Simulating jets from a neutron star companion hours after a core collapse supernova

TL;DR

This study uses 3D hydrodynamical simulations to examine how jets launched by a neutron star companion shortly after a supernova explosion interact with and influence the supernova ejecta, potentially affecting observable features.

Contribution

It introduces detailed 3D simulations of jet-ejecta interactions from a neutron star companion shortly after core collapse supernovae, highlighting the formation of hot bubbles and instabilities.

Findings

Jets inflate a hot bubble influencing ejecta up to 3500 km/s.

Jets cause instabilities and vortexes that mix with ejecta.

Hot bubbles may affect supernova light curves, especially from the side of the bubble.

Abstract

We conduct three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations to explore the interaction of jets that a neutron star (NS) companion to a type Ic or type Ib core collapse supernova (CCSN) launches few hours after explosion with the ejecta of the CCSN. We assume that a NS companion at 5Ro from the exploding star accretes mass from the slower inner ejecta through an accretion disk, and that the disk launches two opposite jets. Although the energy of the jets is only about one per cent of the total energy of the ejecta, it is comparable to the energy of the slower inner part of the ejecta. We find that the jets inflate one low-density hot bubble to one side of the ejecta, and that this bubble expands to influence ejecta gas up to expansion velocities of v=3500 km/s. The post-shock jets' material develops a large meridional flow and small vortexes. The boundary between the ejecta and jets' post-shock gases is unstable. The instabilities and vortexes mix jets' gas with the ejecta. We expect such a hot bubble to contribute to the light curve of CCSNe that are progenitors of binary NS systems, in particular to observers on the side of the bubble.