3D hydrodynamic core-collapse SN simulations for an 11.2 M_⊙ star with spectral neutrino transport

Abstract

We have performed three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamical simulations of core-collapse supernovae (SNe) with multigroup neutrino transport to study non-axisymmetric effects in the context of neutrino heating explosion mechanism. By comparing one- (1D) and two dimensional (2D) results with those of 3D, we study how the increasing spatial multi-dimensionality affects the postbounce SN dynamics. The calculations were performed with an energy-dependent treatment of the neutrino transport that is solved by the isotropic diffusion source approximation scheme. In agreement with previous studies, our 1D model does not produce explosions for the 11.2 M_⊙ star, while the neutrino-driven revival of the stalled bounce shock is obtained both in the 2D and 3D models. Our results show that convective matter motions below the gain radius become much more violent in 3D than 2D, making the neutrino luminosity larger for 3D. Enhanced by the large neutrino luminosity, the shock of the 3D model expands faster than that of the 2D. Our results show that the evolution of the shock is sensitive to the employed numerical resolutions. To draw a robust conclusion, 3D simulations with much higher numerical resolution and more advanced treatment of neutrino transport and gravity is needed.