Supernova Explosions in Winds and Bubbles, with Applications to SN 1987A

TL;DR

This paper investigates how supernova shock waves expand within wind- and bubble-modified environments created by massive stars, applying findings to interpret observations of SN 1987A's shock evolution and emissions.

Contribution

It models the evolution of the medium around massive stars and the shock wave expansion within it, providing new insights into supernova remnants like SN 1987A.

Findings

Shock wave expansion depends on the modified circumstellar medium

Radio and X-ray emissions evolve predictably with shock expansion

Application to SN 1987A explains observed emission features

Abstract

Massive stars can significantly modify the surrounding medium during their lifetime. When the stars explode as supernovae, the resulting shock wave expands within this modified medium and not within the interstellar medium. We explore the evolution of the medium around massive stars, and the expansion of the shock wave within this medium. We then apply these results to understanding the expansion of the shock wave in the ambient medium surrounding SN 1987A, and the evolution of the radio and X-ray emission in this case.