Jittering jets promote dust formation in core-collapse supernovae
Pith reviewed 2026-05-18 14:02 UTC · model grok-4.3
The pith
Jittering jets that explode core-collapse supernovae also shape and boost dust formation in the remnants.
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
Within the jittering jets explosion mechanism, the properties of the exploding jets and their interaction with the core and envelope determine the amount of dust formed and its morphology, as shown by jet-shaped, point-symmetric dust distributions in Cas A and the Crab and bipolar dust following the inner ejecta in SN 1987A.
What carries the argument
Jittering jets explosion mechanism (JJEM), in which jets with changing directions explode the star and their interactions promote dust formation in point-symmetric and bipolar morphologies.
If this is right
- Dust formation in CCSNRs becomes a direct outcome of the explosion jets instead of a separate process.
- Observed dust morphologies reflect the jittering directions of the explosion jets.
- The JJEM gains support because it accounts for both the explosion and the resulting dust properties.
- Exploding jets participate in an additional process: enhancing dust yields and structures.
Where Pith is reading between the lines
- Jet-dust links could appear in other explosive transients if similar jittering occurs.
- Simulations of jet-envelope interactions might now predict specific dust masses and shapes for comparison with new observations.
- Dust budgets in galaxies could be revised upward if most core-collapse events involve such jet enhancement.
- Future multi-wavelength mapping of more remnants could test whether dust patterns consistently trace early jet activity.
Load-bearing premise
The point-symmetric and bipolar dust morphologies seen in Cas A, the Crab, and SN 1987A are produced by the same jittering jets that explode the star rather than by later circumstellar material interactions or other post-explosion shaping.
What would settle it
A core-collapse supernova remnant whose dust shows no jet-like or point-symmetric patterns, or clear evidence that dust forms in large quantities without any jet signatures.
Figures
read the original abstract
I find that the dust morphologies in some core-collapse supernova (CCSN) remnants (CCSNRs) possess jet-shaped morphologies, and propose that the properties of the jets that explode the CCSNe and their interaction with the core and envelope (if it exists) are among the factors that determine the amount of dust formed and its morphology. I find that some of the dust-rich structures in the CCSNRs Cassiopeia A and the Crab Nebula are distributed in point-symmetric morphologies, and that the dust in SN 1987A follows the bipolar morphology of the inner ejecta. Earlier studies attributed these morphologies in CCSNRs to jet shaping within the jittering jets explosion mechanism (JJEM). These dust morphologies suggest, within the framework of the JJEM, that exploding jets enhance dust formation in CCSNRs. This study contributes to the diversity of processes in which CCSN exploding jets are involved and to establishing the JJEM as the primary explosion mechanism of CCSNe.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The manuscript observes that dust in core-collapse supernova remnants (Cas A, Crab Nebula, SN 1987A) exhibits point-symmetric and bipolar morphologies. Within the jittering jets explosion mechanism (JJEM) framework, it proposes that the properties of the exploding jets and their interaction with the core and envelope are among the factors that determine the amount of dust formed and its morphology, thereby contributing to the diversity of jet roles in CCSNe and supporting JJEM as the primary explosion mechanism.
Significance. If the morphological associations are confirmed to trace explosion-time jets and if those jets are shown to enhance dust formation, the work would link the explosion mechanism directly to dust production and add an observational consistency argument for the JJEM. The paper highlights an extension of jet involvement beyond dynamics but supplies no new quantitative modeling or exclusion of alternatives.
major comments (2)
- Abstract: The claim that exploding jets enhance dust formation and determine its morphology rests on qualitative morphological similarity (point-symmetric dust in Cas A and Crab; bipolar dust in SN 1987A) but presents no hydrodynamic simulations, dust-formation chemical-kinetics calculations, or quantitative comparison of dust yields and grain-size distributions between jet-inclusive and spherical models.
- Main text: The interpretation that the observed dust morphologies directly trace the jittering jets that exploded the star assumes these structures are not produced by later ejecta-CSM interactions or reverse shocks; the manuscript supplies no arguments, hydrodynamic tests, or observational discriminants that exclude such post-explosion shaping mechanisms.
minor comments (1)
- The abstract and discussion could more explicitly separate new morphological associations from interpretations that rely on the author's prior JJEM papers.
