Explosions in the Empty: A Survey of Transients in Local Void Galaxies

Abstract We present a systematic analysis of transient astrophysical events—including supernovae (SNe), gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), and fast radio bursts (FRBs)—in void and nonvoid galaxies within the local Universe (0.005 < z < 0.05). Cosmic voids, defined by low galaxy densities and characterized by minimal environmental interactions, offer a natural laboratory for isolating the impact of large-scale underdensities on stellar evolution and transient production. Using multiwavelength data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the Sternberg Astronomical Institute Supernova Catalogue, and high-energy space observatories, we compare transient occurrence rates and host galaxy properties across environments. We find that core-collapse SNe are significantly more common in void galaxies, indicating that massive star formation remains active in underdense regions. In contrast, Type Ia SNe are less frequent in voids, consistent with a scarcity of older stellar populations. Notably, we identify a short-duration GRB hosted by a void galaxy, demonstrating that compact object mergers can occur in isolated environments. Additionally, we find no FRBs associated with void galaxies. Taken together, these results show that cosmic voids exert a measurable influence on the star formation history of galaxies and hence on the production of transients.