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Deflagrations and Detonations in Thermonuclear Supernovae

Vadim N. Gamezo·Alexei M. Khokhlov·Elaine S. Oran
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Abstract

We study a type Ia supernova explosion using three-dimensional numerical simulations based on reactive fluid dynamics. We consider a delayed-detonation model that assumes a deflagration-to-detonation transition. In contrast to the pure deflagration model, the delayed-detonation model releases enough energy to account for a healthy explosion, and does not leave carbon, oxygen, and intermediate-mass elements in central parts of a white dwarf. This removes the key disagreement between simulations and observations, and makes a delayed detonation the mostly likely mechanism for type Ia supernovae.

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Vadim N. Gamezo, Alexei M. Khokhlov, Elaine S. Oran. 2004-06-03. Deflagrations and Detonations in Thermonuclear Supernovae. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.92.211102

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