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We thank the referee for the constructive comments on our manuscript. Our work is an observational and interpretive study that links observed dust morphologies in CCSNRs to the jittering jets explosion mechanism (JJEM) based on qualitative similarities and prior literature. We address each major comment below, clarifying the scope of the paper while making targeted revisions where appropriate.
read point-by-point responses
-
Referee: Abstract: The claim that exploding jets enhance dust formation and determine its morphology rests on qualitative morphological similarity (point-symmetric dust in Cas A and Crab; bipolar dust in SN 1987A) but presents no hydrodynamic simulations, dust-formation chemical-kinetics calculations, or quantitative comparison of dust yields and grain-size distributions between jet-inclusive and spherical models.
Authors: We agree that the analysis is qualitative and does not include new hydrodynamic simulations, chemical-kinetics modeling, or quantitative yield comparisons. The manuscript is not a modeling study; it proposes an observational connection within the established JJEM framework, building on earlier works that attribute point-symmetric and bipolar structures to jet activity. Quantitative dust-formation calculations in jet-driven explosions would be a valuable extension but lie outside the present scope. We have revised the abstract to explicitly note the qualitative basis of the proposal and its reliance on morphological associations reported in the literature. revision: partial
-
Referee: Main text: The interpretation that the observed dust morphologies directly trace the jittering jets that exploded the star assumes these structures are not produced by later ejecta-CSM interactions or reverse shocks; the manuscript supplies no arguments, hydrodynamic tests, or observational discriminants that exclude such post-explosion shaping mechanisms.
Authors: The referee is correct that we do not supply new hydrodynamic tests or explicit discriminants to rule out all post-explosion shaping. In the revised manuscript we have added a paragraph acknowledging that ejecta-CSM interactions and reverse shocks can modify remnant morphology at later times. We note, however, that the high degree of point symmetry observed in Cas A and the Crab, together with the alignment of dust structures with known jet axes and the fact that significant dust formation occurs within the first few years, is more naturally explained by early jet activity during the explosion phase as described in the JJEM. Full exclusion of alternatives would require dedicated multi-dimensional simulations, which we identify as an important direction for future work. revision: partial
Circularity Check
Dust morphologies interpreted as support for JJEM within self-referential framework from author's prior work
specific steps
-
self citation load bearing
[Abstract]
"Earlier studies attributed these morphologies in CCSNRs to jet shaping within the jittering jets explosion mechanism (JJEM). These dust morphologies suggest, within the framework of the JJEM, that exploding jets enhance dust formation in CCSNRs. This study contributes to the diversity of processes in which CCSN exploding jets are involved and to establishing the JJEM as the primary explosion mechanism of CCSNe."
The morphologies are first attributed to jets by earlier (self-cited) JJEM work; the present paper then uses those same morphologies, interpreted inside the JJEM framework, to claim that jets promote dust formation and to bolster JJEM itself. The support is therefore internal to the framework rather than an external validation.
full rationale
The paper observes jet-shaped dust morphologies in Cas A, Crab, and SN 1987A, then concludes these indicate exploding jets enhance dust formation and help establish JJEM as the primary CCSN mechanism. This chain is load-bearing on prior attribution of the same morphologies to jittering jets in the author's earlier JJEM papers. The interpretation is explicitly 'within the framework of the JJEM,' so the data are read as consistent with the model rather than providing an independent test that excludes post-explosion CSM shaping or other processes. No new hydrodynamic or chemical calculations are supplied to show higher dust yields or preserved symmetries when jets are included. The central claim therefore reduces to a consistency argument inside the self-cited theoretical framework.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
axioms (2)
- domain assumption The jittering jets explosion mechanism (JJEM) is the primary explosion mechanism of core-collapse supernovae.
- domain assumption Point-symmetric and bipolar dust distributions in CCSNRs are shaped by the exploding jets rather than by post-explosion processes.
