Project Summary

Supernovae (SNe) are the cataclysmic end points of massive stars and white dwarfs. As cauldrons of nucleosynthesis, SNe provide the interstellar medium with its metallic mass while their enormous kinetic energies drive galaxy evolution. With their high intrinsic peak luminosities, SNe allow us to map out the expansion history deep into the universe. Much of what we know about the physics of SNe and their progenitors is based on observations of objects obtained well past explosion. To expand our understanding of SN origins, we need rapid-cadence observations obtained in the first few hours-to-days after explosion. From these very early observations, we can estimate key explosion parameters, distinguish between leading explosion models, and study the local environment of their progenitors.


Logos from our partner institutions: Carnegie Science, Florida State University, The University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M University, University of Hawaii, Aarhus University, and CSIC