November 20
X-Ray Flash Supernovae: The State of the Field
Speaker: Gokul Srinivasaragavan, Northwestern University
Abstract: The launch of the Einstein Probe (EP) and Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM) has revolutionized the study of the soft X-ray time domain sky and opened a new discovery space for studying X-ray Flashes (XRFs). XRFs are short flashes of X-rays that peak at less than 25 keV, making them prime objects for EP and SVOM to discover. Their peak energies are lower than those of classical GRBs but higher than those of classical SNe without high-energy counterparts, making their progenitor systems a mystery. A subset of XRFs have detected SN counterparts, known as XRF-SNe. These events are very important to characterize from a multi-wavelength perspective, as they are the strongest probes of XRF progenitor systems we have to date. EP and SVOM have dramatically increased the discovery rate of XRF-SNe, with seven confirmed discoveries in just three years of operations. In this talk, I will present the results from multi-wavelength observational campaigns of three XRF-SNe (EP250108a/SN 2025kg, EP250827b/SN 2025wkm, and EP260321a/SN 2026gzf). Our rich observational data sets allowed us to make important inferences about each event’s progenitor system. I will also give a broad overview of the XRF-SN landscape, both prior to and after the launch of EP and SVOM, and discuss what the future of XRF science looks like within the context of current and upcoming time-domain missions.
Host: Jillian Rastinejad & Sara Starechecki