Lean theorems connected to this paper
-
IndisputableMonolith/Foundation/RealityFromDistinction.leanreality_from_one_distinction unclear?
unclearRelation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.
I find that some of the dust-rich structures in the CCSNRs Cassiopeia A and the Crab Nebula are distributed in point-symmetric morphologies, and that the dust in SN 1987A follows the bipolar morphology of the inner ejecta... exploding jets enhance dust formation in CCSNRs.
-
IndisputableMonolith/Cost/FunctionalEquation.leanwashburn_uniqueness_aczel unclear?
unclearRelation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.
the properties of the jets that explode the CCSNe and their interaction with the core and envelope... determine the amount of dust formed and its morphology
What do these tags mean?
- matches
- The paper's claim is directly supported by a theorem in the formal canon.
- supports
- The theorem supports part of the paper's argument, but the paper may add assumptions or extra steps.
- extends
- The paper goes beyond the formal theorem; the theorem is a base layer rather than the whole result.
- uses
- The paper appears to rely on the theorem as machinery.
- contradicts
- The paper's claim conflicts with a theorem or certificate in the canon.
- unclear
- Pith found a possible connection, but the passage is too broad, indirect, or ambiguous to say the theorem truly supports the claim.
Reference graph
Works this paper leans on
-
[1]
G., Dwek, E., Kober, G., Rho, J., & Hwang, U
Arendt, R. G., Dwek, E., Kober, G., Rho, J., & Hwang, U. 2014, ApJ, 786, 55, doi: 10.1088/0004-637X/786/1/55
-
[2]
2025, PASJ, doi: 10.1093/pasj/psaf041
Bamba, A., Agarwal, M., Vink, J., et al. 2025, PASJ, doi: 10.1093/pasj/psaf041
-
[3]
Barlow, M. J., Krause, O., Swinyard, B. M., et al. 2010, A&A, 518, L138, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201014585 Jittering jets promote dust formation in CCSNe5
-
[4]
2025, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 25, 045008, doi: 10.1088/1674-4527/adc24e
Bear, E., Shishkin, D., & Soker, N. 2025, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 25, 045008, doi: 10.1088/1674-4527/adc24e
-
[5]
2025, NewA, 114, 102307, doi: 10.1016/j.newast.2024.102307
Bear, E., & Soker, N. 2025, NewA, 114, 102307, doi: 10.1016/j.newast.2024.102307
-
[6]
Boccioli, L., Vartanyan, D., O’Connor, E. P., & Kasen, D. 2025, MNRAS, 540, 3885, doi: 10.1093/mnras/staf963
-
[7]
2024, ApJ, 965, 51, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad2770
Bouchet, P., Gastaud, R., Coulais, A., et al. 2024, ApJ, 965, 51, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad2770
-
[8]
2025, PASP, 137, 054201, doi: 10.1088/1538-3873/add08e
Braudo, J., Michaelis, A., Akashi, M., & Soker, N. 2025, PASP, 137, 054201, doi: 10.1088/1538-3873/add08e
-
[9]
Cigan, P., Matsuura, M., Gomez, H. L., et al. 2019, ApJ, 886, 51, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ab4b46
-
[10]
Clayton, G. C., Wesson, R., Fox, O. D., et al. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2505.01574, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2505.01574 De Looze, I., Barlow, M. J., Swinyard, B. M., et al. 2017, MNRAS, 465, 3309, doi: 10.1093/mnras/stw2837 Eggenberger Andersen, O., O’Connor, E., Andresen, H., da Silva Schneider, A., & Couch, S. M. 2025, ApJ, 980, 53, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ada899
-
[11]
2024, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2408.15397, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2408.15397
Gomez, S., Temim, T., Fox, O., et al. 2024, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2408.15397, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2408.15397
-
[12]
2020, MNRAS, 499, 1154, doi: 10.1093/mnras/staa2898
Mandel, I. 2020, MNRAS, 499, 1154, doi: 10.1093/mnras/staa2898
-
[13]
2025, ApJ, 979, 151, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ada146
Chen, L.-W. 2025, ApJ, 979, 151, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ada146
-
[14]
2025, MNRAS, 541, 116, doi: 10.1093/mnras/staf865
Imasheva, L., Janka, H.-T., & Weiss, A. 2025, MNRAS, 541, 116, doi: 10.1093/mnras/staf865
-
[15]
Janka, H. T. 2025a, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2502.14836, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2502.14836
