Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence Powered by Magnetorotational Instability in Nascent Proto-Neutron Stars

Abstract

Magnetorotational instability (MRI) in a convectively-stable layer around the neutrinosphere is simulated by a three-dimensional model of supernova core. To resolve MRI-unstable modes, a thin layer approximation considering only the radial global stratification is adopted. Our intriguing finding is that the convectively-stable layer around the neutrinosphere becomes fully-turbulent due to the MRI and its nonlinear penetration into the strongly-stratified MRI-stable region. The intensity of the MRI-driven turbulence increases with magnetic flux threading the core, but is limited by a free energy stored in the differential rotation. The turbulent neutrinosphere is a natural consequence of rotating core-collapse and could exert a positive impact on the supernova mechanism.

Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters (6 pages, 5 figures) [several written mistakes in the parameter setting are corrected]

References in corpus (6)

• Magnetorotationally driven Supernovae as the origin of early galaxy $r$-process elements?
• Magnetorotational Core-Collapse Supernovae in Three Dimensions
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Cited by in corpus (2)

• The explosion mechanism of core-collapse supernovae: progress in supernova theory and experiments
• Numerical simulations of the magnetorotational instability in protoneutron stars: I. Influence of buoyancy