Rayleigh-Taylor Overturn In Supernova Core Collapse

L. Smarr, J. R. Wilson, R. T. Barton, and R. L. Bowers, Astrophysical Journal, 246, 515-525 (1981).

Abstract

We perform a two dimensional radiation diffusion coupled to hydrodynamics calculation of non-spherical instabilities in the collapsed core from a massive star. The core properties are taken from a one dimensional collapse calculated with detailed micro-physics and neutrino transport. The shocked outer core [0.7M0<M(r<1.3M0] is found to contain three sub-regions. The inner most is doubly diffusive (“neutronfingers”) unstable, the center sub-region is dynamically unstable, and the outer most is stable. We find that the unstable part of the outer core overturns in~5ms without disturbing the inner unshocked core of M<0.7M0. This overturned outer core expands as a piston, creating an outgoing shock wave which may help power envelope ejection. This outer core overturn would seem to be a generic feature of core collapse which has heretofore been neglected.

LINK TO ARTICLE