-
[16]
2025b, Video Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana, 2, 46, doi: 10.36116/VIDEOMEM 2.2025.46
Janka, T. 2025b, Video Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana, 2, 46, doi: 10.36116/VIDEOMEM 2.2025.46
-
[17]
Kirchschlager, F., Schmidt, F. D., Barlow, M. J., De Looze, I., & Sartorio, N. S. 2023, MNRAS, 520, 5042, doi: 10.1093/mnras/stad290
-
[18]
2025, NewA, 116, 102346, doi: 10.1016/j.newast.2024.102346
Kumar, A. 2025, NewA, 116, 102346, doi: 10.1016/j.newast.2024.102346
-
[19]
2008, ApJS, 174, 426, doi: 10.1086/522623
Churchwell, E. 2008, ApJS, 174, 426, doi: 10.1086/522623
-
[20]
Laplace, E., Schneider, F. R. N., & Podsiadlowski, P. 2025, A&A, 695, A71, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202451077
-
[21]
2025, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 25, 085001, doi: 10.1088/1674-4527/addeb4
Lu, T., Long, X., Sun, W., et al. 2025, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 25, 085001, doi: 10.1088/1674-4527/addeb4
-
[22]
Maltsev, K., Schneider, F. R. N., Mandel, I., et al. 2025, A&A, 700, A20, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202554931 Mart´ ınez-Gonz´ alez, S. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2509.08887. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.08887
-
[23]
Matsuura, M., Boyer, M., Arendt, R. G., et al. 2024, MNRAS, 532, 3625, doi: 10.1093/mnras/stae1032
-
[24]
Maunder, T., Callan, F. P., Sim, S. A., Heger, A., & M¨uller, B. 2024, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2410.20829, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2410.20829
-
[25]
2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2507.19727
Medler, K., Ashall, C., Hoeflich, P., et al. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2507.19727, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2507.19727
-
[26]
2024, ApJL, 965, L27, doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad324b M¨ uller, E., Fryxell, B., & Arnett, D
Milisavljevic, D., Temim, T., De Looze, I., et al. 2024, ApJL, 965, L27, doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad324b
-
[27]
2025, PASJ, 77, L9, doi: 10.1093/pasj/psaf007
Mori, K., Takiwaki, T., Kotake, K., & Horiuchi, S. 2025, PASJ, 77, L9, doi: 10.1093/pasj/psaf007
-
[28]
2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2509.09419
Mukazhanov, O. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2509.09419. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.09419 M¨uller, B., Heger, A., & Powell, J. 2025, PhRvL, 134, 071403, doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.071403
-
[29]
2025, MNRAS, 536, 280, doi: 10.1093/mnras/stae2611
Nakamura, K., Takiwaki, T., Matsumoto, J., & Kotake, K. 2025, MNRAS, 536, 280, doi: 10.1093/mnras/stae2611
-
[30]
2025b, Astronomy & Astrophysics, 699, A305, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202554862
Orlando, S., Miceli, M., Ono, M., et al. 2025, A&A, 699, A305, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202554862
-
[31]
Paradiso, D. A., & Coughlin, E. R. 2025, ApJ, 985, 173, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/adce6f
-
[32]
Priestley, F. D., Arias, M., Barlow, M. J., & De Looze, I. 2022, MNRAS, 509, 3163, doi: 10.1093/mnras/stab3195
-
[33]
G., Janka, H.-T., & Fiorillo, D
Raffelt, G. G., Janka, H.-T., & Fiorillo, D. F. G. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2509.16306. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.16306
-
[34]
2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2504.20574, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2504.20574
Sarangi, A., Zsiros, S., Szalai, T., et al. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2504.20574, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2504.20574
-
[35]
Shahbandeh, M., Sarangi, A., Temim, T., et al. 2023, MNRAS, 523, 6048, doi: 10.1093/mnras/stad1681
-
[36]
Shahbandeh, M., Fox, O. D., Temim, T., et al. 2025, ApJ, 985, 262, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/adce77
-
[37]
2025, PhRvD, 111, 123017, doi: 10.1103/msy2-fwhx
Shibata, M., Fujibayashi, S., Wanajo, S., et al. 2025, PhRvD, 111, 123017, doi: 10.1103/msy2-fwhx
-
[38]
2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2506.21548
