The effect of curvature on detonation waves in Type Ia supernovae

The effect of curvature on detonation speed and structure for detonation waves in C–O is investigated. Weakly curved detonation fronts have a sonic point inside the reaction zone. In such waves the detonation speed depends on the detailed internal structure and not on simple jump conditions. Hence, in order to obtain the correct propagation speed and products of burning, the reaction length-scales must be resolved in any numerical simulation involving curved detonations in C–O. For each value of the initial density there is a corresponding extinction curvature above which quasi-steady detonations cannot propagate. For densities less than 2×10⁷ g cm⁻³, where the self-sustaining planar waves are Chapman–Jouguet, and for realistic values of the curvature, the sonic point moves from the end of silicon burning to the end of oxygen burning. Hence the effective detonation length, i.e. the length-scale of the burning between the shock and the sonic point which can affect the front, is several orders of magnitudes less than the planar waves predict. However, silicon burning, which occurs downstream of the sonic point, is increased in length by a few orders of magnitude owing to lower detonation speeds and temperatures. Therefore more intermediate-mass elements will be produced by incomplete burning if curvature is taken into account. Recent advances in detonation theory and modelling are also discussed in the context of Type Ia supernovae.     

Double detonations at the core–envelope boundary in Type Ia supernovae

An off-centre detonation propagating near the interface between a C–O core and a He envelope in a Type Ia supernova explosion is modelled as a steady two-dimensional similarity solution at a plane interface. We assume that in both regions the energy release occurs in an infinitely thin detonation, which produces material in nuclear statistical equilibrium (NSE) in He and in nuclear statistical quasi-equilibrium in C–O. An α-network is then used to determine the effect of the associated rarefaction wave in the C–O on the final abundance of intermediate elements. We find that, although there is a significant effect, the rarefaction is not strong enough to quench the reactions and prevent the C–O from burning to NSE.     

Supersoft X‐ray sources and the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae

Supersoft X‐ray sources have been proposed as one of the major channels to produce Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). However, the true nature of the progenitors has remained an unsolved problem. In this review I summarize the present status of our understanding of SN Ia progenitors, the main classes of progenitor models and recent observational constraints. At present, neither the single‐degenerate nor the double‐degenerate model can be ruled out, and indeed more than one channel may be required to explain the observed SN Ia diversity. Finally, I discuss the origin of the lightcurve peak – lightcurve width relation (the ‘Phillips relation’) and show that it is expected to depend on metallicity; this needs to be taken into account in high‐precision cosmological applications (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The role of gravitational supernovae in the Galactic evolution of the Li, Be and B isotopes

The observed Be and B relationships with metallicity clearly support the idea that both elements have a primary origin and that they are produced by the same class of objects. Spallation by particles accelerated during gravitational supernova events (SNII, SNIb/c) seems to be a likely origin. We show, in the context of a model of chemical evolution, that it is possible to solve the Li, Be and B abundance puzzle with the yields recently proposed by Ramaty et al., provided that SNII are unable to accelerate helium nuclei significantly and that different mechanisms are allowed to act simultaneously.     

Type Ia supernovae and remnant neutron stars

On the basis of the current observational evidence, we put forward the case that the merger of two CO white dwarfs produces both a Type Ia supernova explosion and a stellar remnant, the latter in the form of a magnetar. The estimated occurrence rates raise the possibility that many, if not most, Type Ia supernovae might result from white dwarf mergers.     

The C flash and the ignition conditions of Type Ia supernovae

Thanks to a stellar evolution code that is able to compute through the C flash we link the binary population synthesis of single degenerate progenitors of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) to their physical condition at the time of ignition. We show that there is a large range of possible ignition densities and we detail how their probability distribution depends on the accretion properties. The low-density peak of this distribution qualitatively reminds of the clustering of the luminosities of Branch-normal SNe Ia. We tighten the possible range of initial physical conditions for explosion models: they form a one-parameter family, independent of the metallicity. We discuss how these results may be modified if we were to relax our hypothesis of a permanent Hachisu wind or if we were to include electron captures.     

