Physical mechanism of pre-supernova energy deposition

Determine the physical mechanism responsible for the substantial pre-supernova energy deposition that could inflate the progenitor envelope of SN 2023gfo before core collapse.

Background

The scaling analysis indicates that SN 2023gfo had an unusually extended progenitor radius, while its explosion energy was comparable to that of ordinary Type IIP supernovae. The paper interprets this combination as potentially resulting from substantial energy injection into the stellar envelope shortly before explosion, analogous to the proposed explanation for SN 2009kf.

The authors state that the mechanism responsible for this energy deposition is unresolved. They mention energy transport by convectively excited waves generated during the final nuclear-burning stages as one possible explanation, but do not establish that mechanism or exclude alternatives.

References

Although this interpretation is not unique, SN 2023gfo may likewise have undergone substantial pre-SN energy injection that significantly expanded its envelope before core collapse. Although the exact physical mechanism responsible for such energy deposition remains uncertain, one possibility is energy transport by convectively excited waves generated during the final nuclear-burning stages prior to core collapse.

— SN 2023gfo: A Peculiar Type IIP Supernova with High Luminosity and Normal Plateau Duration  (2608.16006 - Namba et al., 17 Aug 2026) in Section 4, Discussion