Uncovering the Mysteries of Supernova Explosions through Radio Signals

Astronomers from Stockholm University have discovered the origin of a thermonuclear supernova explosion, traced to a helium-rich companion star of a white dwarf. This first-ever detection of a supernova in radio waves sheds light on the nature and processes leading to Type Ia supernovae, crucial for measuring the universe’s expansion. The finding helps resolve the long-standing question about the process leading to the explosion of a white dwarf star and the nature of its progenitor, identified here as a helium star that had lost much of its material just prior to the white dwarf’s explosion.