Learning from core-collapse supernova remnants on the explosion mechanism

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the jittering jets explosion mechanism (JJEM) for core-collapse supernovae, estimating jet properties and magnetic reconnection zones, and argues current simulations lack sufficient resolution to accurately model the process.

Contribution

It provides new estimates of jet angles, accretion disk lifetimes, and magnetic reconnection scales specific to the JJEM, highlighting limitations of current CCSN simulations.

Findings

Jittering jets have half-opening angles of 1-10 degrees.

Magnetic reconnection zones are about 0.005-0.1 km wide.

Current simulations lack the resolution to accurately model these processes.

Abstract

I estimate some typical properties of the jittering jets explosion mechanism (JJEM) to distinguish it from competing supernova explosion models. From the imprints of jittering jets in the outskirts of some CCSN remnants, I estimate the half-opening angles of jittering jets that shape CCSN remnants to be ~1-10 degrees. I also estimate that intermittent accretion disks around the newly born neutron star (NS) can launch jets after they live for only several times their orbital period around the NS. To operate, the JJEM requires intermittent accretion disks that launch jets to amplify the magnetic fields in a dynamo, and the magnetic fields to reconnect and release their energy rapidly. I estimate the width of magnetic field reconnection zones to be ~0.005r~0.1km near the surface of the NS. This width requires a numerical resolution several times smaller than the resolution of present CCSN simulations. I argue, therefore, that existing simulations of the CCSN explosion mechanism are still far from correctly simulating CCSN explosions.