Modeling core collapse supernovae in 2 and 3 dimensions with spectral neutrino transport

TL;DR

This paper presents a scalable 2D and 3D modeling code for core collapse supernovae that incorporates advanced neutrino transport and nuclear networks, revealing mechanisms for shock revival and explosion.

Contribution

Developed a 3D-capable, scalable simulation code for supernovae with spectral neutrino transport and nuclear networks, advancing realistic modeling of these complex events.

Findings

Shock revival due to interplay of reduced ram pressure and neutrino heating.

Successful 2D simulations of symmetric and asymmetric supernova collapse.

Identification of mechanisms leading to explosion in supernova models.

Abstract

The overwhelming evidence that the core collapse supernova mechanism is inherently multidimensional, the complexity of the physical processes involved, and the increasing evidence from simulations that the explosion is marginal presents great computational challenges for the realistic modeling of this event, particularly in 3 spatial dimensions. We have developed a code which is scalable to computations in 3 dimensions which couples PPM Lagrangian with remap hydrodynamics [1], multigroup, flux-limited diffusion neutrino transport [2], with many improvements), and a nuclear network [3]. The neutrino transport is performed in a ray-by-ray plus approximation wherein all the lateral effects of neutrinos are included (e.g., pressure, velocity corrections, advection) except the transport. A moving radial grid option permits the evolution to be carried out from initial core collapse with only modest demands on the number of radial zones. The inner part of the core is evolved after collapse along with the rest of the core and mantle by subcycling the lateral evolution near the center as demanded by the small Courant times. We present results of 2-D simulations of a symmetric and an asymmetric collapse of both a 15 and an 11 M progenitor. In each of these simulations we have discovered that once the oxygen rich material reaches the shock there is a synergistic interplay between the reduced ram pressure, the energy released by the burning of the shock heated oxygen rich material, and the neutrino energy deposition which leads to a revival of the shock and an explosion.