1

Observations of Cosmic ExplosionsReview, and results from the Palomar Transient Factory

Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Avishay Gal-Yam (for PTF)Weizmann Institute of Science

PTF highlights Presentation at the Tsinghua workshopNovember 5, 2012

2Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Transient observations: discovery (optical)

Probable SN (good)Variable star Variable AGN (QSO)AGN - resolvedAGN (but maybe SN?)Artifact (bad subtraction)

3Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Transient observations: discovery (optical)Targeted survey: KAIT/LOSS (BOSS)

Untargeted: PTF

4

Discovering a Supernova

KAIT (Berkeley):The most successfulSupernova search

PTF

5Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Supernova spectra [get to know WISeREP)

6Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Supernova spectra – the unusual

7Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Supernova light curves• Type Ia• Type Ib/c • Type II • Type IIn• SLSN

Drout

IIbII-L

II-P

Arcavi

Kiewe

8Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Supernova physics (brief)Type Ia supernovae: binary white dwarfs; thermonuclear explosions

Core-collapse SNe (massive-star explosions): release of gravitational energy

Others? AICs/EC SNe; PISNe

?

9Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

PTF results: 5 major themesUntargeted: unusual locations

High cadence: early; rapid; well-sampled

In nearby galaxies: faint and fast

Large samples: population studies

High throughput: rare events

10Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Unusual locations – remote outskirts of galaxiesType Ia SNe - PTF10ops: talk to Mark and Kate

Ca-rich faint SNe: Kasliwal

SN 2010jp (PTF10aaxi): Smith

11Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Unusual locations – dwarf galaxiesArcavi: different population – more below

Neill: extreme hosts of extreme SNe (except for SLSN-II!; Quimby)

Ben-Ami: PTF12gzk

12Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

High cadence: earlySN 2011fe: SN Ia rise [Nugent, Bloom]

SN 2011dh and friends: early structure [Arcavi]

PTF10vgv: tight rise-time limits [Corsi]

SN IIn pre-explosion outburst (Ofek)

13Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

High cadence: rapidPTF10vdl [Gal-Yam]

SN 2011dh [Arcavi, Horesh]

[SN 2011fe]

14Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

High cadence: well sampledPTF12gzk (Ben-Ami) – first look at the rise of a SN Ic

15Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

In nearby galaxies: faint and fastKasliwal’s thesis

16Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Large samples: population studiesArcavi’s thesis: effects of Z?

17Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Large samples: population studiesSNe IIn (Silverman]

Kiewe

18Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

High Throughtput: rare events - SLSNeSLSN-I (Quimby): low-z

19Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

High Throughtput: rare events - SLSNeSLSN-R (Yaron)

20Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

High Throughtput: rare events – SN 2010jp (Smith)Jet in a type II?

21Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

High Throughtput: rare events – PTF10iueNever-ending SN

22Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

High Throughtput: rare events – PTF12gzkType Ic with high velocities, long rise time, large Ni mass, but not a Ic-BL [Ben-Ami]

23Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

High Throughtput: rare events – more coming…

24Avishay Gal-Yam | Weizmann Institute of Science

Future of PTFProjects ends at end of 2012

Joint studies: PTF+GALEX, PTF+JVLA …

We will continue as iPTF with focussed studies (e.g. even higher cadence)

Expecting ZTF 2015

LIMSAT: space UV PTF …

Thanks!