Pair-Instability Supernova Simulations: Progenitor Evolution, Explosion, and Light Curves

Understand

In recent years, the viability of the pair-instability supernova (PISN) scenario for explaining superluminous supernovae has all but disappeared except for a few slowly-evolving examples.

• However, PISN are not predicted to be superluminous throughout the bulk of their mass range.
• In fact, it is more likely that the first PISN we see (if we have not seen one already) will not be superluminous.
• Here, we present hydrodynamic simulations of PISNe for four stellar models with unique envelope properties spanning the PISN mass range.