1,015 research outputs found
Stability of the r-modes in white dwarf stars
Stability of the r-modes in rapidly rotating white dwarf stars is
investigated. Improved estimates of the growth times of the
gravitational-radiation driven instability in the r-modes of the observed DQ
Her objects are found to be longer (probably considerably longer) than 6x10^9y.
This rules out the possibility that the r-modes in these objects are emitting
gravitational radiation at levels that could be detectable by LISA. More
generally it is shown that the r-mode instability can only be excited in a very
small subset of very hot (T>10^6K), rather massive (M>0.9M_sun) and very
rapidly rotating (P_min<P<1.2P_min) white dwarf stars. Further, the growth
times of this instability are so long that these conditions must persist for a
very long time (t>10^9y) to allow the amplitude to grow to a dynamically
significant level. This makes it extremely unlikely that the r-mode instability
plays a significant role in any real white dwarf stars.Comment: 5 Pages, 5 Figures, revte
Hypernova Nucleosynthesis and Galactic Chemical Evolution
We study nucleosynthesis in 'hypernovae', i.e., supernovae with very large
explosion energies ( \gsim 10^{52} ergs) for both spherical and aspherical
explosions. The hypernova yields compared to those of ordinary core-collapse
supernovae show the following characteristics: 1) Complete Si-burning takes
place in more extended region, so that the mass ratio between the complete and
incomplete Si burning regions is generally larger in hypernovae than normal
supernovae. As a result, higher energy explosions tend to produce larger [(Zn,
Co)/Fe], small [(Mn, Cr)/Fe], and larger [Fe/O], which could explain the trend
observed in very metal-poor stars. 2) Si-burning takes place in lower density
regions, so that the effects of -rich freezeout is enhanced. Thus
Ca, Ti, and Zn are produced more abundantly than in normal
supernovae. The large [(Ti, Zn)/Fe] ratios observed in very metal poor stars
strongly suggest a significant contribution of hypernovae. 3) Oxygen burning
also takes place in more extended regions for the larger explosion energy. Then
a larger amount of Si, S, Ar, and Ca ("Si") are synthesized, which makes the
"Si"/O ratio larger. The abundance pattern of the starburst galaxy M82 may be
attributed to hypernova explosions. Asphericity in the explosions strengthens
the nucleosynthesis properties of hypernovae except for "Si"/O. We thus suggest
that hypernovae make important contribution to the early Galactic (and cosmic)
chemical evolution.Comment: To be published in "The Influence of Binaries on Stellar Population
Studies", ed. D. Vanbeveren (Kluwer), 200
An upper limit on the contribution of accreting white dwarfs to the type Ia supernova rate
There is wide agreement that Type Ia supernovae (used as standard candles for
cosmology) are associated with the thermonuclear explosions of white dwarf
stars. The nuclear runaway that leads to the explosion could start in a white
dwarf gradually accumulating matter from a companion star until it reaches the
Chandrasekhar limit, or could be triggered by the merger of two white dwarfs in
a compact binary system. The X-ray signatures of these two possible paths are
very different. Whereas no strong electromagnetic emission is expected in the
merger scenario until shortly before the supernova, the white dwarf accreting
material from the normal star becomes a source of copious X-rays for ~1e7 yr
before the explosion. This offers a means of determining which path dominates.
Here we report that the observed X-ray flux from six nearby elliptical galaxies
and galaxy bulges is a factor of ~30-50 less than predicted in the accretion
scenario, based upon an estimate of the supernova rate from their K-band
luminosities. We conclude that no more than ~5 per cent of Type Ia supernovae
in early type galaxies can be produced by white dwarfs in accreting binary
systems, unless their progenitors are much younger than the bulk of the stellar
population in these galaxies, or explosions of sub-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs
make a significant contribution to the supernova rate.Comment: 10 pages, 1 tabl
The Peculiar Type Ic Supernova 1997ef: Another Hypernova
SN 1997ef has been recognized as a peculiar supernova from its light curve
and spectral properties. The object was classified as a Type Ic supernova (SN
Ic) because its spectra are dominated by broad absorption lines of oxygen and
iron, lacking any clear signs of hydrogen or helium line features. The light
curve is very different from that of previously known SNe Ic, showing a very
broad peak and a slow tail. The strikingly broad line features in the spectra
of SN 1997ef, which were also seen in the hypernova SN 1998bw, suggest the
interesting possibility that SN 1997ef may also be a hypernova. The light curve
and spectra of SN 1997ef were modeled first with a standard SN~Ic model
assuming an ordinary kinetic energy of explosion erg. The
explosion of a CO star of mass gives a
reasonably good fit to the light curve but clearly fails to reproduce the broad
spectral features. Then, models with larger masses and energies were explored.
