Computational Astrophysics at the Bleeding Edge: Simulating Core Collapse Supernovae

Core collapse supernovae are the single most important source of elements in the Universe, dominating the production of elements between~oxygen and iron and likely responsible for half the elements heavier than iron. They result from the death throes of massive stars, beginning with~stellar core collapse and the formation of a supernova shock wave that must ultimately disrupt such stars. Past, first-principles models most often led to the frustrating~conclusion the shock wave stalls and is not revived, at least given the physics included in the models. However, recent progress in the context of~two-dimensional, first-principles supernova models is reversing this trend, giving us hope we are on the right track toward a solution of one~of the most important problems in astrophysics. Core collapse supernovae are multi-physics events, involving general relativity, hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics, nuclear burning, and radiation transport in the form of neutrinos, along with a detailed nuclear physics equation of state and neutrino weak interactions. Computationally, simulating these catastrophic stellar events presents an exascale computing challenge. I will discuss past models and milestones in core collapse supernova theory, the state of the art, and future requirements. In this context, I will present~the results and plans of the collaboration led by ORNL and the University of Tennessee.