The Progenitor Dependence of Three-Dimensional Core-Collapse Supernovae

TL;DR

This study investigates how different progenitor star structures influence the complex 3D neutrino-driven explosion mechanisms in core-collapse supernovae, revealing three distinct evolutionary pathways based on progenitor properties.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed 3D simulation analysis of progenitor dependence in core-collapse supernovae, highlighting three qualitatively different explosion pathways.

Findings

Most progenitors, except 12 M_sun, experience shock runaway.

Three distinct explosion pathways identified based on progenitor structure.

Explosion dynamics influence remnant mass non-monotonically.

Abstract

We present a first study of the progenitor star dependence of the three-dimensional (3D) neutrino mechanism of core-collapse supernovae. We employ full 3D general-relativistic multi-group neutrino radiation-hydrodynamics and simulate the post-bounce evolutions of progenitors with zero-age main sequence masses of $12$, $15$, $20$, $27$, and $40\,M_\odot$. All progenitors, with the exception of the $12\,M_\odot$ star, experience shock runaway by the end of their simulations. In most cases, a strongly asymmetric explosion will result. We find three qualitatively distinct evolutions that suggest a complex dependence of explosion dynamics on progenitor density structure, neutrino heating, and 3D flow. (1) Progenitors with massive cores, shallow density profiles, and high post-core-bounce accretion rates experience very strong neutrino heating and neutrino-driven turbulent convection, leading to early shock runaway. Accretion continues at a high rate, likely leading to black hole formation. (2) Intermediate progenitors experience neutrino-driven, turbulence-aided explosions triggered by the arrival of density discontinuities at the shock. These occur typically at the silicon/silicon-oxygen shell boundary. (3) Progenitors with small cores and density profiles without strong discontinuities experience shock recession and develop the 3D standing-accretion shock instability (SASI). Shock runaway ensues late, once declining accretion rate, SASI, and neutrino-driven convection create favorable conditions. These differences in explosion times and dynamics result in a non-monotonic relationship between progenitor and compact remnant mass.