In this fourth paper of the series, we use the parametrized, spherically symmetric explosion method PUSH to perform a systematic study of two sets of non-rotating stellar progenitor models. Our study includes preexplosion models with metallicities Z=0 and Z=Z × 10 −4 and covers a progenitor mass range from 11 up to 75 M . We present and discuss the explosion properties of all models and predict remnant (neutron star or black hole) mass distributions within this approach. We also perform systematic nucleosynthesis studies and predict detailed isotopic yields as function of the progenitor mass and metallicity. We present a comparison of our nucleosynthesis results with observationally derived 56 Ni ejecta from normal core-collapse supernovae and with iron-group abundances for metal-poor star HD 84937. Overall, our results for explosion energies, remnant mass distribution, 56 Ni mass, and iron group yields are consistent with observations of normal CCSNe. We find that stellar progenitors at low and zero metallicity are more prone to BH formation than those at solar metallicity, which allows for the formation of BHs in the mass range observed by LIGO/VIRGO.

In this fifth paper of the series, we use the parameterized, spherically symmetric explosion method PUSH to investigate the impact of eight different nuclear equations of state (EOS). We present and discuss the explosion properties and the detailed nucleosynthesis yields, and predict the remnant (neutron star or black hole) for all our simulations. For this, we perform two sets of simulations. First, a complete study of nonrotating stars from 11 to 40 M ⊙ at three different metallicities using the SFHo EOS; and, second, a suite of simulations for four progenitors (16 M ⊙ at three metallicities and 25 M ⊙ at solar metallicity) for eight different nuclear EOS. We compare our predicted explosion energies and yields to observed supernovae and to the metal-poor star HD 84937. We find EOS-dependent differences in the explosion properties and the nucleosynthesis yields. However, when comparing to observations, these differences are not large enough to rule out any EOS considered in this work.

Nuclear astrophysics is a field at the intersection of nuclear physics and astrophysics, which seeks to understand the nuclear engines of astronomical objects and the origin of the chemical elements. This white paper summarizes progress and status of the field, the new open questions that have emerged, and the tremendous scientific opportunities that have opened up with major advances in capabilities across an ever growing number of disciplines and subfields that need to be integrated. We take a holistic view of the field discussing the unique challenges and opportunities in nuclear astrophysics in regards to science, diversity, education, and the interdisciplinarity and breadth of the field. Clearly nuclear astrophysics is a dynamic field with a bright future that is entering a new era of discovery opportunities.

We apply the parametrized, spherically symmetric explosion method PUSH to two sets of pre-explosion models suitable for SN 1987A: blue supergiants (BSGs) resulting from the merger of a main sequence star with a giant and red supergiants (RSGs) representing the end point of single-star stellar evolution. For each model, we perform a calibration of the PUSH method to the observational properties of SN 1987A and calculate the detailed explosive nucleosynthesis yields. We find that such a calibration to SN 1987A is only possible for one of the BSG models. We compare the yields from this model with the yields from the best-fit RSG model. The largest differences are found for nuclei in the mass range of which are mostly synthesized pre-explosion. We predict a neutron star with a gravitational mass of 1.48 M⊙ from the BSG model and a neutron star of 1.41 M⊙ from the RSG model.