The Status of Core-collapse Supernova Simulations

Core-collapse supernovae can be used to place limits on dark matter candidate particles, but the strength of these limits depends on the depth of our theoretical understanding of these astrophysical events. To date, limitations on computing power have prevented inclusion of all the physics that would constitute a realistic simulation. The TeraScale Supernova Initiative (TSI) will overcome these obstacles in the next few years, elucidating the explosion mechanism and other phenomena closely associated with the core collapse of massive stars.