Type Iax supernovae: Extreme thermonuclear explosions

Dr Mark Magee (Warwick)

Type Iax supernovae (SNe Iax) are an extreme class of thermonuclear explosions related to type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). They show significant diversity in terms of their luminosities, light curve shapes, and spectral features. Although the exact origin of SNe Ia remains unclear, significant progress has been made in our understanding of the explosion mechanisms and progenitor scenarios leading to SNe Iax  despite their rarity. In this talk, I will present an overview of SNe Iax. I will discuss observational properties of the class and how these can be used to add constraints to the explosion mechanism and progenitor scenario.