In the realm of astrophysics and energy research, a team of scientists from various institutions, including National Taiwan University, Kyoto University, and Monash University, has delved into the intricate details of supernova shock breakout from red supergiants. Their findings, published in the Astrophysical Journal, offer new insights into the behavior of these massive stellar explosions and their potential implications for the energy sector.
The researchers conducted advanced two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations using the CASTRO code to study the shock breakout process from red supergiants. They focused on two progenitor stars, one with a mass of 20 solar masses and the other with 25 solar masses, both at solar metallicity. These stars were evolved from the zero-age main sequence using the MESA code and exploded in one dimension using the FLASH code. The team considered various circumstellar media (CSM) produced by stellar winds to understand how pre-explosion mass-loss affects shock breakout.
The simulations revealed that strong radiation precursors, generated by radiation leakage behind the shock, can drive fluid instabilities and move the effective photosphere outward before the shock reaches the stellar surface. This interaction results in breakout emissions with peak luminosities of approximately 10^44 erg per second and durations of 1-3 hours. These emissions are significantly dimmer and longer-lasting compared to those from blue supergiants. The light-curve colors gradually evolve from blue to red after the peak.
The study also found that the 25 solar-mass model, with an explosion energy of about 1.69×10^51 erg, produces a maximum luminosity that is 10-30% higher than the 20 solar-mass model, which has an explosion energy of approximately 1.09×10^51 erg. Additionally, the presence of dense CSM extends the breakout rise time by increasing photon diffusion.
For the energy sector, understanding the behavior of supernovae can provide valuable insights into the life cycles of stars and the distribution of energy in the universe. The findings of this research can help refine models of stellar evolution and mass-loss, which are crucial for predicting the energy output and impact of supernovae. This knowledge can be applied to various fields, including nuclear energy research and the development of advanced energy technologies.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.