• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.163-167
• /
• 2012

Although the identification of the progenitors of type Ia supernovae (SNeIa) remains controversial, it is generally accepted that they originate from binary star systems in which at least one component is a carbon-oxygen white dwarf (WD); those systems are grouped under the wide umbrella of cataclysmic variables. Current theories for SNeIa progenitors hold that, either via Roche lobe overflow of the companion or via a wind, the WD accumulates hydrogen or helium rich material which is then burned to C and O onto the WD's surface. However, the specifics of this scenario are far from being understood or defined, allowing for a wealth of theories fighting for attention and a dearth of observations to support them. I discuss the latest attempts to identify and study those controversial SNeIa progenitors. I also introduce the most promising progenitor in hand and I present observational diagnostics that can reveal more members of the category.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.28-28
• /
• 2014

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) have provided the first evidence that the Universe is accelerating. Nevertheless, the nature of the progenitors has remained a mystery, indeed controversial. In this talk I will first summarize the main supernova explosion mechanisms and the observational classification of supernovae. I will show how SNe Ia can be used as standardizable distance candles and discuss possible limitations of the method. In the main part of the talk I will discuss the main progenitor models that have been proposed, emphasizing the problems and advantages of each, and how they can be observationally tested. I will then present some relatively recent discoveries by the Palomar Transient Factory and most recently in M82 that directly constrain the progenitors in a few cases.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.75.2-75.2
• /
• 2012

SNe Ia are a well-known powerful distance indicator. Type Ia supernova (SN) 2011fe was discovered in the nearby spiral galaxy M101 in 2011. It was discovered in less than one day after its explosion and is one of the nearest SNe Ia. Therefore SN 2011fe plays a significant role for calibrating the luminosity of the SNe Ia as well as for studying the progenitors of SNe Ia. However, previous estimates of the distance to M101 based on various methods show a large range. We present a new determination of the distance to M101 using the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) method. We measure the distance from the F555W and F814W images of nine fields taken with the HST/ACS and HST/WFPC2 available in the HST archive. We derive a distance estimate with much smaller errors than previous studies. We discuss the implication of our results in relation with the calibration of optical and near-infrared maximum magnitudes of SNe Ia and the Hubble Constant.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.27.3-27.3
• /
• 2021

Supernova (SN) cosmology is based on the assumption that the width-luminosity relation (WLR) in the type Ia SN luminosity standardization would not vary with progenitor age. Unlike this expectation, recent age datings of stellar populations in host galaxies have shown significant correlations between progenitor age and Hubble residual (HR). It was not clear, however, how this correlation arises from the SN luminosity standardization process, and how this would impact the cosmological result. Here we show that this correlation originates from a strong progenitor age dependence of the WLR and color-luminosity relation (CLR), in the sense that SNe from younger progenitors are fainter each at given light-curve parameters x1 and c. This is reminiscent of Baade's discovery of two Cepheid period-luminosity relations, and, as such, causes a serious systematic bias with redshift in SN cosmology. We illustrate that the differences between the high-z and low-z SNe in the WLR and CLR, and in HR after the standardization, are fully comparable to those between the correspondingly young and old SNe at intermediate redshift, indicating that the observed dimming of SNe with redshift is most likely an artifact of over-correction in the luminosity standardization. When this systematic bias with redshift is properly taken into account, there is no evidence left for an accelerating universe, and the SN data now support a decelerating cosmic expansion. Since the SN cosmology has long been considered as the most direct evidence for an accelerating universe with dark energy, this finding poses a serious question to one of the cornerstones of the concordance model.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.46.3-46.3
• /
• 2019

We present our observational and theoretical investigation of Raman-scattered features in symbiotic stars (SySts). SySts are long interacting binaries, consisting of a hot compact star and an evolved giant, whose interaction via accretion process is at the origin of a tangled network of gas and dust nebulae. These systems are ideal objects to study a variety of important astrophysical problems, and have also been proposed as possible progenitors of type Ia supernova. In this talk, we emphasize that Raman-scattered features are exclusive spectroscopic tools to probe the stellar wind accretion processes in SySts. We studied mass transfer and mass loss processes in SySts using high resolution spectra obtained with 1.8m telescope at Mt. Bohyun and the 6.5m Magellan-Clay telescope combining with the theoretical modeling of radiative transfer of Raman-scattered features. We also note that there are a much smaller number of SySts known in our Galaxy, implying the necessity of systematic search programs. In view of the fact that Raman O VI features at $6830{\AA}$ are found in only bona fide SySts, we will carry out a photometric search of objects with Raman O VI features using a narrow band filter centered at $6830{\AA}$ in Local group galaxies.