Voice of Commonwealth

 First radio detected for…

Share

Science & Technology, UK (Commonwealth Union) – The universe is a captivating stage where celestial events unfold, captivating astronomers and enthusiasts alike. Among the most extraordinary phenomena is the Type Ia supernova, a cosmic spectacle that illuminates the cosmos with its intense brightness and reveals insights into the nature of our universe. In this article, we delve into the fascinating world of Type Ia supernovae, exploring their origins, characteristics, and the pivotal role they play in our understanding of the cosmos.

Supernovae are cataclysmic explosions that occur at the end of a star’s life cycle. These energetic events outshine entire galaxies, releasing an immense amount of energy in a short span of time. They serve as cosmic beacons, providing astronomers with valuable information about the evolution of stars, the distribution of elements in the universe, and even the expansion of space itself.

Following decades of making attempts, astronomers have discovered the origin of a Type Ia supernova explosion with the utilization of radio emissions, with the aid of the e-MERLIN telescope network at the Jodrell Bank, University of Manchester.

Generally, Type Ia supernova take place when a white dwarf star gathers material from another star in the range of its orbit. As the white dwarf ends up with its critical mass, it can bring about a supernova explosion.

SN 2020eyj – a unique Type Ia supernova was 1st identified in March 2020; however, the origin and nature of the progenitor system was not known.

The irregular nature of the supernova was shown by the unusual light curve it had along with the infrared emission, narrow helium emission lines as well as, for the 1st time ever in a Type Ia supernova, which is a radio counterpart as well.

Dr David Williams, who is a e-MERLIN Operations Support Scientist from The University of Manchester, indicated that astronomers have been attempting to identify radio emission from a Type Ia supernova for roughly a few decades. The utilization of e-MERLIN, the observatory staff had the ability to react fast when they 1st heard of the possible interesting nature of this source from the authors for the study.

“The exquisite angular resolution of e-MERLIN combined with its high sensitivity enabled the radio emission to be pinpointed to the supernova, which is critical for establishing that the multi-wavelength emission was linked and attributed to the same source.”

Radio telescopes find and boost radio waves from space, transforming them into signals which astronomers utilize to further their knowledge of the Universe.

e-MERLIN being one of most potent radio telescopes in the globe, made by the association of 7 individual big dishes across the UK (consisting of the iconic Lovell Telescope) through a dedicated optical fiber network to a potent interdependant at Jodrell Bank Observatory. The University of Manchester Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics handles its operations.

The Supernova 2020eyj was found by the Zwicky Transient Facility camera on Palomar mountain in California, USA. Erik Kool, was the lead of the study at the University of Stockholm, which was in partnership with research institutes all over the globe.

Javier Moldón, a former e-MERLIN support scientist as well as a researcher at the IAA-CSIC in Spain, that took part in the discovery, indicated that this 1st radio detection of a Type Ia supernova is a breakthrough that has permitted us to show that the exploded white dwarf was joined by a normal, non-degenerate star prior to the explosion.

“Now that we have demonstrated that radio observations can provide direct and unique information to understand this type of supernova, a path is opened to study these systems with the new generation of radio instruments, such as the Square Kilometre Array Observatory in the future.”

Read more

More News