arXiv subjects

Dean M. Townsley

Publications and source records attributed to Dean M. Townsley.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

The Heating and Pulsations of V386 Serpentis after its 2019 Dwarf Nova Outburst

Following the pulsation spectrum of a white dwarf through the heating and cooling involved in a dwarf nova outburst cycle provides a unique view of the changes to convective driving that take place on timescales of months versus millenia for non-accreting white dwarfs. In 2019 January the dwarf nova V386 Ser (one of a small number containing an accreting, pulsating white dwarf), underwent a large amplitude outburst. Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet spectra were obtained 7 and 13 months after outburst along with optical ground-based photometry during this interval and high-speed photometry at 5.5 and 17 months after outburst. The resulting spectral and pulsational analysis shows a cooling of the white dwarf from 21,020 K to 18,750 K (with a gravity log(g) = 8.1) between the two UV observations, along with the presence of strong pulsations evident in both UV and optical at a much shorter period after outburst than at quiescence. The pulsation periods consistently lengthened during the year following outburst, in agreement with pulsation theory. However, it remains to be seen if the behavior at longer times past outburst will mimic the unusual non-monotonic cooling and long periods evident in the similar system GW Lib.

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arXiv2019

Type Ia Supernova Explosions from Hybrid Carbon-Oxygen-Neon White Dwarf Progenitors That Have Mixed During Cooling

The creation of "hybrid" white dwarfs, made of a C-O core within a O-Ne shell has been proposed, and studies indicate that ignition in the C-rich central region makes these viable progenitors for thermonuclear (type Ia) supernovae. Recent work found that the C-O core is mixed with the surrounding O-Ne as the white dwarf cools prior to accretion, which results in lower central C fractions in the massive progenitor than previously assumed. To further investigate the efficacy of hybrid white dwarfs as progenitors of thermonuclear supernovae, we performed simulations of thermonuclear supernovae from a new series of hybrid progenitors that include the effects of mixing during cooling. The progenitor white dwarf model was constructed with the one-dimensional stellar evolution code MESA and represented a star evolved through the phase of unstable interior mixing followed by accretion until it reached conditions for the ignition of carbon burning. This MESA model was then mapped to a two-dimensional initial condition for explosions simulated with FLASH. For comparison, similar simulations were performed for a traditional C-O progenitor white dwarf. By comparing the yields of the explosions, we find that, as with earlier studies, the lower C abundance in the hybrid progenitor compared to the traditional C-O progenitor leads to a lower average yield of 56Ni. Although the unmixed hybrid WD showed a similar decrement also in total iron group yield, the mixed case does not and produces a smaller fraction of iron group elements in the form of 56Ni. We attribute this to the higher central density required for ignition and the location, center or off-center, of deflagration ignition.

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arXiv2019

Modeling subgrid combustion processes in simulations of thermonuclear supernovae

Supernovae of type Ia are thought to arise from the thermonuclear incineration of a carbon-oxygen white dwarf stellar remnant. However, the detailed explosion scenario and stellar evolutionary origin scenario -- or scenarios -- which lead to observed supernovae are still quite uncertain. One of the principal tests of proposed scenarios is comparison with the explosion products inferred, for example, from the spectrum of the supernovae. Making this comparison requires computation of the combustion dynamics and products through simulation of proposed scenarios. Here we discuss two specific proposed explosion scenarios, the deflagration-detonation transition and the helium shell double detonation, With these two examples in mind, we proceed to discuss challenges to computational modeling of the combustion taking place in these explosions. Both subsonically and supersonically propagating reaction fronts are discussed, called deflagrations and detonations respectively. Several major stages of the combustion occur on length and time scales that are many orders of magnitude smaller than those accessible in simulations of the explosion. Models which attempt to capture this sub-grid behavior and the verification of those models is briefly discussed.

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arXiv2019

Double Detonations with Thin, Modestly Enriched Helium Layers Can Make Normal Type Ia Supernovae

It has been proposed that Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) that are normal in their spectra and brightness can be explained by a double detonation that ignites first in a helium shell on the surface of the white dwarf (WD). This proposition is supported by the satisfactory match between simulated explosions of sub-Chandrasekhar-mass WDs with no surface He layer and observations of normal SNe Ia. However, previous calculations of He-ignited double detonations have required either artificial removal of the He shell ashes or extreme enrichment of the surface He layer in order to obtain normal SNe Ia. Here we demonstrate, for the first time in multi-dimensional full-star simulations, that a thin, modestly enriched He layer will lead to a SN Ia that is normal in its brightness and spectra. This strengthens the case for double detonations as a major contributing channel to the population of normal SNe Ia.

