Abstract
We present theoretical delay times and rates of thermonuclear explosions that are thought to produce Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), including the double-detonation sub-Chandrasekhar mass model, using the population synthesis binary evolution code startrack. If detonations of sub-Chandrasekhar mass carbon-oxygen white dwarfs following a detonation in an accumulated layer of helium on the white dwarf's surface ('double-detonation' models) are able to produce thermonuclear explosions which are characteristically similar to those of SNe Ia, then these sub-Chandrasekhar mass explosions may account for at least some substantial fraction of the observed SN Ia rate. Regardless of whether all double-detonations look like 'normal' SNe Ia, in any case the explosions are expected to be bright and thus potentially detectable. Additionally, we find that the delay time distribution of double-detonation sub-Chandrasekhar mass SNe Ia can be divided into two distinct formation channels: the 'prompt' helium-star channel with delay times <500Myr (13 per cent of all sub-Chandras), and the 'delayed' double white dwarf channel, with delay times ≳800 Myr spanning up to a Hubble time (87 per cent). These findings coincide with recent observationally derived delay time distributions which have revealed that a large number of SNe Ia are prompt with delay times <500Myr, while a significant fraction also have delay times spanning ∼1 Gyr to a Hubble time.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 408-419 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |
Volume | 417 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Oct 2011 |