Physics Colloquium: Recent Discoveries and New Challenges in Time Domain Astronomy

Abstract:

Novel wide-field transient surveys of the sky are finding new types of astronomical phenomena. I will discuss two classes of events we discovered recently. One, the disruptions of stars by black holes, is providing new insights into a decades-long problem. We are assembling the first-ever sample of these events and using it to map their observational properties and surprising host-galaxy preference. The second, a peculiar type of rapidly rising luminous stellar explosion, is challenging well-established models of supernova power sources, such as nickel decay, interaction with circum-stellar material or magnetar power. As more surveys come online in the coming years, new discoveries will favor those who can define and identify the interesting events and observe them in real time. I will briefly discuss and demonstrate how we're addressing this challenge.

Event Organizer: Prof. Ben Svetitsky