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Flavor conversion enhances or suppresses supernova explodability independent of the progenitor mass

Mariam Gogilashvili* and Irene Tamborra†

  • Niels Bohr International Academy and DARK, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

  • *Contact author: mariam.gogilashvili@nbi.ku.dk
  • †Contact author: tamborra@nbi.ku.dk
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Phys. Rev. D 114, 043054 – Published 21 August, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/j5b2-5q2p

Abstract

Flavor conversion can affect the neutrino-driven delayed explosion mechanism of collapsing massive stars, altering the efficiency of shock revival. We perform core-collapse supernova simulations in spherical symmetry for a set of progenitors with masses of 9.75M⊙, 11M⊙, 16.5M⊙, 28M⊙, 40M⊙, and 60M⊙, accounting for a mixing-length treatment for convection. Flavor conversion is modeled assuming instantaneous flavor equipartition below a critical baryon density, while conserving the lepton number. Regardless of the progenitor compactness, its mass, or the nuclear equation of state, we find that flavor conversion can increase heating (cooling) and enhance (hinder) the supernova explosion, if triggered near the gain (neutrino decoupling) region. Our findings suggest that the interplay among the region of the supernova core where flavor conversion occurs, the progenitor properties, and the nuclear equation of state is crucial in determining the fate of explosion and the properties of the compact remnant.

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Phys. Rev. D 114, 043054– Published 21 August, 2026
  • Received 22 May 2026
  • Accepted 5 August 2026
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