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arXiv2019

Thermonuclear (Type Ia) Supernovae and Progenitor Evolution

Thermonuclear (type Ia) supernovae are bright stellar explosions with the unique property that the light curves can be standardized, allowing them to be used as distance indicators for cosmological studies. Many fundamental questions bout these events remain, however. We provide a critique of our present understanding of these and present results of simulations assuming the single-degenerate progenitor model consisting of a white dwarf that has gained mass from a stellar companion. We present results from full three-dimensional simulations of convection with weak reactions comprising the A=23 Urca process in the progenitor white dwarf.

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arXiv2018

The Intrinsic Stochasticity of the $^{56}$Ni Distribution of Single-Degenerate Type Ia Supernovae

Binary Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarfs accreting mass from non-degenerate stellar companions through the single-degenerate channel have reigned for decades as the leading explanation of Type Ia supernovae. Yet, a comprehensive theoretical explanation has not yet emerged to explain the expected properties of the canonical near-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf model. A simmering phase within the convective core of the white dwarf leads to the ignition of one or more flame bubbles scattered across the core. Consequently, near-Chandrasekhar-mass single-degenerate SNe Ia are inherently stochastic, and are expected to lead to a range of outcomes, from subluminous SN 2002cx-like events, to overluminous SN 1991T-like events. However, all prior simulations of the single-degenerate channel carried through the detonation phase have set the ignition points as free parameters. In this work, for the first time, we place ignition points as predicted by {\it ab initio} models of the convective phase leading up to ignition, and follow through the detonation phase in fully three-dimensional simulations. Single-degenerates in this framework are characteristically overluminous. Using a statistical approach, we determine the $^{56}$Ni mass distribution arising from stochastic ignition. While there is a total spread of $\gtrsim 0.2 M_{\odot}$ for detonating models, the distribution is strongly left-skewed, and with a narrow standard deviation of $\simeq 0.03 M_{\odot}$. Conversely, if single-degenerates are not overluminous but primarily yield normal or failed events, then the models require fine-tuning of the ignition parameters, or otherwise require revised physics or progenitor models. We discuss implications of our findings for the modeling of single-degenerate SNe Ia.

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arXiv2018

Three Hypervelocity White Dwarfs in Gaia DR2: Evidence for Dynamically Driven Double-Degenerate Double-Detonation Type Ia Supernovae

Double detonations in double white dwarf (WD) binaries undergoing unstable mass transfer have emerged in recent years as one of the most promising Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) progenitor scenarios. One potential outcome of this "dynamically driven double-degenerate double-detonation" (D^6) scenario is that the companion WD survives the explosion and is flung away with a velocity equal to its > 1000 km/s pre-SN orbital velocity. We perform a search for these hypervelocity runaway WDs using Gaia's second data release. In this paper, we discuss seven candidates followed up with ground-based instruments. Three sources are likely to be some of the fastest known stars in the Milky Way, with total Galactocentric velocities between 1000 and 3000 km/s, and are consistent with having previously been companion WDs in pre-SN Ia systems. However, although the radial velocity of one of the stars is > 1000 km/s, the radial velocities of the other two stars are puzzlingly consistent with 0. The combined five-parameter astrometric solutions from Gaia and radial velocities from follow-up spectra yield tentative 6D confirmation of the D^6 scenario. The past position of one of these stars places it within a faint, old SN remnant, further strengthening the interpretation of these candidates as hypervelocity runaways from binary systems that underwent SNe Ia.

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arXiv2018

Quantifying How Density Gradients and Front Curvature Affect Carbon Detonation Strength During Type Ia Supernovae

