Et tu, Brute?: The Crab Nebula also exploded by jittering jets

TL;DR

This paper presents evidence that the Crab Nebula's morphology supports the jittering jets explosion mechanism (JJEM) for core-collapse supernovae, even in low-energy cases, based on infrared image analysis.

Contribution

It demonstrates the presence of point-symmetrical structures in the Crab Nebula consistent with JJEM, strengthening its role as a primary CCSN explosion mechanism.

Findings

Seven pairs of opposite bays form a point-symmetrical structure.

The symmetry axes intersect near the explosion site.

Jittering jets can cause low-energy CCSNe explosions.

Abstract

We identify a point-symmetrical morphology comprised of seven pairs of opposite bays in the core-collapse supernova (CCSN) remnant Crab Nebula, which is consistent with the jittering jets explosion mechanism (JJEM) of CCSNe. We use a recently published infrared image of the Crab Nebula and apply image analysis to fit seven pairs of bays in the Crab, each pair of two bays and a symmetry axis connecting them. The seven symmetry axes intersect close to the explosion site, forming a point-symmetrical structure. We explain the bays as clumps that move slower than the low-density ejecta that the pulsar accelerated. Jittering jets that exploded the Crab formed the clumps during the explosion process. This shows that jittering jets explode even very low-energy CCSNe, as the Crab is, adding to the solidification of the JJEM as the primary explosion mechanism of CCSNe.