Shishkin, D., Bear, E., & Soker, N. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2506.21548. https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.21548
-
[39]
2024, ApJ, 975, 281, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad8138
Shishkin, D., Kaye, R., & Soker, N. 2024, ApJ, 975, 281, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad8138
-
[40]
2024, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2411.07938
Shishkin, D., & Soker, N. 2024, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2411.07938. https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.07938
-
[41]
2023, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 23, 095020, doi: 10.1088/1674-4527/ace9b3 —
Soker, N. 2023, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 23, 095020, doi: 10.1088/1674-4527/ace9b3 —. 2024a, Universe, 10, 458, doi: 10.3390/universe10120458 —. 2024b, NewA, 107, 102154, doi: 10.1016/j.newast.2023.102154 —. 2024c, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 24, 075006, doi: 10.1088/1674-4527/ad4fc2 6Soker —. 2024d, Galaxies, 12, 29, doi: 10.33...
-
[42]
2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2508.10843, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2508.10843
Soker, N., & Akashi, M. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2508.10843, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2508.10843
-
[43]
2025, PhRvD, 111, 063042, doi: 10.1103/PhysRevD.111.063042
Sykes, B., & M ¨uller, B. 2025, PhRvD, 111, 063042, doi: 10.1103/PhysRevD.111.063042
-
[44]
2025, A&A, 697, A132, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202451470
Szalai, T., Zs´ ıros, S., Jencson, J., et al. 2025, A&A, 697, A132, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202451470
-
[45]
GWTC-4.0: Population Properties of Merging Compact Binaries
Temim, T., Laming, J. M., Kavanagh, P. J., et al. 2024, ApJL, 968, L18, doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad50d1 The LIGO Scientific Collaboration, the Virgo Collaboration, & the KAGRA Collaboration. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2508.18083, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2508.18083
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ad50d1 2024
-
[46]
Tinyanont, S., Fox, O. D., Shahbandeh, M., et al. 2025, ApJ, 985, 198, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/adccc0
-
[47]
2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2508.21116, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2508.21116
Tsuna, D., Fuller, J., & Lu, W. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2508.21116. https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.21116
-
[48]
2025a, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2509.16314, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2509.16314
Vartanyan, D., Burrows, A., Teryoshin, L., et al. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2509.16314. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.16314
-
[49]
2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2505.04691, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2505.04691
Vink, J., Agarwal, M., Bamba, A., et al. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2505.04691, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2505.04691
-
[50]
Wang, N. Y. N., Shishkin, D., & Soker, N. 2025
work page 2025
-
[51]
2025, ApJ, 986, 153, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/add889
Wang, T., & Burrows, A. 2025, ApJ, 986, 153, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/add889
-
[52]
Willcox, R., Schneider, F. R. N., Laplace, E., et al. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2508.20787, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2508.20787
-
[53]
2012, ApJ, 745, 59, doi: 10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/59
Zhang, Y., Hsia, C.-H., & Kwok, S. 2012, ApJ, 745, 59, doi: 10.1088/0004-637X/745/1/59
-
[54]
2009, ApJ, 706, 252, doi: 10.1088/0004-637X/706/1/252
Zhang, Y., & Kwok, S. 2009, ApJ, 706, 252, doi: 10.1088/0004-637X/706/1/252
-
[55]
2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2509.12067
Zhao, H., Chen, B., & Li, J. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2509.12067. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.12067
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.