Pulsational Pair-instability Supernovae
- Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States)
The final evolution of stars in the mass range 70–140 M{sub ⊙} is explored. Depending upon their mass loss history and rotation rates, these stars will end their lives as pulsational pair-instability supernovae (PPISN) producing a great variety of observational transients with total durations ranging from weeks to millennia and luminosities from 10{sup 41} to over 10{sup 44} erg s{sup −1}. No nonrotating model radiates more than 5×10{sup 50} erg of light or has a kinetic energy exceeding 5×10{sup 51} erg, but greater energies are possible, in principle, in magnetar-powered explosions, which are explored. Many events resemble SNe Ibn, SNe Icn, and SNe IIn, and some potential observational counterparts are mentioned. Some PPISN can exist in a dormant state for extended periods, producing explosions millennia after their first violent pulse. These dormant supernovae contain bright Wolf–Rayet stars, possibly embedded in bright X-ray and radio sources. The relevance of PPISN to supernova impostors like Eta Carinae, to superluminous supernovae, and to sources of gravitational radiation is discussed. No black holes between 52 and 133 M{sub ⊙} are expected from stellar evolution in close binaries.
- OSTI ID:
- 22869301
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 836, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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