Abstract
The nebular spectra of supernovae differ from those of better-known emission nebulae in that many of the emission lines are optically thick. Here we sketch the theory for interpreting such spectra, and show how it can be used to interpret prominent emission line systems in the spectrum of SN 1987A. As examples, we describe: (1) a simple method to infer the density of OI from observations of the evolution of the doublet ratio in [O I]λλ6300; (2) new kind of hydrogen recombination hne spectrum; (3) an analysis showing that the Call infrared emission lines must come from primordial, not newly-synthesized, calcium; (4) a theory for the Fe/Co/Ni emission lines that shows that the inner envelope of SN 1987A must have a foamy texture, in which low density radioactive bubbles of Fe/Co/Ni reside in a massive substrate of hydrogen, helium, and other elements.
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