The Force Explosion Condition is Consistent with Spherically Symmetric CCSN Explosions

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the analytic Force Explosion Condition (FEC) accurately predicts explosion outcomes in spherically symmetric core-collapse supernova simulations with realistic neutrino transport, extending previous validation with simplified models.

Contribution

The study validates the FEC against detailed neutrino transport simulations, providing a practical translation of physical parameters and confirming its applicability in realistic CCSN models.

Findings

FEC is consistent with GR1D neutrino transport simulations.

Modified parameters enable FEC to predict explosion conditions accurately.

FEC extends its validity from simplified to realistic supernova models.

Abstract

One of the major challenges in Core-collapse Supernova (CCSN) theory is to predict which stars explode and which collapse to black holes. Gogilashvili and Murphy (2022) derived an analytic force explosion condition (FEC) and showed that the FEC is consistent with CCSN simulations that use the light-bulb approximation for neutrino heating and cooling. In this follow-up manuscript, we show that the FEC is consistent with the explosion condition when using actual neutrino transport in GR1D simulations (O'CONNOR 2015). Since most 1D simulations do not explode, to facilitate this test, we enhance the heating efficiency within the gain region. To compare the analytic FEC and radiation-hydrodynamic simulations, this manuscript also presents a practical translation of the physical parameters. For example: we replace the neutrino power deposited in the gain region, $L_\nu\tau_g$, with the net neutrino heating in the gain region; rather than assuming that $\dot{M}$ is the same everywhere, we calculate $\dot{M}$ within the gain region; and we use the neutrino opacity at the gain radius. With small, yet practical modifications, we show that the FEC predicts the explosion conditions in spherically symmetric CCSN simulations that use neutrino transport.