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Title: 3D Hydrodynamics of Pre-supernova Outbursts in Convective Red Supergiant Envelopes
Abstract Eruptive mass loss likely produces the energetic outbursts observed from some massive stars before they become core-collapse supernovae (SNe). The resulting dense circumstellar medium may also cause the subsequent SNe to be observed as Type IIn events. The leading hypothesis of the cause of these outbursts is the response of the envelope of the red supergiant (RSG) progenitor to energy deposition in the months to years prior to collapse. Early theoretical studies of this phenomenon were limited to 1D, leaving the 3D convective RSG structure unaddressed. UsingFLASH's hydrodynamic capabilities, we explore the 3D outcomes by constructing convective RSG envelope models and depositing energies less than the envelope binding energies on timescales shorter than the envelope dynamical time deep within them. We confirm the 1D prediction of an outward-moving acoustic pulse steepening into a shock, unbinding the outermost parts of the envelope. However, we find that the initial 2–4 km s−1convective motions seed the intrinsic convective instability associated with the high-entropy material deep in the envelope, enabling gas from deep within the envelope to escape and increasing the amount of ejected mass compared to an initially “quiescent” envelope. The 3D models reveal a rich density structure, with column densities varying by ≈10× along different lines of sight. Our work highlights that the 3D convective nature of RSG envelopes impacts our ability to reliably predict the outburst dynamics, the amount, and the spatial distribution of the ejected mass associated with deep energy deposition.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2020275
PAR ID:
10610439
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Publisher / Repository:
AAS
Date Published:
Journal Name:
The Astrophysical Journal
Volume:
936
Issue:
1
ISSN:
0004-637X
Page Range / eLocation ID:
28
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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