February 29
Speaker: Mansi Kasliwal
Title: Elusive Explosions in the Local Universe
Abstract:
Until recently, the venerable field of cosmic explosions was plagued with a
glaring six-magnitude luminosity "gap" between the brightest novae and
faintest supernovae. Systematic surveys, serendipitous discoveries and
archival searches have started uncovering transients fainter, faster and rarer
than supernovae only in the past few years. Theorists predict a variety of
mechanisms to produce transients in the gap and observers have the best chance
of finding them in the local universe. Here I will present discoveries and
unique physics of cosmic explosions that bridge this gap between novae and
supernovae. There is now evidence of multiple, distinct populations of rare
transients in this gap.