Jets launched at magnetar birth cannot be ignored

TL;DR

This paper argues that jets launched during magnetar formation are energetically significant and likely play a crucial role in powering super energetic supernovae, challenging models that exclude jets.

Contribution

It demonstrates that jets during magnetar birth can carry energy comparable to or exceeding the magnetar's rotational energy, emphasizing their importance in supernova models.

Findings

Jets can carry energy comparable to the magnetar's rotational energy.

Jets transfer substantial energy to supernova ejecta.

Jets are more likely than magnetars to power super energetic supernovae.

Abstract

I question models for powering super energetic supernovae (SESNe) with a magnetar central engine that do not include jets that are expected to be launched by the magnetar progenitor. I show that under reasonable assumptions the outflow that is expected during the formation of a magnetar can carry an amount of energy that does not fall much below, and even surpasses, the energy that is stored in the newly born spinning neutron star (NS). The rapidly spinning NS and the strong magnetic fields attributed to magnetars require that the accreted mass onto the newly born NS possesses high specific angular momentum and strong magnetic fields. These ingredients are expected, as in many other astrophysical objects, to form collimated outflows/jets. I argue that the bipolar outflow in the pre-magnetar phase transfers a substantial amount of energy to the supernova (SN) ejecta, and it cannot be ignored in models that attribute SESNe to magnetars. I conclude that jets launched by accretion disks and accretion belts are more likely to power SESNe than magnetars are. This conclusion is compatible with the notion that jets might power all core collapse SNe (CCSNe).