Accurately reproducing the physics behind the detonations of Type Ia supernovae and the resultant nucleosynthetic yields is important for interpreting observations of spectra and remnants. The scales of the processes involved span orders of magnitudes, making the problem computationally impossible to ever fully resolve in full star simulations in the present and near future. In the lower density regions of the star, the curvature of the detonation front will slow the detonation, affecting the production of intermediate mass elements. We find that shock strengthening due to the density gradient present in the outer layers of the progenitor is essential for understanding the nucleosynthesis there, with burning extending well below the density at which a steady-state detonation is extinct. We show that a complete reaction network is not sufficient to obtain physical detonations at high densities and modest resolution due to numerical mixing at the unresolved reaction front. At low densities, below 6$\times$10$^{5}$ g cm$^{-3}$, it is possible to achieve high enough resolution to separate the shock and the reaction region,and the abundance structure predicted by fully resolved quasi-steady-state calculations is obtained. For our best current benchmark yields, we utilize a method in which the unresolved portion of Lagrangian histories are reconstructed based on fully resolved quasi-steady-state detonation calculations. These computations demonstrate that under-resolved simulations agree approximately, $\sim$10\% in post-shock values of temperature, pressure, density, and abundances, with expected detonation structures sufficiently far from the under-resolved region, but that there is still room for some improvement in the treatment of subgrid reactions in the hydrodynamics to before better than 1$\%$ can be achieved at all densities.

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arXiv2018

Sub-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf detonations revisited

The detonation of a sub-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf (WD) has emerged as one of the most promising Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) progenitor scenarios. Recent studies have suggested that the rapid transfer of a very small amount of helium from one WD to another is sufficient to ignite a helium shell detonation that subsequently triggers a carbon core detonation, yielding a "dynamically-driven double degenerate double detonation" SN Ia. Because the helium shell that surrounds the core explosion is so minimal, this scenario approaches the limiting case of a bare C/O WD detonation. Motivated by discrepancies in previous literature and by a recent need for detailed nucleosynthetic data, we revisit simulations of naked C/O WD detonations in this paper. We disagree to some extent with the nucleosynthetic results of previous work on sub-Chandrasekhar-mass bare C/O WD detonations; e.g., we find that a median-brightness SN Ia is produced by the detonation of a 1.0 Msol WD instead of a more massive and rarer 1.1 Msol WD. The neutron-rich nucleosynthesis in our simulations agrees broadly with some observational constraints, although tensions remain with others. There are also discrepancies related to the velocities of the outer ejecta and light curve shapes, but overall our synthetic light curves and spectra are roughly consistent with observations. We are hopeful that future multi-dimensional simulations will resolve these issues and further bolster the dynamically-driven double degenerate double detonation scenario's potential to explain most SNe Ia.

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arXiv2017

Observational evidence for high neutronization in supernova remnants: implications for Type Ia supernova progenitors

The physical process whereby a carbon--oxygen white dwarf explodes as a Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) remains highly uncertain. The degree of neutronization in SN Ia ejecta holds clues to this process because it depends on the mass and the metallicity of the stellar progenitor, and on the thermodynamic history prior to the explosion. We report on a new method to determine ejecta neutronization using Ca and S lines in the X-ray spectra of Type Ia supernova remnants (SNRs). Applying this method to \textit{Suzaku} data of Tycho, Kepler, 3C 397 and G337.2$-$0.7 in the Milky Way, and N103B in the Large Magellanic Cloud, we find that the neutronization of the ejecta in N103B is comparable to that of Tycho and Kepler, which suggests that progenitor metallicity is not the only source of neutronization in SNe Ia. We then use a grid of SN Ia explosion models to infer the metallicities of the stellar progenitors of our SNRs. The implied metallicities of 3C 397, G337.2$-$0.7, and N103B are major outliers compared to the local stellar metallicity distribution functions, indicating that progenitor metallicity can be ruled out as the origin of neutronization for these SNRs. Although the relationship between ejecta neutronization and equivalent progenitor metallicity is subject to uncertainties stemming from the $^{12}$C$\,$+$^{16}$O reaction rate, which affects the Ca/S mass ratio, our main results are not sensitive to these details.

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arXiv2017

Nucleosynthesis in thermonuclear supernovae

The explosion energy of thermonuclear (Type Ia) supernovae is derived from the difference in nuclear binding energy liberated in the explosive fusion of light 'fuel' nuclei, predominantly carbon and oxygen, into more tightly bound nuclear 'ash' dominated by iron and silicon group elements. The very same explosive thermonuclear fusion event is also one of the major processes contributing to the nucleosynthesis of the heavy elements, in particular the iron-group elements. For example, most of the iron and manganese in the sun and its planetary system were produced in thermonuclear supernovae. Here, we review the physics of explosive thermonuclear burning in carbon-oxygen white dwarf material and the methodologies utilized in calculating predicted nucleosynthesis from hydrodynamic explosion models. While the dominant explosion scenario remains unclear, many aspects of the nuclear combustion and nucleosynthesis are common to all models and must occur in some form in order to produce the observed yields. We summarize the predicted nucleosynthetic yields for existing explosion models, placing particular emphasis on characteristic differences in the nucleosynthetic signatures of the different suggested scenarios leading to Type Ia supernovae. Following this, we discuss how these signatures compare with observations of several individual supernovae, remnants, and the composition of material in our galaxy and galaxy clusters.

