Supernova remnants are among the most energetic explosions in the Universe. They witness the "death" of massive stars (more than about 8 solar masses) and the "birth" of very compact and dense stars: neutron stars or black holes. The remnants of the explosions leave behind the so-called supernova remnants (SNRs) which expand in the interstellar medium (ISM) for thousands of years, energizing it and enriching it with the heavy elements that make life on Earth essential! As well, they are believed to accelerate cosmic rays to the highest energies.
Neutron stars (a.k.a. pulsars) are extreme objects: they have super-strong gravitational fields, super-strong magnetic fields (that can exceed the Earth's by a trillion-fold), and can be extremely hot especially when young (with a surface temperature of several millions of degrees). They are also very compact (a neutron star has a radius of about 10 km) and massive (about 1.4 solar masses). As such they can probe physics in extreme conditions, conditions unattainable on Earth! A subclass of neutron stars dubbed as magnetars is currently believed to have the strongest magnetic fields in the Universe. Another subclass of neutron stars in binary systems dubbed as microquasars emit jets with relativistic speeds (the most famous and enigmatic Galactic source is known as SS 433 powering the nebula W50).
Our research program involves the study of supernova remnants and associated compact objects with focus on high-energy satellite data such as the NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and SWIFT, and ESA’s XMM-Newton satellite. The research is complemented with data at other wavelengths, especially in the radio regime. The purpose of our research is to study the physics of SNRs and neutron stars and unveil the way these objects transfer their energies into the ISM. One particular area of focus is the study of Pulsar Wind Nebulae, the "clouds" of particles and radiation powered by fast-spinning neutron stars. Projects for students (including undergraduates) and postdocs involve observational studies and modeling (including numerical simulations) of these objects.
Research Interests:
Supernova Remnants
Neutron Stars, Pulsars, Magnetars
Pulsar Wind Nebulae
Microquasars
Cosmic Ray acceleration
High-Energy Astrophysics
Radio/X-ray correlated studies
Publications:
NASA's ADS Link
In the Press/News:
- Astro-H Science Working Group
- Intervew with Radio Canada International on Supernova Remnants Research (May 25, 2011)
- Canada Foundation for Innovation Article (Search for the Stellar Smoking Gun) (March 16, 2011)
- Even Iron Man Can Not Repel This Stellar Creature!