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SummaryThe properties of the best-observed peculiar, SN 1998bw-like Type Ic supernovae (sometimes called “hypernovae” ) are reviewed, starting from SN 1998bw itself and including SNe 1997ef and 2002ap. Analysis of the light curves and the spectra shows that, while these SNe display a range of properties (kinetic energy, mass of the ejecta, mass of 56Ni synthesized in the explosion), they have in common a larger-than-normal explosion kinetic energy, giving rise to the characteristic broad-lined spectra. Also, they all come from the collapse of bare CO cores of massive ( ≳ 20M⊙) progenitor stars. Some of the properties of these SNe, such as kinetic energy and mass of 56Ni, are probably correlated with the mass of the progenitor. Evidence that these powerful events are intrinsically asymmetric, suggesting that a correlation with at least some gamma-ray bursts can be expected, is also discussed.

The thermal X-ray emission from SN 1987A may be enhanced to a detectable level when the blast shock hits the circumstellar medium which has formed in the red-supergiant stage of the progenitor.The X-ray spectrum of Tycho observed with the satellite Tenma can be explained approximately within the context of a carbon deflagration model for Type la supernovae, if the ejecta are assumed to be mixed partially.

Supernova mechanisms in accreting white dwarfs (WDs) are presented, i.e., the carbon deflagration as a plausible mechanism for producing Type I supernovae and electron captures to form quiet supernovae leaving neutron stars. These outcomes depend on accretion rate of helium, initial mass and composition of the WD. The various types of hydrogen shell-burning in the présupernova stage are also discussed.

In a close binary system with a primary star in the mass range 8-12 M⊙, the primary star leaves a white dwarf composed of 16O, 20Ne, and 24Mg as a result of mass exchange. When the companion star, fills its Roche lobe, overflowing matter accretes onto the white dwarf. We have computed the evolution of such an accreting O-Ne-Mg white dwarf and found that electron captures on 24Mg and 20Ne trigger the collapse when the mass reaches 1.38 M⊙. As a result of the collapse, oxygen begins to deflagrate but the effects of electron captures dominate over the oxygen deflagration. The white dwarf collapses to form a neutron star.

Presupernova evolution of the progenitor of SN 1987A, hydrodynamics of explosion (shock propagation, explosive nucleosynthesis), optical light curve due to shock heating and 56Co decay, and X-ray and γ-ray light curves are calculated and compared with the observations of SN 1987A. Constraints on the mass of the hydrogen-rich envelope Menv (i.e., mass loss history) and the helium abundance in the envelope are obtained from the progenitor’s blue-red-blue evolution as well as from the light curve. The explosion energy E and the mass and distribution of 56Ni are inferred from the light curves. Models and observations are in reasonable agreement for E/Menv = 1.5 ± 0.5 × 1050 erg/M⊙, Menv = 5 - 10 M⊙, and MNi ∼ 0.07 M⊙. Mixing of 56Ni into the envelope is indicated.Light curves of exploding bare helium stars are also calculated to see whether the observed Type Ib supernova light curves can be accounted for.

The supernova 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud has provided a new opportunity to study the evolution of a young neutron star right after its birth. A proto-neutron star first cools down by emitting neutrinos that diffuse out of the interior within a minutes. After the neutron star becomes transparent to neutrinos, the neutron star core with > 1014 g cm−3 cools predominantly by Urca neutrino emission. However, the surface layers remain hot because it takes at least 100 years before the cooling waves from the central core reach the surface layers (Nomoto and Tsuruta 1981, 1986, 1987).From the hot surface, thermal X-rays are emitted. The detection limit for X- rays from SN 1987A by the Ginga satellite is 3 ×1036 erg s−1 (Makino 1987; Tanaka 1987). If the thermal X-rays are to be observed by Ginga, the surface temperature should continue to be as high as Ts > 8 ×106 (R/10km)−1/2 K until the ejecta becomes transparent. The exact value of the initial surface temperature depends on various factors during the violent stages of explosion, cooling stages of the proto-neutron star through diffusive neutrinos, and possible re-infalling of the ejected material. Therefore, until the surface layers become thermally relaxed Ts may satisfy the above condition.

Evolution of a mass accreting white dwarf has been computed from the onset of accretion through nova explosion. We have considered a white dwarf of 1.3M⊙ with the accretion rate of 1×10-10M⊙ yr-1. Because the thermal structure during the accretion phase has been fully taken into computation, the mass of the accreted hydrogen-rich envelope and the corresponding temperature distribution in the envelope have been determined. When the hydrogen-rich envelope of mass ΔMH = 1.63 × 10-4M⊙ has been formed, a hydrogen-shell flashes commences. The flashing shell lies midway between the bottom of the envelope and the stellar surface; the mass lying above this shell is 5.7 × 10-5M⊙

It has been shown by many computations that a nova explosion is triggered by mass accretion onto a white dwarf in a close binary system. Such nova explosions will recur many times in the following way. When a certain amount of hydrogen-rich gas has been accreted on the white dwarf, a hydrogen-shell flash is ignited. Then the hydrogen-rich envelope expands greatly, which, in some cases, grows into a nova explosion. Almost all envelope mass is ejected into space or at least overflows its Roche lobe. After that the mass of the envelope increases again by accretion and the shell flash is ignited again. The period of such recurrence is given by τrec = ΔMH/(dM/dt), where dM/dt and ΔMH are the rate of accretion and the mass contained in the hydrogen-rich envelope at the ignition point.