Astronomers have observed an extraordinary supernova, designated SN 2023zkd, located approximately 730 million light-years from Earth. Initially detected by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) in July 2023, SN 2023zkd presented a unique characteristic: dual outbursts. This phenomenon has challenged conventional astronomical models and provided new insights into the final moments of massive stars.
The research, led by Aleksandr Gagliano from the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions and involving a team from the Young Supernova Experiment (YSE), proposes that the supernova was triggered by the interaction between the massive star and its black hole companion. This interaction is considered the strongest evidence to date for a star-black hole merger directly causing a stellar explosion. Archival data revealed that SN 2023zkd exhibited unusual brightening and light variations for approximately four years prior to the main event, suggesting a close and destabilizing orbit with its black hole companion. The dual outbursts are attributed to the supernova's shockwave interacting first with surrounding gas and then with a denser cloud of matter ejected by the star in its final years. The discovery was aided by AI algorithms like the Light curve Anomaly Identification and Similarity Search (LAISS), highlighting the growing synergy between AI and astronomical observation in identifying rare phenomena.