Spectral synthesis techniques for supernovae and kilonovae

TL;DR

This paper reviews spectral synthesis techniques for supernovae and kilonovae, emphasizing computational methods and their evolution, to improve modeling of these cosmic explosions and their element production.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the development and current state of spectral synthesis modeling for supernovae and kilonovae, highlighting computational approaches and future directions.

Findings

Comparison of spectral modeling techniques across different transient types

Discussion of approximations and their impact on spectral accuracy

Outline of future improvements in spectral synthesis models

Abstract

Supernovae (SNe) and kilonovae (KNe) are the most violent explosions in cosmos, signalling the destruction of a massive star (core-collapse SN), a white dwarf (thermonuclear SN) and a neutron star (KN), respectively. The ejected debris in these explosions is believed to be the main cosmic source of most elements in the periodic table. However, decoding the spectra of these transients is a challenging task requiring sophisticated spectral synthesis modelling. Here, the techniques for such modelling is reviewed, with particular focus on the computational aspects. We build from a historical review of how methodologies evolved from modelling of stellar winds, to supernovae, to kilonovae, studying various approximations in use for the central physical processes. Similarities and differences in the numeric schemes employed by current codes are discussed, and the path towards improved models is laid out.