C+O detonations in thermonuclear supernovae: interaction with previously burned material

Lehrstuhl für Astronomie, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Received: 23 August 2005
Accepted: 29 December 2005

Abstract

In the context of explosion models for type Ia Supernovae, we present one- and two-dimensional simulations of fully resolved detonation fronts in degenerate C+O White Dwarf matter including clumps of previously burned material. The ability of detonations to survive the passage through sheets of nuclear ashes is tested as a function of the width and composition of the ash region. We show that detonation fronts are quenched by microscopically thin obstacles with little sensitivity to the exact ash composition. Front-tracking models for detonations in macroscopic explosion simulations need to include this effect in order to predict the amount of unburned material in delayed detonation scenarios.