The supernova is a spectacular event in the universe, representing the final stage in the life of a massive star. Having exhausted its nuclear fuel, the star can no longer hold up against its gravity, resulting in a catastrophic collapse and an explosion that releases an enormous amount of energy, outshining its host galaxy for a brief period.
In April 2024, the supernova 2024ggi exploded in the nearby galaxy NGC 3261, whose rapid increase in brightness attracted the attention of researchers around the world. The research focuses on how the explosion affects the star's surrounding material and alters its stellar environment.
A team led by Dr. Jujia Zhang of the Yunnan Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, discovered this supernova just 13 hours after its explosion. The researchers include Prof. Zhen Guo of Valparaiso University and Prof. Lingzhi Wang of CASSACA, who contributed crucial spectroscopic observations from Las Campanas Observatory in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Using optical and infrared data, the team discovered that the shock wave from the explosion moved through the surrounding material of the supergiant star, illuminating numerous chemical elements in the observed spectrum in less than three days. This study was published in the prestigious Astrophysical Journal Letters.
This project highlights the collaboration between Chilean and Chinese researchers, connected through the South American Center for Astronomy of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CASSACA) in Santiago. During the discovery of the supernova, Prof. Zhen Guo was making observations at the Magellan telescope at Las Campanas. “I was using an infrared spectrograph when Prof. Wang contacted me about this supernova. We pointed the telescope at the galaxy and saw a bright, transient object on the detector. I quickly took an infrared spectrum of this amazing event,” recalled the professor.
It should be recalled that soon, with the new Chinese observation facilities such as the Einstein Probe satellite and the Mozi telescope, and the already close collaboration between Chilean and Chinese scientists, the study of high impact astronomical events is planned. Led by Prof. Zhen Guo, the Institute of Physics and Astronomy of Valparaiso University will continue to actively participate in these international investigations to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
Read the article here https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ad5da4
Source: Instituto de Física y Astronomía, Universidad de Valparaíso