Understanding how massive stars die as supernovae (SNe) is a crucial question in modern astrophysics. SNe are powerful stellar explosions and key drivers in the cosmic baryonic cycles by injecting their explosion energy and heavy elements to the interstellar medium that forms new stars. After decades of effort, astrophysicists have built up a stand model for the explosion mechanism of massive stars. However, this model is challenged by new kinds of stellar explosions discovered in the recent transit surveys. In particular, the new population called superluminous SNe, which are a hundred times brighter than typical SNe, is revolutionizing our understanding of SNe. New studies suggest the superluminous SNe are associated with the unusual demise of very massive stars and their extreme SNe powered by the radioactive isotopes or compact objects formed after the explosion. Studying these SNe fills a gap of knowledge between the death of massive stars and their explosions; furthermore, we may apply their intense luminosity to light up the distant universe. This paper aims to provide a timely review of superluminous SNe physics, focusing on the latest development of their theoretical models.

中文翻译：

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超发光超新星物理学

了解大质量恒星如何以超新星 (SNe) 的形式死亡是现代天体物理学中的一个关键问题。SNe 是强大的恒星爆炸和宇宙重子循环的关键驱动因素，通过将其爆炸能量和重元素注入形成新恒星的星际介质中。经过几十年的努力，天体物理学家已经为大质量恒星的爆炸机制建立了一个标准模型。然而，这一模型受到最近过境调查中发现的新型恒星爆炸的挑战。特别是，被称为超亮超新星的新星群，比典型超新星亮一百倍，正在彻底改变我们对超新星的理解。新的研究表明，超亮超新星与超大质量恒星的异常消亡有关，它们的极端超新星由放射性同位素或爆炸后形成的致密物体提供动力。研究这些超新星填补了大质量恒星死亡和爆炸之间的知识空白；此外，我们可以应用它们强烈的光度来照亮遥远的宇宙。本文旨在及时回顾超光超新星物理学，重点关注其理论模型的最新发展。