X- and Gamma-Ray Flashes from Type Ia Supernovae?

TL;DR

This study models potential X-ray and gamma-ray flashes from Type Ia supernovae, predicts their luminosities, and compares these with satellite observations, finding that such flashes are likely obscured by the progenitor system's absorption.

Contribution

It introduces detailed radiation-hydro simulations of supernova flashes and compares theoretical predictions with satellite data, constraining the luminosity and absorption effects.

Findings

Predicted flashes have peak luminosities of 10^48 to 10^50 erg/sec.

No coincident flashes detected in current GRB catalogs, setting upper limits on luminosity.

Absorption by the accretion disk likely suppresses observable high-energy flashes.

Abstract

We investigate two potential mechanisms that will produce X-ray and gamma-ray flashes from Type Ia supernovae (SN-Ia). The mechanisms are the breakout of the thermonuclear burning front as it reaches the surface of the white dwarf and the interaction of the rapidly expanding envelope with an accretion disk. Based on the delayed-detonation scenario and detailed radiation-hydro calculation which include nuclear networks, we find that both mechanisms produce ~1 second flashes of high energy radiation with peak luminosities of 10^48 to 10^50 erg/sec with fast rises and exponential declines. The X- and gamma-ray visibility of a SN-Ia will depend strongly on self absorption within the progenitor system, specifically on the properties of the accretion disk and its orientation towards the observer. Such X-ray and gamma-ray flashes could be detected as triggered events by Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) detectors on satellites, with events in current GRB catalogs. We have searched through the GRB catalogs (for the BATSE, HETE, and Swift experiments) for GRBs that occur at the extrapolated time of explosion and in the correct direction for known Type Ia supernovae with radial velocity of less than 3,000 km/s. For BATSE about 12.9+-3.6 nearby SNe Ia should have been detected, but only 0.8+-0.7 non-coincidental matches have been found. With the HETE and Swift satellites, we expect to see 5.6+-1.3 SN-Ia flashes from known nearby SNe Ia but, yet, no SN-Ia flashes were detected. These place observational limits that the bolometric peak luminosity of SN-Ia Flashes must be less ~10^46 erg/s. We attribute the difference between theory and observational limits to the absorption of the X- and gamma-rays by the accretion disk of large scale height or common envelope that would be smothering the white dwarf.