Beyond immense initial mass, what critical progenitor requirement must a star meet to form a hypernova?
Answer
Rapid rotation (angular momentum).
While the progenitor star must be exceptionally massive (potentially over 25 solar masses), an even more critical factor influencing hypernova formation is its angular momentum, or rate of rotation. The star must be spinning incredibly fast when it reaches its final stages. This rapid spin is necessary because it helps prevent too much material from falling directly onto the collapsing core, which would otherwise choke the process required to launch the powerful relativistic jets that define the hypernova event.
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Hypernova: The Bigger, Badder Supernova. - YouTube
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