Both the light curve and the spectra of SN 1997ef are much better reproduced by
a C+O star model with 8 \e{51} erg and .
Therefore, we conclude that SN 1997ef is very likely a hypernova on the basis
of its kinetic energy of explosion. Finally, implications for the deviation
from spherical symmetry are discussed in an effort to improve the light curve
and spectral fits.Comment: "To appear in the Astrophysical Journal, Vol.534 (2000)
Bipolar Supernova Explosions: Nucleosynthesis & Implication on Abundances in Extremely Metal-Poor Stars
Hydrodynamics and explosive nucleosynthesis in bipolar supernova explosions
are examined to account for some peculiar properties of hypernovae as well as
peculiar abundance patterns of metal-poor stars. The explosion is supposed to
be driven by bipolar jets which are powered by accretion onto a central
remnant. We explore the features of the explosions with varying progenitors'
masses and jet properties. The outcomes are different from conventional
spherical models. (1) In the bipolar models, Fe-rich materials are ejected at
high velocities along the jet axis, while O-rich materials occupy the central
region whose density becomes very high as a consequence of continuous accretion
from the side. This configuration can explain some peculiar features in the
light curves and the nebular spectra of hypernovae. (2) Production of Ni
tends to be smaller than in spherical thermal bomb models. To account for a
large amount of Ni observed in hypernovae, the jets should be initiated
when the compact remnant mass is still smaller than 2-3\msun, or the jets
should be very massive and slow. (3) Ejected isotopes are distributed as
follows in order of decreasing velocities: Zn, Co, Fe,
Ti, and He at the highest velocities, Mn, Cr,
S, and Si at the intermediate velocities, and Mg, O
at the lowest velocities. (4) The abundance ratios (Zn, Co)/Fe are enhanced
while the ratios (Mn, Cr)/Fe are suppressed. This can account for the abundance
pattern of extremely metal-poor stars. These agreements between the models and
observations suggest that hypernovae are driven by bipolar jets and have
significantly contributed to the early Galactic chemical evolution.Comment: Accepted version, to appear in the Astrophysical Journal. Additional
figures and an appendix. 58 pages including 21 figs and 9 table
Shock Breakout in Type II Plateau Supernovae: Prospects for High Redshift Supernova Surveys
Shock breakout is the brightest radiative phenomenon in a supernova (SN) but
is difficult to be observed owing to the short duration and X-ray/ultraviolet
(UV)-peaked spectra. After the first observation from the rising phase reported
in 2008, its observability at high redshift is attracting enormous attention.
We perform multigroup radiation hydrodynamics calculations of explosions for
evolutionary presupernova models with various main-sequence masses , metallicities , and explosion energies . We present multicolor
light curves of shock breakout in Type II plateau SNe, being the most frequent
core-collapse SNe, and predict apparent multicolor light curves of shock
breakout at various redshifts . We derive the observable SN rate and
reachable redshift as functions of filter and limiting magnitude by taking into account an initial mass function, cosmic star formation
history, intergalactic absorption, and host galaxy extinction. We propose a
realistic survey strategy optimized for shock breakout. For example, the
-band observable SN rate for mag is 3.3 SNe
degree day and a half of them locates at . It is clear
that the shock breakout is a beneficial clue to probe high- core-collapse
SNe. We also establish ways to identify shock breakout and constrain SN
properties from the observations of shock breakout, brightness, time scale, and
color. We emphasize that the multicolor observations in blue optical bands with
hour intervals, preferably over continuous nights, are essential
to efficiently detect, identify, and interpret shock breakout.Comment: 26 pages, 23 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journal Supplement Serie
Properties of Deflagration Fronts and Models for Type Ia Supernovae
Detailed models of the explosion of a white dwarf, which include
self-consistent calculations of the light curve and spectra, provide a link
between observational quantities and the underlying explosion.These
calculations assume spherical geometry and are based on parameterized
descriptions of the burning front during the deflagration phase. Recently,
first multi-dimensional calculations for nuclear burning fronts have been
performed. Although a fully consistent treatment of the burning fronts is
beyond the current state of the art, these calculations provided a new and
better understanding of the physics, and new descriptions for the flame
propagation have been proposed. Here, we have studied the influence on the
results of previous analyses of Type Ia Supernovae, namely, the nucleosynthesis
and structure of the expanding envelope. Our calculations are based on a set of
delayed detonation models with parameters that give a good account of the
optical and infrared light curves, and of the spectral evolution. In this
scenario, the burning front propagates first in a deflagration mode and,
subsequently, turns into a detonation. The explosions and light curves are
calculated using a one-dimensional Lagrangian radiation-hydro code, including a
detailed nuclear network.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, macros 'crckapb.sty'. The Astrophysical Journal
(accepted
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