On the early behavior of supernova 1987A

Abstract

The timing of the neutrino burst and the early behavior of the optical light from supernova 1987A provide a unique challenge for the theory of Type II supernovae. Using realistic initial models for the presupernova and quantitative calculations of the explosion, it is concluded that the early light curve data require a time of explosion close to that of the escape of antineutrinos detected by the Kamiokande II and the IMB experiments and inconsistent with the time of the Mont Blanc event. Details of the numerical models are presented as an aid to further interpretation of the observations.