The Hidden Stories of Interacting Core-Collapse Supernovae

Core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) result from the gravitational collapse of the cores of massive stars having mass greater than 8 M⊙. A significant subset of these explosions exhibits strong interaction with a dense and extended circumstellar medium (CSM), leading to an efficient conversion of kinetic energy into radiation and boosting their luminosities to approximately 1042-1044 erg s-1. Observations and models point to diverse progenitor systems and complex pre-supernova mass-loss histories, which shape the CSM’s structure and composition. Despite rapidly growing multi-wavelength datasets and theoretical progress, major gaps remain in explaining the observed diversity of these interacting events, identifying the physical mechanisms driving CSM formation, and clarifying their role in stellar and galactic evolution.Advances in time-domain astronomy, particularly multi-wavelength surveys and targeted follow-up observations, are revealing strong heterogeneity among interacting CCSNe, including wide ranges in CSM density, geometry, and composition. Key open questions include the mechanisms that trigger enhanced mass loss and the timescales of pre-supernova ejections. The upcoming era of large-scale surveys, particularly the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), will expand the discovery of millions of core-collapse supernovae-including large numbers of interacting events. This Research Topic will therefore address the observational characteristics, statistical properties, and theoretical challenges associated with studying interacting supernovae in this data-rich regime, highlighting current and future strategies for their identification, classification, and physical interpretation.This Research Topic aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of interacting CCSNe by linking progenitor evolution, circumstellar environments, and observable outcomes. It seeks to delineate the processes that produce dense CSM, interpret the coupling between ejecta dynamics and radiative output, and improve classification and physical modeling of these luminous transients. It will also place interacting events within galactic environments, exploring theoretical models of mass ejection and energetics, and shaping strategies for data-rich surveys.We welcome original research and review articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Progenitor systems and evolutionary pathways leading to dense CSM formation.• Multi-wavelength diagnostics of CSM density, geometry, and composition.• Host galaxy properties and environmental influences on interacting supernovae.• Comparative studies of interacting and non-interacting core-collapse supernovae.• Data-driven approaches for detection, classification, and interpretation in large surveys.• A comprehensive theoretical overview of the interacting core-collapse supernovae.• Overview of the lightcurve and spectral modelling approaches of these interacting transients.• Probing how thermonuclear supernovae can also become interacting depending on the densities of the circumstellar medium. Topic editors: Anjasha Gangopadhyay, Raya Dastidar, Mridweeka Singh, Mojgan Aghakhanloo Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77129/the-hidden-stories-of-interacting-core-collapse-supernovae