Behind a stalled bounce shock

PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Astrophysics & Cosmology · Stellar death and compact objects · Astrophysical fluid dynamics and plasmas

Stars from the Inside, Ch Stellar explosions: core collapse, the neutrino-driven shock, radioactive light and remnants

Problem

Behind a stalled bounce shock, the gain region absorbs part of the electron-flavour neutrino luminosity,

L_\nu = 4\times10^{45}\,\mathrm{W}

, for a heating episode lasting

t_{\rm heat} = 0.3\,\mathrm{s}

. Reviving the shock requires depositing

E = 8\times10^{43}\,\mathrm{J}

in that region. ((a)) Estimate the fraction

f

of the neutrino luminosity that must be absorbed over this episode to supply

E

. ((b)) Comment on whether this fraction is plausible, given that only a small share of the outgoing neutrino flux typically interacts with matter in the gain region.

Browse the problem library