Expected Hard X-Ray and Soft Gamma-Ray from Supernovae

TL;DR

This paper discusses how upcoming high-energy space telescopes can detect gamma-ray signals from supernovae, providing insights into nucleosynthesis and explosion mechanisms that were previously difficult to observe.

Contribution

It demonstrates the potential of new generation X-ray and gamma-ray instruments to detect supernova nucleosynthesis signals, enabling direct study of SN explosion processes.

Findings

Detection of gamma-ray signals from supernovae is feasible with upcoming instruments.

Such detections can occur at a rate of once every few years.

This opens new opportunities for studying nucleosynthesis in supernovae.

Abstract

High energy emissions from supernovae (SNe), originated from newly formed radioactive species, provide direct evidence of nucleosynthesis at SN explosions. However, observational difficulties in the MeV range have so far allowed the signal detected only from the extremely nearby core-collapse SN 1987A. No solid detection has been reported for thermonuclear SNe Ia, despite the importance of the direct confirmation of the formation of 56Ni, which is believed to be a key ingredient in their nature as distance indicators. In this paper, we show that the new generation hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray instruments, on board Astro-H and NuStar, are capable of detecting the signal, at least at a pace of once in a few years, opening up this new window for studying SN explosion and nucleosynthesis.