Supernova Simulations Confront SN 1987A Neutrinos

Understand

We return to interpreting the historical SN~1987A neutrino data from a modern perspective.

• To this end, we construct a suite of spherically symmetric supernova models with the Prometheus-Vertex code, using four different equations of state and five choices of final baryonic neutron-star (NS) mass in the 1.36-1.93 M$_\odot$ range.
• Our models include muons and proto-neutron star (PNS) convection by a mixing-length approximation.
• The time-integrated signals of our 1.44 M$_\odot$ models agree reasonably well with the combined data of the four relevant experiments, IMB, Kam-II, BUST, and LSD, but the high-threshold IMB detector alone favors a NS mass of 1.7-1.8 M$_\odot$, whereas Kam-II alone prefers a mass around 1.4 M$_\odot$.