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Sub-luminous type Ia supernovae from the mergers of equal-mass white dwarfs with mass approximately 0.9M[symbol: see text].
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20054390     Owner:  NLM     Status:  PubMed-not-MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Type Ia supernovae are thought to result from thermonuclear explosions of carbon-oxygen white dwarf stars. Existing models generally explain the observed properties, with the exception of the sub-luminous 1991bg-like supernovae. It has long been suspected that the merger of two white dwarfs could give rise to a type Ia event, but hitherto simulations have failed to produce an explosion. Here we report a simulation of the merger of two equal-mass white dwarfs that leads to a sub-luminous explosion, although at the expense of requiring a single common-envelope phase, and component masses of approximately 0.9M[symbol: see text]. The light curve is too broad, but the synthesized spectra, red colour and low expansion velocities are all close to what is observed for sub-luminous 1991bg-like events. Although the mass ratios can be slightly less than one and still produce a sub-luminous event, the masses have to be in the range 0.83M[symbol: see text] to 0.9M[symbol: see text].
Authors:
R?diger Pakmor; Markus Kromer; Friedrich K R?pke; Stuart A Sim; Ashley J Ruiter; Wolfgang Hillebrandt
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Nature     Volume:  463     ISSN:  1476-4687     ISO Abbreviation:  Nature     Publication Date:  2010 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-01-07     Completed Date:  2010-02-12     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0410462     Medline TA:  Nature     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  61-4     Citation Subset:  -    
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut f?r Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild Strasse 1, 85748 Garching, Germany. rpakmor@mpa-garching.mpg.de
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