Supernovae and Neutron Star Formation

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Burrows will study theoretically the formation of a neutron star and of a supernova explosion. Emphasis rests on the creation and emission of neutrinos, as observed from supernova 1987A, and on the effect of convection enhancing the shock causing the supernova explosion. Supernovae are rare stellar explosions of such magnitude that they have influenced the formation of most stars, including the Sun, and the formation of the elements that today form the Earth and living matter. The supernova observed this year in the Large Magellanic Cloud was not only the nearest in the last three centuries but the first to yield detectable neutrinos, the elusive particles that can escape from deep inside a star. The neutrinos provide a new "window" for studying these exploding stars. This award supports the theoretical study of the explosion that leads to a supernova. Of special interest is the behavior of the neutrinos, not only because some are observed but also because neutrinos provide the essential force that drives the explosion.