrons produced in the $\beta^{+}$ decays of $^{56}$Co. Fits of model-generated light curves to observations of type Ia supernovae…
We present the late-time optical light curve of the ejecta of SN 1987A measured from HST imaging observations spanning the past 17 years. We find that the flux from the ejecta declined up to around year 2001, powered by the radioactive…
At late phases the powering of supernova light curves is often provided by the decay of radioactive elements synthesized in the explosions. This is unambiguously revealed when the light curve decline follows the half life time of the…
The innermost ejecta of core-collapse supernovae are considered to be the sources of some iron-group and heavier nuclei. The ejecta are predominantly driven by neutrino heating, principally due to neutrino capture on free neutrons and…
One of the most promising electromagnetic signatures of compact object mergers are kilonovae: approximately isotropic radioactively-powered transients that peak days to weeks post-merger. Key uncertainties in modeling kilonovae include the…
Gamma ray lines are expected to be emitted as part of the afterglow of supernova explosions, because radioactive decay of freshly synthesised nuclei occurs. Significant radioactive gamma ray line emission is expected from 56Ni and 44Ti…
The radioactive decay of the freshly synthesized $r$-process nuclei ejected in compact binary mergers power optical/infrared macronovae (kilonovae) that follow these events. The light curves depend critically on the energy partition among…