The Hunt for the Quark-Nova; a Call for Observers (Abstract)

Volume 40 number 1 (2012)

David J. Lane

Saint Mary’s University, Department of Astronomy and Physics, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, NS B3H 3C3, Canada; dlane@ap.smu.ca

R. Ouyed

University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; rouyed@uclagary.ca

D. Leahy

University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; rouyed@uclagary.ca

Douglas L. Welch

McMaster University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada; address correspondence to welch@physics.mcmaster.ca

Abstract

(Abstract only) A Quark Nova is the explosive transition from a neutron star to a quark star that is theorized to take place days or weeks after a small fraction of “normal” Type II supernova events. The Quark Nova signature is the delayed brightening of the new object by about five magnitudes. The proposed close long-term monitoring of Type II supernova events should reveal the presence or absence of the signature double-hump of a Quark Nova and allow us to estimate the frequency or upper limit to the rate of such events. Normal supernova search techniques and follow-up activities may miss the subsequent brightening that takes place during the Quark Nova event. We seek CCD-equipped observers with modest-sized telescopes to join a collaborative effort to search for these events. Your job would begin after Type II supernovae are discovered by others. You, with a team of other observers, would follow all new Type II discoveries for about one to two months looking for the signature “double-bump.” As there are not many known Type II supernovae active at any given time, the observational commitment is not expected to exceed about one hour per night. We have set up an on-line database to manage the process and record the observations and a communications forum to provide support to the observers and structure to the project (see http://quarknova.ucalgary.ca). The confirmation that these objects exist will be a significant event in supernova research.