Binary population synthesis and SNIa rates

TL;DR

This paper uses binary population synthesis to estimate type Ia supernovae rates, finding that current models underpredict observed rates and that white dwarf accretion efficiency is a key factor.

Contribution

It evaluates the impact of binary evolution processes on SNeIa rates using the SeBa code, highlighting limitations in current models.

Findings

Simulated SNeIa rates are lower than observed.

White dwarf accretion efficiency significantly affects predicted rates.

Differences between BPS codes are partly due to accretion efficiency assumptions.

Abstract

Despite the significance of type Ia supernovae (SNeIa) in many fields in astrophysics, SNeIa lack a theoretical explanation. We investigate the potential contribution to the SNeIa rate from the most common progenitor channels using the binary population synthesis (BPS) code SeBa. Using SeBa, we aim constrain binary processes such as the common envelope phase and the efficiency of mass retention of white dwarf accretion. We find that the simulated rates are not sufficient to explain the observed rates. Further, we find that the mass retention efficiency of white dwarf accretion significantly influences the rates, but does not explain all the differences between simulated rates from different BPS codes.