Measuring the Upper End of the Initial Mass Function with Supernovae

TL;DR

This paper explores how supernovae, especially the most luminous ones from very massive stars, can be used to trace and understand the upper end of the initial mass function across cosmic distances.

Contribution

It presents preliminary work linking extreme supernovae to the environmental conditions of their host galaxies, aiding in probing the upper end of the IMF.

Findings

Extreme supernovae are associated with stars over 100 solar masses.

Presence of luminous supernovae in dwarf galaxies tests IMF models.

Environmental factors influence the occurrence of the most luminous supernovae.

Abstract

Supernovae arise from progenitor stars occupying the upper end of the initial mass function. Their extreme brightness allows individual massive stars to be detected at cosmic distances, lending supernovae great potential as tracers of the upper end of the IMF and its evolution. Exploiting this potential requires progress in many areas of supernova science. These include understanding the progenitor masses that produce various types of supernovae and accurately characterizing the supernova outburst and the environment in which it was produced. I present some preliminary work identifying the environmental conditions that produce the most luminous supernovae, believed to arise from stars with masses greater than 100 M_sun. I illustrate that the presence of these extreme supernovae in small star-forming dwarfs can be used to test our understanding of the upper end of the IMF.