WITH BOLOMETRIC LUMINOSITIES REACH L-10-45 ERG/SEC THE NEW CLASS OF SUPER LUMINOUS SUPERNOVAE (SLSNE) OUTSHINE ORDINARY SNE A FACTOR 100 AND REPRESENT THE DEATH OF THE MOST MASSIVE STARS IN OUR UNIVERSE. THEIR EXCEPTIONAL LUMINOSITY REQUIRES EXOTIC EXPLOSION MECHANISMS AND/OR SOURCES OF ENERGY WHOSE NATURE IS UNCLEAR. HERE WE PROPOSE A CONTINUATION OF OUR SUCCESSFUL XMM PROGRAM TO MAP THEIR X-RAY EMISSION DOWN TO UNPRECEDENTED LIMITS AS PART OF OUR MULTI-WAVELENGTH EFFORT THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS ON THE VLA (RADIO) SWIFT (UV) AND OPTICAL/NTR FACILITIES. THE FINAL AIM IS TO: (I) PIN DOWN THE ENERGY SOURCE OF SLSNE: (II) MAP THE DIVERSITY OF THE PRE-EXPLOSION EVOLUTION OF THEIR PROGENITORS.

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

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