Transient Modeling
Relating observations and theory is fundamental to our understanding of transients.
Theoretical models generated with MOSFiT (The Modular Open Source Fitter for Transients) for different observations of a binary neutron star merger. (Villar et al. 2017)
Light curves of transients (like supernovae and kilonovae) are a powerful tool for understanding the underlying astrophysics of eruptions, explosions and collisions of stars. With a few simplifying assumptions, we can create analytical models of these events which are in good agreement with observations.
Our Group's Related Work
- Guillochon et al. (2018) MOSFiT: Modular Open Source Fitter for Transients, ApJS.
- Villar et al. (2017) The Combined Ultraviolet, Optical, and Near-infrared Light Curves of the Kilonova Associated with the Binary Neutron Star Merger GW170817: Unified Data Set, Analytic Models, and Physical Implications, ApJL.
- Villar et al. (2017) Theoretical Models of Optical Transients. I. A Broad Exploration of the Duration-Luminosity Phase Space, ApJ.