SUPERNOVAE EXPLOSIONS INDUCED BY PAIR-PRODUCTION INSTABILITY

Stars with a core mass greater than about 30 M ⊙ become dynamically unstable due to electron-positron pair production when their central temperature reaches 1.5-2.0×109oK. The colapse and subsequent explosion of stars with core masses of 45, 52, and 60 M ⊙ is calculated. The range of the final velocity of expansion (3400-8500 km/sec) and of the mass ejected (1-40 M ⊙) is comparable to that observed for type II supernovae. A dynamical model of convection is derived and included in the calculations. It was found that the effect of the convection on the explosions is probably not important. © 1968 D. Reidel Publishing Company.