The curious story of supernova

• See more in My Research

• Supernova physics

  • I perform multi-D hydrodynamical simulations to simulate the last minute of stars at the end of their lives. I predict the associated chemical and optical signatures. I use observational data to constrain the explosion progenitors of observed supernovae and learn about their mechanisms. I am interested in Type Ia supernova, electron capture supernova, pulsational pair-instability supernova and collapsar.

• Massive star evolution and mass loss

  • I use the stellar evolution code MESA to build massive star models to embed new input physics motivated by new observations (e.g., wave-driven mass loss and convection). I build a pre-supernova explosion model, which is then fed to my modeling pipeline with radiative transfer for the subsequent explosion and optical signal. Click here to see more.

• Dark matter astrophysics

  • I use stellar objects (main-sequence or compact stars) to probe the elusive dark matter. One major impact of dark matter is the additional gravity, which changes the hydrostatic equilibrium structure, oscillation modes, and the progenitors for supernovae. This could explain some unusual stellar objects observed in transient surveys. Click here to see more. 

I think teaching is an important mean for me to pass precious and vital knowledge from one generation to another. The devoted teaching hours allows me to explore effective ways to inspire students, given their wide diversity in personal and educational background. 

Physics (to the portal):

• General Physics I - Mechanics (PHY 101T)

• Calculus-based Physics I - Mechanics (PHY 201 Theory + Lab)

• Calculus-based Physics II - Electromagnetism (PHY 202 Theory + Lab)

• Modern Physics (PHY 351T)

• Intermediate Mechanics (PHY 361)

• Electromagnetism I (PHY 371）

• Quantum Mechanics I (PHY 381)

• Topics in Physics: Computational Physics (PHY 390)

Programming (to the portal): 

• Learning Pandas from Zero

• Python Crash Course