Summer School: The landscape of astronomical transients
- Organized by
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Kishalay De, Ph.D.Associate Research Scientist, Astronomical Data, CCA, Flatiron Institute -
Matteo Cantiello, Ph.D.Research Scientist, Stars and Plasma Astrophysics, CCA, Flatiron Institute -
Brian Metzger, Ph.D.Senior Research Scientist, Stars and Compact Objects, CCA, Columbia University
The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) of the Vera Rubin Observatory is scheduled for first light in late 2025. While the survey promises unique discoveries and a fundamental change in how we view the dynamic sky, making true scientific progress will require carefully designed experiments that capitalize on the physics of (known and possibly unknown) astronomical transients. Our summer school intends to fill this gap and provide students a unique opportunity to learn the physics of astronomical transients and basics of transient discovery, and gain hands-on experience in dealing with time-domain data from synoptic surveys.
The school program will include ten days of lectures and hands-on activities (covering topics ranging from survey design to supernovae and tidal disruption events). The morning sessions on each day will include lectures on the physics of a specific class of objects, while the afternoon sessions will be devoted to hands-on modules using existing/simulated survey data to understand the challenges and new opportunities in LSST.
This opportunity is open to students currently enrolled in PhD programs. Please note that undergraduate students are not eligible to participate.
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- Fundamentals of Transient Discovery (history of surveys, survey design, image subtraction)
- Basics of supernova observations and the transient zoo (supernova light curves and spectra)
- Core-collapse supernovae (massive stellar evolution, H-rich vs H-poor, binarity)
- Thermonuclear supernovae (compact binary evolution, Type Ia supernovae, kilonovae)
- Novae and accretion powered transients (thermonuclear outbursts, accretion disks)
- Gamma-ray bursts and engine driven supernovae (relativistic outflows, magnetars and black holes as power sources)
- Low energy transients — stellar mergers and pre-supernova outbursts (binary mass transfer, terminal nuclear burning, failed supernovae)
- Tidal disruption events and Active Galactic Nuclei (tidal captures of stars, super Eddington accretion, changing look AGN)
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- Andrea Antoni
- Matteo Cantiello
- Kishalay De
- Suvi Gezari
- Jared Goldberg
- Anna Ho
- Brian Metzger
- Igor Andreoni
- Re’em Sari
- Jennifer Sokoloski
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Please submit your response to the application form linked here by March 28, 2025 to be considered.
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CCA will cover:
- Round trip travel to/from NYC
- Student housing (NYU dorms) will be provided for the two week period
- Uber rides to/from the airport in NYC
- Breakfast and lunch will be provided on site on weekdays
- We will reimburse students for weekend meals and weeknight dinners
- Round trip travel to/from NYC