Explosion Mechanisms of Core-Collapse Supernovae

TL;DR

Recent advances in supernova modeling have improved understanding of explosion mechanisms, neutrino emissions, and asymmetries, but challenges remain in explaining the most energetic supernovae.

Contribution

This paper reviews recent progress in supernova theory, emphasizing new simulation techniques, insights into explosion mechanisms, and the limitations of current models.

Findings

Neutrino-driven explosions are common in certain progenitors.

New features in gravitational-wave signals have been identified.

Simulations suggest magnetorotational mechanisms may be needed for hypernovae.

Abstract

Supernova theory, numerical and analytic, has made remarkable progress in the past decade. This progress was made possible by more sophisticated simulation tools, especially for neutrino transport, improved microphysics, and deeper insights into the role of hydrodynamic instabilities. Violent, large-scale nonradial mass motions are generic in supernova cores. The neutrino-heating mechanism, aided by nonradial flows, drives explosions, albeit low-energy ones, of ONeMg-core and some Fe-core progenitors. The characteristics of the neutrino emission from new-born neutron stars were revised, new features of the gravitational-wave signals were discovered, our notion of supernova nucleosynthesis was shattered, and our understanding of pulsar kicks and explosion asymmetries was significantly improved. But simulations also suggest that neutrino-powered explosions might not explain the most energetic supernovae and hypernovae, which seem to demand magnetorotational driving. Now that modeling is being advanced from two to three dimensions, more realism, new perspectives, and hopefully answers to long-standing questions are coming into reach.