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How the Last Evolutionary Stages Shape the Explosive Deaths of Massive Stars

Eva Laplace (University of Leuven) — February 26, 2026

Abstract

Supernovae mark the explosive deaths of massive stars and light up the Universe across vast distances. Yet, despite decades of study, key questions remain unresolved: What exactly are their progenitors? What drives the striking diversity among these explosions? And what is the nature of the mysterious circumstellar material revealed around many events? In this talk, I will present research into the final lives of massive stars, in particular red supergiants (RSGs), the known progenitors of many core-collapse supernovae. I will focus on their final evolutionary stages, in which they can experience large-scale envelope pulsations, a dynamic behavior often overlooked in supernova models. These pulsations can dramatically alter the star’s structure and surroundings in its final years, also shaping its explosion properties. Finally, I will present an exciting connection between these pulsations and the recent observations of SN 2023ixf, one of the nearest and best-studied supernovae in recent times, offering a fresh perspective on how massive stars live and end their lives.