New evidence that some supernovae may be a “double detonation”
In other cases, another member of the system will continue to form a second white dwarf. If gravitational instabilities bring together these two objects, their collision will create a single object with a much higher mass. This will also restart the merger, leading to an explosion.
We found proof of these two events that occur. However, there are questions about the question of whether they often happen to explain the frequency of IA supernovae that we see. The two mechanisms require stars of a sufficient mass in orbit at a reasonably narrow distance for a mass transfer or a collision. Thus, astronomers have considered other ways to explode a white dwarf.
The most promising option seems to be a double detonation. This may also require the transfer of a material rich in helium from another companion, but it can also happen if the white dwarf is found with unused helium on its surface. Whatever the way it ends there, helium can start to merge so enough from it, or simply if its movement causes a sufficiently high local density in a region. However, this happens, once the fusion begins, the entire surface of the white dwarf will follow quickly, creating the number one detonation.
This will in turn create a compression in the carbon-oxygen part of the neutron star, pushing it in front of the density necessary to start to merge. Again, the initiation of the fusion heats up and compresses the material nearby, creating a chain reaction which triggers a widespread fusion in the white dwarf, blowing it into pieces in the context of the detonation two.
A shell game
The main thing on this subject is that it allows the explosion of white dwarfs before reaching a sufficient mass to trigger the fusion of their carbon and their oxygen. Instead, this can potentially occur at any time enough helium gathers on their surface. A double -detrusation event would also be very difficult to detect, because the explosions would occur quickly, and the environment in the immediate environment of an IA supernova will be complex and difficult to solve.
