Crucial Physical Dependencies of the Core-Collapse Supernova Mechanism

• Published in: Space science reviews Vol. 214; no. 1; pp. 1 - 22
• Main Authors: Burrows, A., Vartanyan, D., Dolence, J. C., Skinner, M. A., Radice, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.02.2018; Springer Nature B.V; Springer
• Subjects: Absorption cross sections; Aerospace Technology and Astronautics; ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Beta decay; Bremsstrahlung; Collapse; Couplings; Electron capture; Explosions; Fluid mechanics; Heavy nuclei; Heterogeneity; Inelastic scattering; Laboratories; Multi-dimensional radiation/hydrodynamics; Neutrino physics; Neutrinos; Neutron stars; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Planetology; Radiation; Seeds; Simulation; Space Exploration and Astronautics; Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics; Supernova; Supernova theory; Supernovae; Theory of relativity; Neutrino physics; Supernova theory; Multi-dimensional radiation/hydrodynamics
• ISSN: 0038-6308; 1572-9672
• DOI: 10.1007/s11214-017-0450-9

We explore with self-consistent 2D F ornax simulations the dependence of the outcome of collapse on many-body corrections to neutrino-nucleon cross sections, the nucleon-nucleon bremsstrahlung rate, electron capture on heavy nuclei, pre-collapse seed perturbations, and inelastic neutrino-electron and neutrino-nucleon scattering. Importantly, proximity to criticality amplifies the role of even small changes in the neutrino-matter couplings, and such changes can together add to produce outsized effects. When close to the critical condition the cumulative result of a few small effects (including seeds) that individually have only modest consequence can convert an anemic into a robust explosion, or even a dud into a blast. Such sensitivity is not seen in one dimension and may explain the apparent heterogeneity in the outcomes of detailed simulations performed internationally. A natural conclusion is that the different groups collectively are closer to a realistic understanding of the mechanism of core-collapse supernovae than might have seemed apparent.