The Role of Variations of Central Density Of White Dwarf Progenitors Upon Type Ia Supernovae

TL;DR

This paper investigates how variations in the central density of white dwarf progenitors influence Type Ia supernovae, aiming to explain observed luminosity differences and improve their use as cosmological tools.

Contribution

It presents 3D simulations exploring the impact of progenitor central density variations on supernova explosion mechanisms and luminosities.

Findings

Higher progenitor central density leads to increased Ni-56 production.

Variations in progenitor density can account for observed luminosity differences.

Simulation results support the connection between host galaxy type and supernova brightness.

Abstract

The discovery of the accelerated expansion of the universe using Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) has stimulated a tremendous amount of interest in the use of SNe Type Ia events as standard cosmological candles, and as a probe of the fundamental physics of dark energy. Recent observations of SNe Ia have indicated a significant population difference depending on the host galaxy. These observational findings are consistent with SNe Ia Ni-56 production in star-forming spiral galaxies some 0.1 solar masses higher - and therefore more luminous than in elliptical galaxies. We present recent full-star, 3D simulations of Type Ia supernovae which may help explain the nature of this systematic variation in SNe Ia luminosities, as well as the nature of the Ia explosion mechanism. These insights may in turn eventually shed light on the mystery of dark energy itself.