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arXiv2017

Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA): Binaries, Pulsations, and Explosions

We substantially update the capabilities of the open-source software instrument Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). MESA can now simultaneously evolve an interacting pair of differentially rotating stars undergoing transfer and loss of mass and angular momentum, greatly enhancing the prior ability to model binary evolution. New MESA capabilities in fully coupled calculation of nuclear networks with hundreds of isotopes now allow MESA to accurately simulate advanced burning stages needed to construct supernova progenitor models. Implicit hydrodynamics with shocks can now be treated with MESA, enabling modeling of the entire massive star lifecycle, from pre-main sequence evolution to the onset of core collapse and nucleosynthesis from the resulting explosion. Coupling of the GYRE non-adiabatic pulsation instrument with MESA allows for new explorations of the instability strips for massive stars while also accelerating the astrophysical use of asteroseismology data. We improve treatment of mass accretion, giving more accurate and robust near-surface profiles. A new MESA capability to calculate weak reaction rates "on-the-fly" from input nuclear data allows better simulation of accretion induced collapse of massive white dwarfs and the fate of some massive stars. We discuss the ongoing challenge of chemical diffusion in the strongly coupled plasma regime, and exhibit improvements in MESA that now allow for the simulation of radiative levitation of heavy elements in hot stars. We close by noting that the MESA software infrastructure provides bit-for-bit consistency for all results across all the supported platforms, a profound enabling capability for accelerating MESA's development.

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arXiv2016

Cosmic Chandlery with Thermonuclear Supernovae

Thermonuclear (Type Ia) supernovae are bright stellar explosions, the light curves of which can be calibrated to allow for use as "standard candles" for measuring cosmological distances. Contemporary research investigates how the brightness of an event may be influenced by properties of the progenitor system that follow from properties of the host galaxy such as composition and age. The goals are to better understand systematic effects and to assess the intrinsic scatter in the brightness, thereby reducing uncertainties in cosmological studies. We present the results from ensembles of simulations in the single-degenerate paradigm addressing the influence of age and metallicity on the brightness of an event and compare our results to observed variations of brightness that correlate with properties of the host galaxy. We also present results from "hybrid" progenitor models that incorporate recent advances in stellar evolution.

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arXiv2016

GW Librae: Still Hot Eight Years Post-Outburst

We report continued Hubble Space Telescope (HST) ultraviolet spectra and ground-based optical photometry and spectroscopy of GW Librae eight years after its largest known dwarf nova outburst in 2007. This represents the longest cooling timescale measured for any dwarf nova. The spectra reveal that the white dwarf still remains about 3000 K hotter than its quiescent value. Both ultraviolet and optical light curves show a short period of 364-373 s, similar to one of the non-radial pulsation periods present for years prior to the outburst, and with a similar large UV/optical amplitude ratio. A large modulation at a period of 2 h (also similar to that observed prior to outburst) is present in the optical data preceding and during the HST observations, but the satellite observation intervals did not cover the peaks of the optical modulation so it is not possible to determine its corresponding UV amplitude. The similarity of the short and long periods to quiescent values implies the pulsating, fast spinning white dwarf in GW Lib may finally be nearing its quiescent configuration.

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arXiv2016

A Tracer Method for Computing Type Ia Supernova Yields: Burning Model Calibration, Reconstruction of Thickened Flames, and Verification for Planar Detonations

We refine our previously introduced parameterized model for explosive carbon-oxygen fusion during thermonuclear supernovae (SN Ia) by adding corrections to post-processing of recorded Lagrangian fluid element histories to obtain more accurate isotopic yields. Deflagration and detonation products are verified for propagation in a uniform density medium. A new method is introduced for reconstructing the temperature-density history within the artificially thick model deflagration front. We obtain better than 5\% consistency between the electron capture computed by the burning model and yields from post-processing. For detonations, we compare to a benchmark calculation of the structure of driven steady-state planar detonations performed with a large nuclear reaction network and error-controlled integration. We verify that, for steady-state planar detonations down to a density of 5x10^6 g/cc, our post processing matches the major abundances in the benchmark solution typically to better than 10% for times greater than 0.01 s after the shock front passage. As a test case to demonstrate the method, presented here with post-processing for the first time, we perform a two dimensional simulation of a SN Ia in the Chandrasekhar-mass deflagration-detonation transition (DDT) scenario. We find that reconstruction of deflagration tracks leads to slightly more complete silicon burning than without reconstruction. The resulting abundance structure of the ejecta is consistent with inferences from spectroscopic studies of observed SNe Ia. We confirm the absence of a central region of stable Fe-group material for the multi-dimensional DDT scenario. Detailed isotopic yields are tabulated and only change modestly when using deflagration reconstruction.

