An accurate and efficient numerical calculation of detonation waves in multidimensional supernova simulations using a burning limiter and adaptive quasi-statistical equilibrium

Abstract

Resolving the small length-scale of thermonuclear detonation waves (TNDWs) in supernovae is currently not possible in multidimensional full-star simulations. Additionally, multidimensional simulations usually use small, oversimplistic reaction networks and adopt an ad hoc transition criterion to nuclear statistical equilibrium (NSE). The errors due to the applied approximations are not well understood. We present here a new accurate and efficient numerical scheme that accelerates the calculations by orders of magnitudes and allows the structure of TNDWs to be resolved. The numerical scheme has two important ingredients: (1) a burning limiter that broadens the width of the TNDW while accurately preserving its internal structure, and (2) an adaptive separation of isotopes into groups that are in nuclear statistical quasi-equilibrium, which resolves the time-consuming burning calculation of reactions that are nearly balanced out. Burning is calculated in situ employing the required large networks without the use of post-processing or pre-describing the conditions behind the TNDW. In particular, the approach to and deviation from NSE are calculated self-consistently. The scheme can be easily implemented in multidimensional codes. We test our scheme against accurate solutions of the structure of TNDWs and against homogeneous expansion from NSE. We show that with resolutions that are typical for multidimensional full-star simulations, we reproduce the accurate thermodynamic trajectory (density, temperature, etc.) to an accuracy that is better than a percent for the resolved scales (where the burning limiter is not applied), while keeping the error for unresolved scales (broadened by the burning limiter) within a few percent.

arXiv comment21 pages, 15 figures. The main results are summarized in the first 5 pages (with 3 figures). Revised following referee's review

References in corpus (21)

• Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA)
• Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA): Giant Planets, Oscillations, Rotation, and Massive Stars
• Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA): Binaries, Pulsations, and Explosions
• Nucleosynthesis in Chandrasekhar Mass Models for Type Ia Supernovae and Constraints on Progenitor Systems and Burning-Front Propagation
• Extensible Component Based Architecture for FLASH, A Massively Parallel, Multiphysics Simulation Code
• Head-on collisions of white dwarfs in triple systems could explain type Ia supernova
• Sub-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf detonations revisited
• r-Process Lanthanide Production and Heating Rates in Kilonovae
• The Role of Electron Captures in Chandrasekhar Mass Models for Type Ia Supernovae
• Equation of state of fully ionized electron-ion plasmas
• SkyNet: A modular nuclear reaction network library
• The Initiation and Propagation of Helium Detonations in White Dwarf Envelopes
• Capturing the Fire: Flame Energetics and Neutronizaton for Type Ia Supernova Simulations
• A Model for Multidimensional Delayed Detonations in SN Ia Explosions
• Laterally Propagating Detonations in Thin Helium Layers on Accreting White Dwarfs
• A Tracer Method for Computing Type Ia Supernova Yields: Burning Model Calibration, Reconstruction of Thickened Flames, and Verification for Planar Detonations
• SNR-calibrated Type Ia supernova models
• Screening of fusion reactions from the principle of detailed balance and application to the $pep$ reaction
• Quantifying How Density Gradients and Front Curvature Affect Carbon Detonation Strength During Type Ia Supernovae
• The structure of detonation waves in supernovae revisited
• Comments on "Numerical Stability of Detonations in White Dwarf Simulations"

Cited by in corpus (12)

• Double detonations of sub-Chandrasekhar mass CO white dwarfs: Can different core and He shell masses explain variations of Type Ia supernovae?
• Supernovae Ia in 2019 (review): a rising demand for spherical explosions
• Multi-Dimensional Parameter Study of Double Detonation Type Ia Supernovae Originating from Thin-Helium-Shell White Dwarfs
• Thermonuclear explosion of a massive hybrid HeCO white-dwarf triggered by a He-detonation on a companion
• The Lunar Gravitational-wave Antenna: Mission Studies and Science Case
• Sub-Chandrasekhar-mass detonations are in tension with the observed $t_0-M_{\text{Ni56}}$ relation of type Ia supernovae
• One-Dimensional Numerical Study on Ignition of the Helium Envelope in Dynamical Accretion during the Double-Degenerate Merger
• Deep Neural Networks for Modeling Astrophysical Nuclear Reacting Flows
• The accuracy of post-processing nucleosynthesis
• Confronting double-detonation sub-Chandrasekhar models with the low-luminosity suppression of Type Ia supernovae
• Off-centre ignition of sub-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs does not resolve the tension with the observed $t_0$-$M_{\mathrm{Ni}56}$ relation of type Ia supernovae
• Violent mergers revisited: The origin of the fastest stars in the Galaxy