# Inhomogeneities and the modeling of radio supernovae

## TL;DR

This paper explores how inhomogeneous structures in radio supernovae explain observed spectral and lightcurve deviations from standard models, highlighting differences between supernova types and their emission regions.

## Contribution

It demonstrates that inhomogeneities account for radio supernovae characteristics and distinguishes emission regions in different supernova types, advancing modeling accuracy.

## Key findings

- Inhomogeneous models explain flat-topped spectra and lightcurves.
- Radio emission in Type Ib/c supernovae originates from a small, narrow region.
- SN 1993J's radio emission is influenced by Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities.

## Abstract

Observations of radio supernovae often exhibit characteristics not readily accounted for by a homogeneous, spherically symmetric synchrotron model; e.g., flat-topped spectra/lightcurves. It is shown that many of these deviations from the standard model can be attributed to an inhomogeneous source structure. It is argued that the radio emission in Type Ib/c supernovae has a small volume filling factor and comes from a narrow region associated with the forward shock, while the radio emission region in SN 1993J (Type IIb) is determined by the extent of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability emanating from the contact discontinuity. Attention is also drawn to the similarities between radio supernovae and the structural properties of supernova remnants.