Simulating Supernova Remnant-Circumstellar Medium Interactions

We present our current results on 2D simulations of the interaction of supernova ejecta with the circumstellar environment created during the evolution of the star. The simulations explicitly follow the formation of the wind-blown bubble (WBB) inflated by the progenitor massive star as it evolves (e.g., O-B, red giant, Wolf-Rayet stages), characterized by different mass loss behaviors. The resulting wind-blown bubble is quite complex, with multiple, sometimes unstable shell structures. Evolution of the supernova remnant (SNR) that subsequently expands within the WBB is strongly influenced by these WBB structures. The purpose of our study is to improve understanding of the dynamical behaviors of such SNR/WBB interactions with an emphasis on possible observational signatures and their implications for the dynamical interpretation. We use a custom-designed mesh-refined code to study the above mentioned issues. This work is supported in part by the National Science Foundation and the University of Minnesota Supercomputing Institute.