What mechanical event occurs when the rapidly infalling stellar layers slam into the newly formed, incompressible inner core?
Answer
The generation of an outward-moving shockwave
The core collapse does not continue indefinitely; it is abruptly halted when the matter reaches nuclear density, also known as nuclear saturation density. At this point, the strong nuclear force strongly resists further compression, causing a momentary stop known as 'core bounce.' Because the outer layers of the star were still rushing inward at high velocities, they violently collide with this newly formed, incredibly stiff structure, which is the proto-neutron star core. This collision generates a tremendous, outward-moving shockwave that must then propagate through the remaining infalling stellar envelope to produce the visible supernova.
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