Related papers: Episodic modulations in supernova radio light curv…
Luminous blue variable (LBV) stars are very massive, luminous, unstable stars that suffer frequent eruptions. In the last few years, these stars have been proposed as the direct progenitors of some core-collapse supernovae (SNe),…
Stars more massive than about 8 Msun end their lives as a Supernova (SN), an event of fundamental importance Universe-wide. Theoretically, these stars have been expected to be either at the red supergiant, blue supergiant, or Wolf-Rayet…
LBVs are massive evolved stars that suffer sporadic and violent mass-loss events. They have been proposed as the progenitors of some core-collapse SNe, but this idea is still debated due to the lack of direct evidence. Since SNRs can carry…
We investigate the fundamental properties of core-collapse Supernova (SN) progenitors from single stars at solar metallicity. We combine Geneva stellar evolutionary models with initial masses of Mini=20-120 Msun with atmospheric/wind models…
Based on an extensive grid of stellar models between 13 and 25 Mo and a wide range of metallicities, we have studied the light curves of core collapse supernovae, their application to cosmology and evolutionary effects with redshift. The…
Massive stars, supernovae (SNe), and long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have a huge impact on their environment. Despite their importance, a comprehensive knowledge of which massive stars produce which SN/GRB is hitherto lacking. We…
We analyze the properties of 42 rapidly rotating, low metallicity, quasi-chemically homogeneously evolving stellar models in the mass range between 4 and 45 $\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ at the time of core collapse. Such models were proposed as…
I discuss observational clues concerning episodic mass-loss properties of massive stars in the time before the final supernova explosion. In particular, I will focus on the mounting evidence that LBVs and related stars are candidates for…
The interaction between supernova ejecta and circumstellar matter, arising from previous episodes of mass loss, provides us with a means with which to constrain the progenitors of supernovae. Radio observations of a number of supernovae…
Observations from the last decade have indicated the existence of a general class of superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), in which the peak luminosity exceeds 10^{44} erg/s. Here we focus on a subclass of these events, where the light curve is…
Several Type IIb supernovae (SNe IIb) have been extensively studied, both in terms of the progenitor radius and the mass-loss rate in the final centuries before the explosion. While the sample is still limited, evidence has been…
Since the discovery of SN (supernova) 1987A, the number of Type II-peculiar SNe has grown, revealing a rich diversity in photometric and spectroscopic properties. In this study, using a single 15Msun low-metallicity progenitor that dies as…
Transient surveys have recently discovered a class of supernovae (SNe) with extremely rapidly declining light curves. These events are also often relatively faint, especially compared to Type Ia SNe. The common explanation for these events…
We analyze the late time evolution of 12 supernovae (SNe) occurring over the last ${\sim}$41 years, including nine Type IIP/L, two IIb, and one Ib/c, using UBVR optical data from the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) and difference imaging.…
Despite indications that superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) originate from massive progenitors, the lack of a uniformly analyzed statistical sample has so far prevented a detailed view of the progenitor mass distribution. Here we present and…
Type II supernovae (SNe II) are the most frequently observed outcome of core-collapse explosions and provide a valuable window into the physical mechanisms governing the deaths of massive stars. However, estimates of explosion properties…
SN 2005kd is among the most luminous supernovae (SNe) to be discovered at X-ray wavelengths. We have re-analysed all good angular resolution (better than $20"$ FWHM PSF) archival X-ray data for SN 2005kd. The data reveal an X-ray light…
Observations of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) reveal a wealth of information about the dynamics of the supernova ejecta and its composition but very little direct information about the progenitor. Constraining properties of the…
We present a comprehensive analysis of 32 type II supernovae (SNe II) with plateau phase photometry and late phase ($nebular$) spectroscopy available, aiming to bridge the gap between the surface and core of their red supergiant (RSG)…
Supernovae (SNe) powered by interaction with circumstellar material provide evidence for intense stellar mass loss during the final years leading up to core collapse. We have argued that during and after core neon burning, internal gravity…