Comparison of Electron Capture Rates in the N=50 Region using 1D Simulations of Core-collapse Supernovae

TL;DR

This study compares different electron-capture rate models in supernova simulations, showing that updated rates significantly influence core-collapse dynamics, neutrino signals, and explosion outcomes, often more than progenitor variations.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of how recent electron-capture rate updates affect supernova simulations across multiple progenitors, highlighting their impact on explosion mechanisms and observable signals.

Findings

Updated EC rates influence core-collapse timescales and inner core properties.

Neutrino signals are affected consistently by different EC rate models.

Updated rates slightly favor supernova explosions compared to older models.

Abstract

Recent studies have highlighted the sensitivity of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) models to electron-capture (EC) rates on neutron-rich nuclei near the N=50 closed-shell region. In this work, we perform a large suite of one-dimensional CCSN simulations for 200 stellar progenitors using recently updated EC rates in this region. For comparison, we repeat the simulations using two previous implementations of EC rates: a microphysical library with parameterized N=50 rates (LMP), and an older independent-particle approximation (IPA). We follow the simulations through shock revival up to several seconds post-bounce, and show that the EC rates produce a consistent imprint on CCSN properties, often surpassing the role of the progenitor itself. Notable impacts include the timescale of core collapse, the electron fraction and mass of the inner core at bounce, the accretion rate through the shock, the success or failure of revival, and the properties of the central compact remnant. We also compare the observable neutrino signal of the neutronization burst in a DUNE-like detector, and find consistent impacts on the counts and mean energies. Overall, the updated rates result in properties that are intermediate between LMP and IPA, and yet slightly more favorable to explosion than both.