2D and 3D Core-Collapse Supernovae Simulation Results Obtained with the CHIMERA Code

TL;DR

This paper presents results from 2D and 3D simulations of core-collapse supernovae using the CHIMERA code, demonstrating explosions across various progenitor masses and advancing understanding of the explosion mechanism.

Contribution

It introduces the CHIMERA supernova simulation code and provides new 2D and 3D simulation results for multiple progenitor masses, showing successful explosions.

Findings

All 2D simulations exhibited explosions.

Simulations show shock expansion between 5,000 and 20,000 km.

Ongoing 3D simulation initiated from a 15 solar mass progenitor.

Abstract

Much progress in realistic modeling of core-collapse supernovae has occurred recently through the availability of multi-teraflop machines and the increasing sophistication of supernova codes. These improvements are enabling simulations with enough realism that the explosion mechanism, long a mystery, may soon be delineated. We briefly describe the CHIMERA code, a supernova code we have developed to simulate core-collapse supernovae in 1, 2, and 3 spatial dimensions. We then describe the results of an ongoing suite of 2D simulations initiated from a 12, 15, 20, and 25 solar mass progenitor. These have all exhibited explosions and are currently in the expanding phase with the shock at between 5,000 and 20,000 km. We also briefly describe an ongoing simulation in 3 spatial dimensions initiated from the 15 solar mass progenitor.