Related papers: The Supernova Gamma-Ray Burst Connection
We explore the hypothesis, similar to one recently suggested by Bloom and colleagues, that some nearby supernovae are associated with smooth, single-pulse gamma-ray bursts, possibly having no emission above ~ 300 keV. We examine BATSE…
The bipolarity of Supernova 1987A can be understood in terms of its very early light curve as observed from the CTIO 0.4-m telescope, as well as the IUE FES, and the slightly later speckle observations of the "Mystery Spot" by two groups.…
I briefly describe the Lick Observatory Supernova Search with the 0.76-m Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope. I then present an overview of optical observations of Type II, IIb, Ib, and Ic supernovae (SNe), all of which are thought to arise…
We present late-time radio observations of 68 local Type Ibc supernovae, including six events with broad optical absorption lines (``hypernovae''). None of these objects exhibit radio emission attributable to off-axis gamma-ray burst jets…
A long-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) marks the violent end of a massive star. GRBs are rare in the universe, and their progenitor stars are thought to possess unique physical properties such as low metal content and rapid rotation, while…
We present a spectroscopic analysis of Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN-I), SN 2018bsz. While it closely resembles SLSNe-I, the multi-component H$\alpha$ line appearing at $\sim30$ d post-maximum is the most atypical. The H$\alpha$ is…
Superluminous supernovae are among the most energetic stellar explosions in the Universe, but their energy sources remain an open question. Here we present long-term observations of one of the closest examples of the hydrogen-poor subclass…
The optical afterglow of the gamma-ray burst GRB 970508 (z = 0.835) was a few hundred times more luminous than any supernova. Therefore, a name `hypernova' is proposed for the whole GRB/afterglow event. There is tentative evidence that the…
We review the characteristics of nucleosynthesis in 'Hypernovae', i.e., core-collapse supernovae with very large explosion energies ($ \gsim 10^{52} $ ergs). The hypernova yields show the following characteristics: 1) The mass ratio between…
We review recent progress in our understanding of the nature of gamma ray bursts (GRBs) and in particular, of the relationship between short GRBs and long GRBs. The first example of a short GRB is described. The coincidental occurrence of a…
There is growing evidence that long and hard gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), discovered at redshifts between 0.4 and 3.4, are related to some type of supernova (SN) explosions. The GRB ejecta are ultra-relativistic, and possibly beamed. There is a…
We show that the luminous supernovae (SNe) associated with ultra-long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) can be related to the slow cooling from the explosions of hydrogen-free progenitors extended by pulsational pair-instability. In the accompanying…
We briefly review the existing database of supernova spectropolarimetry, concentrating on recent data and on results from our group's research. Spectropolarimetry provides the only direct known probe of early-time supernova geometry. To…
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…
Gamma-ray bursts are the most luminous explosions in the Universe, whose origin and mechanism is the focus of intense interest. They appear connected to supernova remnants from massive stars or the merger of their remnants, and their…
Supernovae explosions of massive stars are nowadays believed to result from a two-step process, with an initial gravitational core collapse followed by an expansion of matter after a bouncing on the core. This scenario meets several…
Long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are believed to be related to the explosion of type Ic supernovae, which have been stripped of their hydrogen and helium envelopes. There appear to be two types of these explosions: those which are approximately…
Spectropolarimetry of the Type Ib SN 2008D, associated with the XRF 080109, at two separate epochs, are presented. The epochs of these observations correspond to V-band light curve maximum and 15 days after light curve maximum (or 21 and 36…
SN1998bw shot to fame by claims of association with GRB980425. Independent of its presumed association with a GRB, this SN is unusual in its radio properties. A simple interpretation of the unusually bright radio emission leads us to the…
We study the scenario where the gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) arise from core-collapse of very massive stars in star-forming regions in the starburst galaxies at high redshift. The bimodial structure of the gamma-ray bursts point to their…