A force explosion condition for spherically symmetric core-collapse supernovae

Understanding which stars explode leaving behind neutron stars and which stars collapse forming black holes remains a fundamental astrophysical problem. We derive an analytic explosion condition for spherically symmetric core-collapse supernovae. The derivation starts with the exact governing equations, considers the balance of integral forces, includes the important dimensionless parameters, and includes an explicit set of self-consistent approximations. The force explosion condition is $\tilde{L}_\nu \tau _g - 0.06 \tilde{\kappa } \gt 0.38$, and only depends upon two dimensionless parameters. The first compares the neutrino power deposited in the gain region with the accretion power, $\tilde{L}_\nu \tau _g = L_{\nu } \tau _g R_{\rm NS}/ (G \dot{M} M_{\rm NS})$. The second, $\tilde{\kappa } = \kappa \dot{M} / \sqrt{G M_{\rm NS} R_{\rm NS}}$, parametrizes the neutrino optical depth in the accreted matter near the neutron star surface. Over the years, many have proposed approximate explosion conditions: the critical neutrino-luminosity, ante-sonic, and time-scale conditions. We are able to derive these other conditions from the force explosion condition, which unifies them all. Using numerical, steady-state and fully hydrodynamic solutions, we test the explosion condition. The success of these tests is promising in two ways. One, the force explosion condition helps to illuminate the underlying physics of explosions. Two, this condition may be a useful explosion diagnostic for more realistic, three-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic core-collapse simulations.