Core-Collapse Supernovae: the role of the Si/O interface and the connection between explosion and progenitor structure.

The explosion mechanism of core-collapse supernovae has been a longstanding problem in nuclear astrophysics. In the last decade, important steps towards a thorough understanding of what causes supernovae to explode have been made, thanks to the development of very detailed three-dimensional simulations. However, a lot of work still needs to be done. In this talk, I will focus on the connection between the thermodynamic and compositional structure of the progenitor star and its subsequent explosion. I will use spherically symmetric simulations (where neutrino-driven convection is included via a mixing length approach) to simulate the collapse and shock revival of stars with different initial masses. I will highlight how discontinuities in the density profile at the onset of collapse can be used to predict the outcome of the explosion. Specifically, I will highlight the importance of neutrino-driven convection in triggering the explosion when these discontinuities are accreted through the shock. I will then briefly compare these results to the previous criterion by Ertl et al. (2016). Finally, I will comment on the differences between stellar evolution codes and reaction rates and how they can significantly change the explodability pattern of supernovae.