What crucial role do escaping neutrinos play in ensuring the visible Type II supernova explosion occurs?

Answer

They deposit energy into the stalled shockwave, re-energizing it

During the collapse and subsequent bounce, inverse beta decay produces an overwhelming quantity of neutrinos, carrying away more than 99% of the total supernova energy. Although the initial mechanical bounce creates a shockwave, this shockwave often stalls as it travels outward through the dense, infalling stellar envelope, as it burns through material and loses energy. The escaping neutrinos are vital because they diffuse into this stalled shock region and deposit enough of their immense energy flux to re-energize and propel the shockwave outward forcefully, allowing it to break through the star's surface and cause the observable Type II supernova.

What crucial role do escaping neutrinos play in ensuring the visible Type II supernova explosion occurs?

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