Can We Detect Clumpiness in Supernova Ejecta?

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

5-29-2012

Description

Polarization is detected at early times for all types of supernovae, indicating that all such systems are, or quickly become, asymmetric. Spectropolarimetric observations also show that the asymmetry varies in both magnitude and orientation for different elements in the ejecta. One explanation for these observations is that local chemical inhomogeneities (called clumps) exist in the ejecta above the region where the continuum forms. To examine the effects of clumpiness on observations, I will present results of a comparison between a fast, flexible, approximate semi-analytic code for modeling polarized line radiative transfer within three-dimensional inhomogeneous rapidly expanding atmospheres; and VLT spectropolarimetric observations of SN2006X.

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