The following document lists the file abstract/JSPYROMI_PROP_1_A.abs
from catalogue VI/111.
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Supernovae are powered by the radioactive decay of Ni56. The mass of Ni56, which is short lived (tau 8.8d) is almost impossible to measure directly. However by studying the daughter products of the decay we can pin down the energetics of the explosion. The experiments proposed here aim to use the density and temperature insensitive mid IR lines of the iron group elements to determine the mass of Ni56. We wish to study the stages of explosive burning occuring further out in the progenitor star by measuring the abundances of Argon. Only ISO can perform these experiments since the lines are inaccessible from the ground. The abundances of these elements directly test the explosion models for supernovae. The evolution of these lines tests spectral synthesis models which are currently being used to interpret the spectra of supernovae. A further experiment is planned to look for emission from dust in the ejecta. The epoch of dust formation and the temperature of the dust probe the chemistry and physical conditions of the supernova. We plan to observe 2 nearby supernovae of types Ib and IIb which have been well studied from the ground and HST. The ISO observations are critical to our understanding of these objects and will probe a regime of astrophysics which to date has only been explored for SN1987A. In addition we plan to observe a type Ia supernova to determine the mass of iron and test for the ir catastrophe scenario. As the studies of SN1987A have shown supernovae a few hundred days after explosion change from objects best studied in the optical to infrared objects. The ISO observations proposed here will directly test theoretical models and probe supernovae at the wavelengths at which they are most interesting.