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arXiv2016

On Measuring the Metallicity of a Type Ia Supernova's Progenitor

In Type Ia Supernovae (\sneia), the relative abundances of chemical elements are affected by the neutron excess in the composition of the progenitor white dwarf. Since these products leave signatures in the spectra near maximum light, spectral features may be used to constrain the composition of the progenitor. We calculate the nucleosynthetic yields for three \snia simulations, assuming single degenerate, Chandrasekhar mass progenitors, for a wide range of progenitor metallicities, and calculate synthetic light curves and spectra to explore correlations between progenitor metallicity and the strength of spectral features. We use two 2D simulations of the deflagration-detonation-transition scenario with different $^{56}$Ni yields and the W7 simulation to control for differences between explosion models and total yields. While the overall yields of intermediate mass elements (16 $<$ A $\leq$ 40) differ between the three cases, trends in the yields are similar. With increasing metallicity, $^{28}$Si yields remain nearly constant, $^{40}$Ca yields decline, and Ti and $^{54}$Fe yields increase. In the synthetic spectra, we identify two features at 30 days post explosion that appear to deepen with progenitor metallicity: a Ti feature around 4200\,Å and a Fe feature around 5200\,Å\@. In all three simulations, their pseudo equivalent widths show a systematic trend with progenitor metallicity. This suggests that these two features may allow differentiation among progenitor metallicities of observed \sneia and potentially help reduce the intrinsic Hubble scatter.

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arXiv2016

White Paper on Nuclear Astrophysics

This white paper informs the nuclear astrophysics community and funding agencies about the scientific directions and priorities of the field and provides input from this community for the 2015 Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It summarizes the outcome of the nuclear astrophysics town meeting that was held on August 21-23, 2014 in College Station at the campus of Texas A&M University in preparation of the NSAC Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It also reflects the outcome of an earlier town meeting of the nuclear astrophysics community organized by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA) on October 9- 10, 2012 Detroit, Michigan, with the purpose of developing a vision for nuclear astrophysics in light of the recent NRC decadal surveys in nuclear physics (NP2010) and astronomy (ASTRO2010). The white paper is furthermore informed by the town meeting of the Association of Research at University Nuclear Accelerators (ARUNA) that took place at the University of Notre Dame on June 12-13, 2014. In summary we find that nuclear astrophysics is a modern and vibrant field addressing fundamental science questions at the intersection of nuclear physics and astrophysics. These questions relate to the origin of the elements, the nuclear engines that drive life and death of stars, and the properties of dense matter. A broad range of nuclear accelerator facilities, astronomical observatories, theory efforts, and computational capabilities are needed. With the developments outlined in this white paper, answers to long standing key questions are well within reach in the coming decade.

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arXiv2016

Type Ia Supernova Explosions from Hybrid Carbon-Oxygen-Neon White Dwarf Progenitors

Motivated by recent results in stellar evolution that predict the existence of hybrid white dwarf (WD) stars with a C-O core inside an O-Ne shell, we simulate thermonuclear (Type Ia) supernovae from these hybrid progenitors. We use the FLASH code to perform multidimensional simulations in the deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) explosion paradigm. Our hybrid progenitor models were produced with the MESA stellar evolution code and include the effects of the Urca process, and we map the progenitor model to the FLASH grid. We performed a suite of DDT simulations over a range of ignition conditions consistent with the progenitor's thermal and convective structure assuming multiple ignition points. To compare the results from these hybrid WD stars to previous results from C-O white dwarfs, we construct a set of C-O WD models with similar properties and similarly simulate a suite of explosions. We find that despite significant variability within each suite, trends distinguishing the explosions are apparent in their $^{56}$Ni yields and the kinetic properties of the ejecta. We comment on the feasibility of these explosions as the source of some classes of observed subluminous events.

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