Exploring the nature and origins of low luminosity type IIP supernovae
type: CreativeWork
description: In this thesis I investigate the origins of a subset of core-collapse SNe (CCSNe); type IIP supernovae (SNe). Type II supernovae are the most common type of core collapse supernova (CCSN), and are defined by the presence of H in their envelope. Type IIP SNe are a subgroup that display a distinctive ’plateau’ feature on their light curve from which they get their name. Despite being the most common type of CCSN, the origin of the diversity observed in IIP SN light curves and spectra is still not fully understood. It is thought, however, that it is the result of differences in their progenitor stars. Of particular interest are low luminosity IIP SNe (LLSNe) as it is theorised that they arise from progenitor stars with just enough mass to undergo core collapse. They could therefore offer insight into the lower mass cutoff, the critical mass boundary that separates stars forming white dwarfs and core collapse forming neutron stars or black holes and a SN explosion. Progenitor stars of IIP SNe are being discovered at a slow, but steady rate. The sample of IIP progenitors is small with just over a dozen identified in the last 20 years. Given the difficulties in accurately determining the properties of stars in other galaxies, the luminosity and mass estimates are typically accompanied by large errors that make stying progenitor properties to SN properties challenging. This is made even more difficult as many of the progenitor detections are limited to a single band, which limits our ability to break the degeneracy between dust extinction, temperature and luminosity. If we were able to tie SN properties to those of the progenitor, it would allow us to put constraints on the progenitor of any IIP SN, even if the progenitor was not detected. First I investigated the low luminosity IIP SN 2014bi. This SN displayed many of the properties observed in other low luminosity SN such as a faint peak magnitude(MR=-14.84), low ejecta velocities (Sc II v = 2700km s−1at 25 d) and low 56…
abstract: In this thesis I investigate the origins of a subset of core-collapse SNe (CCSNe); type IIP supernovae (SNe). Type II supernovae are the most common type of core collapse supernova (CCSN), and are defined by the presence of H in their envelope. Type IIP SNe are a subgroup that display a distinctive ’plateau’ feature on their light curve from which they get their name. Despite being the most common type of CCSN, the origin of the diversity observed in IIP SN light curves and spectra is still not fully understood. It is thought, however, that it is the result of differences in their progenitor stars. Of particular interest are low luminosity IIP SNe (LLSNe) as it is theorised that they arise from progenitor stars with just enough mass to undergo core collapse. They could therefore offer insight into the lower mass cutoff, the critical mass boundary that separates stars forming white dwarfs and core collapse forming neutron stars or black holes and a SN explosion. Progenitor stars of IIP SNe are being discovered at a slow, but steady rate. The sample of IIP progenitors is small with just over a dozen identified in the last 20 years. Given the difficulties in accurately determining the properties of stars in other galaxies, the luminosity and mass estimates are typically accompanied by large errors that make stying progenitor properties to SN properties challenging. This is made even more difficult as many of the progenitor detections are limited to a single band, which limits our ability to break the degeneracy between dust extinction, temperature and luminosity. If we were able to tie SN properties to those of the progenitor, it would allow us to put constraints on the progenitor of any IIP SN, even if the progenitor was not detected. First I investigated the low luminosity IIP SN 2014bi. This SN displayed many of the properties observed in other low luminosity SN such as a faint peak magnitude(MR=-14.84), low ejecta velocities (Sc II v = 2700km s−1at 25 d) and low 56…
author: O'Neill, David
language: eng
keywords: Supernovae, stellar evolution
date published: 2021-12
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:56:04Z
provider: Queen's University Belfast
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Queen's University Belfast