1996/05/20 by S. E. Woosley, S.E. Woosley, F. X. Timmes +1 · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/0375-9474(96)00235-7
published as Nucl.Phys. A606 (1996) 137-150 · 14 pages, uuencoded gzipped postscript, Accepted Nuclear Physics A, Gerry Brown Festschrift contribution
arxiv created 1996/05/20 · openalex publication_date 1996/08/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The possibility of making stellar mass black holes in supernovae that otherwise produce viable Type II and Ib supernova explosions is discussed and estimates given of their number in the Milky Way Galaxy. Observational diagnostics of stellar mass black hole formation are reviewed. While the equation of state sets the critical mass, fall back during the explosion is an equally important (and uncertain) element in determining if a black hole is formed. SN 1987A may or may not harbor a black hole, but if the critical mass for neutron stars is 1.5 - 1.6 M\sun, as Brown and Bethe suggest, it probably does. Observations alone do not yet resolve the issue. Reasons for this state of ambiguity are discussed and suggestions given as to how gamma-ray and x-ray observations in the future might help.