The Evolution of Supernovae in Circumstellar Wind‐Blown Bubbles. I. Introduction and One‐Dimensional Calculations

Abstract

Mass loss from massive stars (≳8 M☉) can result in the formation of circumstellar wind-blown cavities surrounding the star, bordered by a thin, dense, cold shell. When the star explodes as a core-collapse supernova (SN), the resulting shock wave will interact with this modified medium around the star, rather than the interstellar medium. In this work we first explore the nature of the circumstellar medium around massive stars in various evolutionary stages. This is followed by a study of the evolution of SNe within these wind-blown bubbles. The evolution depends primarily on a single parameter Λ, the ratio of the mass of the dense shell to that of the ejected material. We investigate the evolution for different values of this parameter. We also plot approximate X-ray surface brightness plots from the simulations. For very small values Λ ≪ 1 the effect of the shell is negligible, as one would expect. Values of Λ ≲ 1 affect the SN evolution, but the SN "forgets" about the existence of the shell in about 10 doubling times or so. The remnant density profile changes, and consequently the X-ray emission from the remnant will also change. The initial X-ray luminosity of the remnant is quite low, but interaction of the shock wave with the dense circumstellar shell can increase the luminosity by 2-3 orders of magnitude. As the reflected shock begins to move inward, X-ray images will show the presence of a double-shelled structure. Larger values result in more SN energy being expended to the shell. The resulting reflected shock moves quickly back to the origin, and the ejecta are thermalized rapidly. The evolution of the remnant is speeded up, and the entire remnant may appear bright in X-rays. If Λ ≫ 1, then a substantial amount of energy may be expended in the shell. In the extreme case the SN may go directly from the free expansion to the adiabatic stage, bypassing the Sedov stage. Our results show that in many cases the SNR spends a significant amount of time within the bubble. The low density within the bubble can delay the onset of the Sedov stage and may end up reducing the amount of time spent in the Sedov stage. The complicated density profile within the bubble makes it difficult to infer the mass-loss properties of the pre-SN star by studying the evolution of the resulting SNR.