A new model for deflagration fronts in reactive fluids

Abstract

We present a new way of modeling deflagration fronts in reactive fluids, the main emphasis being on turbulent thermonuclear deflagration fronts in white dwarfs undergoing a Type Ia supernova explosion. Our approach is based on a level set method which treats the front as a mathematical discontinuity and allows full coupling between the front geometry and the flow field. With only minor modifications, this method can also be applied to describe contact discontinuities. Two different implementations are described and their physically correct behaviour for simple testcases is shown. First results of the method applied to the concrete problems of Type Ia supernovae and chemical hydrogen combustion are briefly discussed; a more extensive analysis of our astrophysical simulations is given in (Reinecke et al. 1998, MPA Green Report 1122b).

11 pages, 13 figures, accepted by A&A, corrected and extended according to referee's comments

Cited by in corpus (10)

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• The Diversity of Type Ia Supernovae from Broken Symmetries
• Model Flames in the Boussinesq Limit: The Effects of Feedback
• Combustion in thermonuclear supernova explosions
• Neutrinos from type Ia supernovae: The gravitationally confined detonation scenario
• Level set simulations of turbulent thermonuclear deflagration in degenerate carbon and oxygen
• Turbulence model for simulation of the flame front propagation in SNIa
• Surface detonation in type Ia supernova explosions?