Three-dimensional mixing and light curves: constraints on the progenitor of supernova 1987A

Victor Utrobin, Annop Wongwathanarat, H. -Thomas Janka, Ewald Mueller, T. Ertl, Stan Woosley

Published 2018-12-24Version 1

In the framework of the neutrino-driven explosion mechanism, we study the dependence of macroscopic mixing on the structure of different blue supergiant progenitors and compare the results with observations of SN 1987A. All of our seven 3D neutrino-driven explosion models, with SN 1987A-like explosion energies, produce Ni-56 in rough agreement with the amount deduced from fitting the radioactive tail of the light curve. Among these models only one old model yields a maximum velocity of ~3000 km/s for the bulk of ejected Ni-56, consistent with observational data. In all of our models hydrogen is mixed downward to minimum velocities below 400 km/s, which agrees with spectral observations. Hydrodynamic simulations with the new progenitor models, having smaller radii compared to the older ones, show a much better agreement of the calculated light curves with the observed one in the initial luminosity peak and during the first 20 days. The considered presupernova models, 3D explosion simulations, and light curve calculations can explain the basic observational features of SN 1987A. A set of models with slightly different explosion energies shows that a high growth factor of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities at the (C+O)/He composition interface and a weak interaction of fast Rayleigh-Taylor plumes with the reverse shock occurring below the He/H composition interface seem to be a sufficient condition for efficient Ni-56 mixing outwards into the hydrogen envelope. The stellar model yielding the maximum Ni-56 velocity of ~3000 km/s does not match of the helium-core mass of 6 Msun inferred from the absolute luminosity of the presupernova star. The lack of an adequate progenitor model for the well-studied SN 1987A remains a challenge for the theory of the evolution of massive stars. (Abridged)