Objective
Despite decades of intensive work, the identity of the progenitor systems of Type Ia Supernovae (Ia SNe) still remains obscure. This might be the most important unsolved problem in stellar astrophysics, with profound implications for cosmology and the cycles of matter and energy in the Universe. Most past efforts have concentrated on the study of distant, extragalactic SNe, mainly in the optical band. Although much of our knowledge of Type Ia SNe has been assembled in this way, the large distances involved do not allow us to make precise measurements of key aspects of the problem, like the ages and metallicities of the stellar populations associated with the progenitors, or the mass-loss rates of the pre-exploding systems. In some ways, it could be said that progress in the field has stalled, and a new approach is needed to go forward. In this spirit, I propose to shift the emphasis from distant objects to nearby ones, and constrain the properties of SN Ia progenitors through a detailed study of Type Ia Supernova Remnants and binary White Dwarfs in our own galactic backyard (the Milky Way and its closest neighbors in the Local Group). To achieve this goal, I plan to take advantage of the large amount of astronomical data that is now in the public domain. For Type Ia Supernova Remnants, modern X-ray satellites like Chandra and XMM-Newton have accumulated several excellent data sets whose full scientific potential has not been tapped yet. For binary White Dwarfs, the spectroscopic data base of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey can be used to characterize this poorly known population of objects with an unprecedented level of accuracy. In the last years, I have been developing the necessary techniques to take advantage of these underutilized resources. I intend to use the IRG grant to bring these efforts to fruition, and shed new light on the mystery of Type Ia SN progenitors.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
FP7-PEOPLE-2010-RG
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Funding Scheme
MC-IRG - International Re-integration Grants (IRG)Coordinator
69978 Tel Aviv
Israel