Dynamics of a Spherical Accretion Shock with Neutrino Heating and Alpha-Particle Recombination

Understand

We investigate the effects of neutrino heating and alpha-particle recombination on the hydrodynamics of core-collapse supernovae.

• Our focus is on the non-linear dynamics of the shock wave that forms in the collapse, and the assembly of positive energy material below it.
• To this end, we perform time-dependent hydrodynamic simulations with FLASH2.5 in spherical and axial symmetry.
• These generalize our previous calculations by allowing for bulk neutrino heating and for nuclear statistical equilibrium between n, p and alpha.