Type Ia supernovae: An explosion in the regime of a convergent delayed detonation wave

The model of a presupernova’s carbon-oxygen (C-O) core with an initial mass of 1.33 M _⊙, an initial carbon abundance X _C ⁽⁰⁾ =0.27, and a mean rate of increase in mass of 5 × 10^?7 M _⊙ yr^?1 through accretion in a binary system evolved from the central density and temperature ρ_c=10⁹ g cm^?3 and T _c=2.05 × 10⁸K, respectively, by forming a convective core and its subsequent expansion to an explosive fuel ignition at the center. The evolution and explosion equations included only the carbon burning reaction ¹²C+¹²C with energy release corresponding to the complete conversion of carbon and oxygen (at the same rate as that of carbon) into ⁵⁶Ni. The ratio of mixing length to convection-zone size α_c was chosen as the parameter. Although the model assumptions were crude, we obtained an acceptable (for the theory of supernovae) pattern of explosion with a strong dependence of its duration on α_c. In our calculations with sufficiently large values of this parameter, α_c=4.0 × 10^?3 and 3.0×10^?3, fuel burned in the regime of prompt detonation. In the range 2.0×10^?3≥α_c≥3.0×10^?4, there was initially a deflagration with the generation of model pulsations whose amplitude gradually increased. Eventually, the detonation regime of burning arose, which was triggered from the model surface layers (with m ? 1.33 M _⊙) and propagated deep into the model up to the deflagration front. The generation of model pulsations and the formation of a detonation front are described in detail for α_c=1.0 × 10^?3.     

Coulomb corrections to the equation of state of nuclear statistical equilibrium matter: implications for SNIa nucleosynthesis and the accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs

Coulomb corrections to the equation of state of degenerate matter are usually neglected in high-temperature regimes, owing to the inverse dependence of the plasma coupling constant, Γ, on temperature. However, nuclear statistical equilibrium matter is characterized by a large abundance by mass of large- Z (iron group) nuclei. It is found that Coulomb corrections to the ion ideal gas equation of state of matter in nuclear statistical equilibrium are important at temperatures T ≲5–10×10⁹ K and densities ρ ≳10⁸ g cm⁻³. At a temperature T =8.5×10⁹ K and a density ρ =8×10⁹ g cm⁻³, the neutronization rate is larger by ≳28 per cent when Coulomb corrections are included. However, the conductive velocity of a thermonuclear deflagration wave in C–O drops by ∼16 per cent when Coulomb corrections to the heat capacity are taken into account. The implications for SNIa models and nucleosynthesis, and also for the accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs, are discussed. Particularly relevant is the result that the minimum density for collapse of a white dwarf to a neutron star is shifted down to 5.5–6×10⁹ g cm⁻³, a value substantially lower than previously thought.     

Nucleosynthesis in strong magnetic fields at statistical equilibrium

The atomic mass distribution of nuclides in an ultramagnetized astrophysical plasma is considered by employing a model of nuclear statistical equilibrium. The magnetization of atomic nuclei is shown to enhance the portion of light nuclear species in the iron region.     

Observational characteristics and possible asphericity of overluminous Type Ia supernovae

A few Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) have been suggested to be an explosion of a super-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf (WD) in order to account for their large luminosities, requiring a large amount of ⁵⁶Ni. However, the candidate overluminous SNe Ia 2003fg, 2006gz and (moderately overluminous) SN 1991T have very different observational features: the characteristic time-scale and velocity are very different. We examine if and how the diversity can be explained, by one-dimensional spherical radiation transport calculations covering a wide range of model parameters (e.g. WD mass). The observations of SN 2006gz are naturally explained by the super-Chandrasekhar-mass model. SN 1991T represents a marginal case, which may either be a Chandrasekhar or a super-Chandrasekhar-mass WD explosion. In contrast, the low velocity and short time-scale seen in SN 2003fg indicate that the ejecta mass is smaller than the Chandrasekhar mass, which is in apparent contradiction to the large luminosity. We suggest that the problem is solved if the progenitor WD, and thus the SN explosion, is aspherical. This may reflect a rapid rotation of the progenitor star, likely a consequence of the super-Chandrasekhar-mass WD progenitor. The observed differences between SNe 2003fg and 2006gz may be attributed to different viewing orientations.     

Light‐element abundance variations in globular clusters

Star‐to‐star variations in abundances of the light elements carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sodium have been observed in stars of all evolutionary phases in all Galactic globular clusters that have been thoroughly studied. The data available for studying this phenomenon, and the hypotheses as to its origin, have both co‐evolved with observing technology; once high‐resolution spectra were available even for main‐sequence stars in globular clusters, scenarios involving multiple closely spaced stellar generations enriched by feedback from moderate‐ and high‐mass stars began to gain traction in the literature. This paper briefly reviews the observational history of globular cluster abundance inhomogeneities, discusses the presently favored models of their origin, and considers several aspects of this problem that require further study (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)